Schaff, Wace. A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church. Second Series. 1892. Volume 3.

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A SELFXT LIBRARY
OK
NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS

OF
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
êconb êriee.
TRANSLATED INTO ENCHJSH WITH PROLEGOMENA AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF
HENRY WAGE, D.D., and PHILIP SCHAFF, D.D., LL.D.,

Principal of King's College, Professor of Church History in the Union Theological
London, Seminary, New York.
IN CONNECTION WITH A NUMBER OF PATRISTIC SCHOLARS OF EUROPE

AND AMERICA.
VOLUME III.
THEODORET, JEROME, GENNADIUS, RUFINUS;

HISTORICAL WRITINGS, ETC.
NEW YORK:
THE CHRISTIAN LITERATURE COMPANY.
M DCCCC VI.
• ' •.
/m
3
qs'^s-'^
./
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.
PAGE
PREFACE BY THE GENERAL EDITOR v
THEODORET:
With Prolegomena and Notes by the Rev. Blo.mfield Jackson, M.A. —
Preface viii
Chronological Tables xi
Prolegomena i
Pedigrees 3:2
^
The Ecclesiastical History 33
The Dialogues 160
The Letters 250

JEROME AND GENNADIUS :
Translated with Introduction and Notes by Ernest Gushing Richardson, Ph.D. —

Introd JCTioN 353
—
Jerome Lives of Illustrious Men 359
Gennadius —
Lives of Illustrious Men ... 385
RUFINUS and JEROME:
Translated with Prolegomena and Notes by the Hon. and Rev. Canon W. H.
Fremantle, M.A. —
Prolegomena 405
Preface to the Commentary on the Benedictions of the Twelve
Patriarchs 417
Patriarchs. Book II 419
Preface to the Apology of Pamphilus 420
Treatise on the Adulteration of the works of Origen 421
Preface to the Translation of Origex's IIf/« 'Ap^Y"*^ B. I & II 427
Preface to the Translation of Origen's Uriu 'Apjuv B. Ill & IV 429
Apology of Rufinus addressed to Anastasius Bp. of Rome 430
Letters of Anastasius to John Bishop of Jerusalem concerning
Rufinus 432
Rufinus' Apology against Jerome B. I 434
Rufinus' Apology against Jerome B. II 460
Jerome's Apology in answer to Rufinus B. I 4S2
Jerome's Apology in answer to Rufinus B. II 501
Jerome's Apology in answer to Rufinus B. Ill 513

Rufinus on the Creed 541
Rufinus' Preface to his Translation of the Recognitions of Clement. .
563
Rufinus' Preface to his Translation of the Sayings of Xystus 564
(iii)
iv CONTENTS.
I-AGE
RUPÎNUS AND JEROME.— Co/i/tuued.
RuFiNus' Preface to his Translation ok the Chlrcii History ok

EusEBius 565
RuFiNus' Preface to his Translation of Origkn on Pss. 36, 37, 3 566
RuFiNus' Preface to his Translation of Origen on tiik Ep. to the
Romans 566
RuFiNLs' Peroration appended to Oru;en on the Ep. to ihe Romans.. 567
RuFiNus' Preface to his Translation of Origen on Numbers 56S
PREFACE.
This volume contains the following works :
I. Theodoret : Church History, Dialogues, and Letters. Translated, with ample Pro-
legomena and explanatory notes, by the Rev. Blomfield Jackson, M.A., Vicar of St,
Bartholomew's, Cripplegate, London.

II. Jerome and Gennadius Lives of Lllustrioiis Men.
: Translated, with introduction
and notes, by Ernest Gushing Richardson, Ph.D., Librarian of Princeton College.

III. Rufinus Apology against Jerome, and Jerome: Apology in reply to Rufinus ;
:
RuFiNus Commentary on the Apostles' Creed, and Prefaces to his translations of the Clem-
:
entine Recognitions, the Sayings of Xystus, Eusebius's Ghurch History, and several of Origen's
works ; translated, with notes, and an introduction on the Life and Works of Rufinus by the
Hon. and Rev. Wini. Henry Fremantle, M.A., Ganon of Canterbury.
The English reader has now, in the first three volumes of this Library, a complete collec-
tion of the historical writings of the Fathers, whose permanent value, as sources, is universally
acknowledged. Several of them have never before appeared in English.
The unavoidable delay in the publication of the third volume has been very annoying to
and be amply compensated by the

the general editors publishers, but the subscribers will
addition of the writings of Rufinus, which were not promised in the prospectus.
It is encouraging that this difficult and costly enterprise is beginning to be duly appreciated
by competent judges on both sides of the Atlantic. It is especially gratifying to read from
a
thorough patristic scholar of the Anglican Church such a hearty commendation of the first
volume (the work of two young American divines), as appeared in "The Church Quarterly
Review" for April, 1892. We share in his hope (p. 125) that the labors of
Dr. McGiffert and
Dr. Richardson will stimulate a new and critical edition of all the historical works of Eusebius,
by Bishop Lightfoot in his Apostolic Fathers, and that one of

after the model set the English
of publication.
University Presses will consider it an honor to undertake the expense
PHILIP SCHAFF.
New York, July 12, 1893.
(v)
THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, DIALOGUES,
AND LETTERS
OF
THEODORE T.
TRANSLATED WITH NOTES
BY
THE REV. BLOMFIELD JACKSON, M.A.,

Victir of St. Bai'tholomeias, Moor Lane, and Fellow of King's College, London.
(vii)
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
The following translation has been made from the edition published in Migne's
Patrologia. The plan originally proposed was, in the case of the History, to make a
revision of an existing translation. This was, however, after a brief trial, abandoned,
and the translation has throughout been made entirely afresh. The Letters, so far as the
translator is aware, have never been published in English before. The notes indicate with
suthcient clearness to whom he is indebted for such elucidation of the text as he may Ikivc
been enabled to furnish. Conscious of imperfections, and not confident tliat revision
its
can have removed all blemishes and errors, he yet puts forth this English version of the
History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, in the hope that he may
not have done great injustice to their holy and learned author.
LONDOX, July, 189.1.
Tlpog tiop
Koa'tovvtav i(J[.ifv.
CONTENTS.
PROLEGOMENA.
..........
...........
Chronological Tables
LiFK AND Writings
xi
"Twelve Chapters" Anathemas, with Theodoret's

Cyril's
.........
..........•••
Counter-Statements
or
25
Pedigrees 3^
The Ecclesiastical History ...... ^ o .. 33

160
The Dialogues
The Letters ,..,....-..-• 250
(i^)
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES. XI
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES TO ACCOMPANY THE HISTORY AND

LIFE OF THEODORET.
323- Defeat and relegation of Licinius. Theod. 1. I; Soc. i.

4; Soz. i. 8; Eus. -x.
9
324- Execution of Licinius. Macarius, bishop of Jeru-
salem, Silvester of Rome, and Alexander of
Alexandria. TJieod. i. 2 ; Soc. i.
9; Soz. i. 2.
Colluthus condemned at Alexandria. Theod. i. j.
20th year of Constantine I. COUNCIL OF
325-
NrCÊA (May 20 Aug. 25). — Theod. I. 6; Soc. i. 8; Soz. i.
17.
Birth of Gallus (Caesar). Theod. ill', i.
Birth of Gregory of Nazianzus.
Eustathius of Beroea elected bishop of Antioch. Theod. I.
J ; Soz. i. 2.
Constantine writes a letter ordering the building
and reparation of churches. Theod. t. 14.
Also a letter to Macarius, bishop of Jerusalem,
about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Theod. i. 16; Soc. i.
9.
326. Alexander, bishop of Alexandria, died in January
(perhaps April and Athanasius succeeds, prob-
) ,
ably on June 8th. The Festal Index gives 328. Theod. i. 2§ ; Soc. i.
15; Soz. ii.
17.
327- .''Consecration of Frumentius to the Abyssinian
bishopric. Theod. t. 23 ; Soc. i.
19; Soz. ii.
24.
328. Arian Council of Antioch, and deposition of Eus-
tathius but the date is much controverted.
:
Possibly 330 or 331. Theod. i. 20 ; Soc. i.

24 ;
Soz. ii. 19.
329- Incident of Ischyras and Macarius. Theod. ii. 6; Soc. i.
27.
Birth of Basil of Caesarea, " the Great."
330- Byzantium dedicated as Constantinople, May nth. cf. Theod. i. 18 ; Soc. i.
16; Soz. i.
3.
331- Birth of Julian.
Perhaps the deposition of Eustathius.
333- Constantine's letter to Sapor II. Theod, i.
24.
335- Division of the empire between Constantine,
Constantius, and Constans, sons, and Dalma-
tius and Hannibalianus, nephews, of the em-
peror.
Dedication of the Great Church at Jerusalem. Theod. {. 2q ; Soc. i. 28; Soz. ii. 26.
Anthony summoned to Alexandria. 'Theod. iv. 24.
Councils of Tyre and Jerusalem; first exile of
Athanasius. Theod. i.
2S-2g Soc. i. 28; Soz. ii.
; 25.
336. Athanasius at Treves. Theod. i.
2g ; Soc. i. 315; Soz. li. 28.
Death of Arius. Theod. i.
ij ; Soc. i.
38; Soz. ii.
29.
Death ( Clinton gives 340) of Alexander of Con-
.''
stantinople. Theod. i. ig.

337- Death of Constantine I. Whitsunday. ThtO({. i.
JO ; Soc. i.
39; Soz. ii.
34.
33S. Athanasius' restoration recommended by Con-
stantine II. Theod. ii. I ; Soc. ii.
3; Soz. lii. 2.
340- Constantine II. defeated and slain near Aquileia. Theod. ii. J ; Soc. ii.
5; Soz. lii. 2.
Constantius at war with Persia.
Death of Eusebius of Cresarea, the historian.
Paul and Eusebius of Nicomedia rivals at Con-
stantinople. Theod. i.
ig ; Soc. ii.
7; Soz. iii. 4.
Athanasius withdraws to Rome.
Gregory at Alexandria. Theod. ii. s ; Soc. ii. 11 ;
Soz. iii. 6.
Arian Synod of the Dedication of the Great Church
at Antioch, commonly dated 341. Theod. ii. J ; Soc. ii. in; Soz. iii. 5.
342. Constantius orders expulsion of Paul from Con-

stantinople. Theod. ii. 4; Soc. ii.
7; Soz. iii. 4.
343- Persecution in Persia.
343-4 or 347. (See note on p. 67.) Council of Sardica. Theod. ii. 6 ; Soc. ii. 20; Soz. iii. 11.
Athanasius recei\ed at Milan by Constans.
345- Murder of GregDry. Theod. ii. g.
345 o' 346. Deposition of Stephen of Antioch. Theod. ii. S ; Soc. ii. 26; -Soz. iii. 20.
Return of Athanasius, October 21. Theod. ii, j ; Soc. ii.
33; Soz. iii.
70.
XII THEODORET.
347. Birth of John Chrvsostoin.

349. Council at Jeriisali'in (>hinsi. ii. 171 11.), under
hp. Ma\inius, in ra\our of Athanasius. 1st Coun-
cil of Siiniiuin.
350. Revolt of Mai^ncntius. Theod. ii. 12 ; Soc. ii. 25.

Constans killed February 27. TJicoct. ii. i) ; Soc. ii. 25; Soz. iv. i.
3^1. Conslantius, sole emperor, defeats Magnentius at

Mursa.
2nd Council of Sirmium.
3:52. Liberiiis succeeds Julius in the See of Rome Theod. ii. 12.
Paul of Constantinople strangleil. Theod. ii. ./ ; Soc. ii. 2G\ Soz. iv. 2.
353. Suicide of Magnentius.

3151^. Council of Milan. Theod. ii. 12 ; Soc. ii.
3^) Soz.;
iv. 9.
356. Intrusion of George at Alexandria. Theod. ii. la ; Soc. ii.

14; Soz. iv. 30.
357. Deposition of Cyril of Jerusalem by Acacius. Theod. ii. 22; Soc. ii. 42; Soz. iv. 21;.
3rd Council of Sirmium.

35S. Return of Libcrius. Theod. ii. 14; Soc. ii.
42; Soz. iv. 15.
359. Synod of the Isaurian Seleucia. Theod. ii. 22 ; Soc. ii.

39; Soz. iv. 22.
Birth of Gratianus.
Council of Ariininum. Theod. ii. ij : Soc. ii.
37; Soz. iv. 17.
300. Synod of Nica. Theod. ii. ib.
3rd Council of Constantinople. (Semi Arian.)
I^fii. Nov. 3 Death of Constantius. )^
Thecd. Hi. i ; Soc. ii.
47; Soz. v. 1.
Accession of Julian. J
362. Murder of George of Alexandria.

Athanasius returns Feb. 22, but goes into 4th
exile in October. Theod. iii.j; Soc. iii. 4; Soz. vi. 6.
363. Jidian's baffled attempt to rebuild the Temple. Theod. iii. /j; Soc. iii. 70; Soz. v. 22.
Julian's Persian expedition and death, June 26. Theod. iii. 20; Soc. iii. 17; Soz. vi. i.
Accession of Jovian, June 27.
364. Death of Jovian. Theod. ii'.4; Soc. iii. 26; Soz. vi. 3.
Accession of Valentinian. Valens Augustus.
366. Liberius, bp. of Rome, dies and is succeeded by
Damasus. Theod. ii. ly ; Soc. iv. 29; Soz. vi. 23.
367. Gratianus, son of Valentinian, declared Augustus.

let. s. 8. Theod. V. i.
5th exile of Athanasius.
370. Basil becomes bishop of Ccesarea. Theod. i-i'. 16 ; Soc. iv. 26; Soz. vi. 16.
372. Gregory of Nazianzus becomes bishop of Sasima. Theod. 7'. 7; Soc. iv. 26; Soz. vi. 17.
373. Death of Athanasius, May 2. Theod. iv. ij ; Soc. iv. 20; Soz. vi. 19.
Death of Ephraim Syrus, June 19. Theod. iv. 26 ; Soz. iii. 16.
374. Auxentius of Milan dies. Theod. tv. ^ ; Soc. iv. 30; Soz. i. 24.
Ambrose archbishop of Milan. Theod. iv. 6.
375. Gratian emperor of the West. Theod. V. i ; Soc. iv. 31 Soz. vi. 36. ;
378. Death of Valens. Theod. iz>. 32 : Soc. iv. 37; Soz. vi. 40.
379. Theodosius named Augustus, Jan. 19. Theod. V. 5 / Soc. v. 2 Soz. vii. 2. ;
Gregory of Nazianzus at Constantinople. Theod. V. S : Soc. v. 6; Soz. vii. 7.

381. Council of Constantinoit.k. (2n(l c.knkr.m.) Theod. T'. 8 ; Soc. v. 8; Soz. vii. 7.
3S3. Death of Gratian. Rebellion of Maximus. Theod. V. 12 ; Soc. v. 11 Soz. vii. 13. ;
386. Birth of Theodoret, according to the less probable

date of Garnerius.
3S7. Sedition at Antioch. Theod. t'. ig ; Soc. v. 15; Soz. vii. 23.
388. Defeat and death of Maximus.
Death of Cyril of Jerusalem.
390. Destruction of the Serapeum. Theod. V. 22 ; Soc. v. 16; Soz. vii. 15.
Massacre at Thessalonica. Theod. V. JJ.
Death of Gregory of Nazianzus.
""
392. Death of Valentinian 11. Eugenius set up as
Emperor. Theod. V. 24.
393. Birth of Tiieodokkt, according to the more
probable date of Tillemont.
394. Theodosius defeats ICugenius. Theod. z>. 24; Soc. v. 25; Soz. vii. 24.
395. Death of Theodosius. Accession of llonorius and
Arcadius. Theod. z>.
2j ; Soc. v. 26; Soz. vii. 25.
398. John Chrysostom becomes bishop of Constanti-
nople. 'Theod. Soc. \i. 2; Soz. viii. 2.
->. 2"/ ;
400. Revolt of Gainas. cf. Theod. V. 33 ; Soc. vi. 6; Soz. viii. 4.

401. Roman legions withdrawn from Britain.
"
403. Synod of the Oak." Theod. V. ^t; Soc. \\. 15; Soz. \iii. 19
404. Death of the empress Eudoxia.
Chrysostom ordereil to quit Constantinople. Theod. V.34 ; Soc. vi. iS; Soz. viii. 24.
407. Death of Chrysostom. Theod. V. 34.
405. Death of Arcadius. Accession of Theodosius II. Theod. •>. j6.
410. Sack of Rome by Alaric,
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES. Xlll
Tlicod. V. jj.
413 Cyril becomes patriarch of Alexandria.
415 Murder of Iljpatia at Alexandria.
Theodoret loses his parents and retires to Nicerte Theod. Epp. CXII/, CAVA'.
41S Council of Carthage.
Death of Ilonorius.
Theodoret becomes bishop of Cyrus.
4^5 Accession of Valentinian III.
42S Nestorius becomes bishop of Constantinople.
Vandals in Africa. T/icod. Epp. XXIX-XXXV^l.
429 Death of Theodotus, patriarcli of Antioch, fixed by
Theodoretus as the term of his History. Theod. V. J9.
430 Letters of Celestine of Rome and Cyril of Alex-

andria to John of Antioch on the Western con-
demnation of Nestorius.
Death of St. Augustine.
431- Council of Ephesus. (3rd general.)
Council of Orientals at Beroea. (St. Patrick's
43^-
mission.)
433- Peace between Cj'ril and the Orientals.
434 (c). Friendly correspondence between Theod. and
Cyril.
Theod. Ep. LXXXIII.
438. Translation of the relics of Chrysostom to Con-
stantinople. Theod. V. j6; Soc. vii. 45.
Cyril denounces Diodorus and Theodore of
Mopsuestia : renewal of hostilities with Theo-
doret.
440, Accession of Isdigerdes II., the last event referred
to in the Ecc. History. Theod. V. jS.
444' Death of Cyril of Alexandria. Theod. Ep. CLXXX.
Accession of Dioscorus.
446 (c). Composition of the "Dialogues."
448. Dioscorus deposes Irenoeus of Tyre.
449. (March 30.) Edict confining Theodoret within
the limits of his diocese.
" Latrocinium "
(Aug.) Assembly of the at Eph-
esus.
4SC. (July 29.) Death of Theodosius II.
Accession of Pulcheria and Marcian.
451' Council of Chalcedon. (4th general.)
453 Death of Theodoret, according to Tillemont.
45S. Probable date of the death, according to Garnerius,
PROLEGOMENA.
THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF THE BLESSED THEODORETUS,

BISHOP OF CYRUS.
I. — Parentage, Birth, and Education.

At Antioch
at the close of the fourth century there were living a husband and wife,
opulent and happy in the enjoyment of all the good things of this life, one thing only
excepted. They were childless. Married at seventeen, the young bride lived for several
years in the enjoyment of such pleasures as wealth and society could give. At the age of
twenty-thi-ee she was attacked by a painful disease in one of her eyes, for which neither
the books of older authorities nor later physiological discoveries could suggest a remedy.
One of her domestic servants, compassionating her distress, informed her that the wife of
Pergamius, at that time in authority in the East, had been healed of a similar ailment by
Petrus, a famous Galatian solitary who was then living in the upper story of a tomb in the
neighbourhood, to which access could only be obtained by climbing a ladder. The afflicted
lady, says the story which her son himself repeats,' hastened to climb to the recluse's
latticed cell, arrayed in all her customary elaborate costume, with earrings, necklaces, and
the rest of her ornaments of gold, her silk robe blazing with embroidery, her face smeared
with red and white cosmetics, and her eyebrows and eyelids artificially darkened. "Tell
me," said the hermit, on beholding his brilliant visitor, "tell me, my child, if some skilful
painter were to paint a portrait according to his art's strict rules and offer it for exhibition,
and then up were to come some dauber dashing off his pictures on the spur of the moment,
who should find fault with the artistic picture, lengthen the lines of brows and lids, make
the face whiter and heighten the red of the cheeks, what would you say.? Do you not think
the original painter would be hurt at this insult to his art and these needless additions of
an unskilled hand." These arguments, we learn, led eventually to the improvement of the
young Antiochene gentlewoman both in piety and good taste and her eye is said to have
been restored to health by the imposition of the sign of the cross. Not impossibly the
discontinuance of the use of cosmetics may have helped, if not caused, the cure.
Six years longer the husband and wife lived together a more i-eligious life, but still
unblessed with children. Among the ascetic solitaries whom the disappointed husband
begged to aid him in his prayers was one Macedonius, distinguished, from the simplicity
of his diet, as " the barley eater." In answer to his prayers, it was believed, a son was at
last granted to the pious pair.^ The condition of the boon being that the boy should be
devoted to the divine service, he was appropriately named at his birth " Theodoretus," or
"Given by God." ^ Of the exact date of this birth, productive of such important
consequences to the history and literature of the Church, no precise knowledge is
attainable. The less probable year is 3S6 as given by Garnerius,'' the more probable
and now generally accepted year 393 follows the computation of Tillemont.*
'
Rclig. Hist. iiSS ct seq. 2
Rclig. Hist, 1214.
3 The Hebrew equivalents of this very general desig-natinn are Nathaniel and Matthew. Modern Eng-lish custom has
travelled back to the Greek for its Theodore, Theodora, but Dieudonne and Diodati are familiar in French and Italian.
• Gamier the French
Jesuit Father, was born in Paris in i6i2, and died in 16S1. His "Auctarium Theodoreti Episcopi
Cyrensis," with dissertations, was published in 16S4.
"According to this reckoning Thcodoret would be fifty-six at the time of the letter to Leo, written 449, in which he
speaks of his old age, and about thirty at his consecration as bishon in 423.
W. Moller in Herzog's Encyclopedia of Prot. Theol. (Ed. 1SS5. xv. 402) gives 390.
VOL. III. B
THEODORET.
While yet in his svvaddlinj^ bands the little Theodoret began to receive training
appropriate to his high career,' and, as he himself tells us, with the jârdonable exaggeration of
enthusiasm, was no sooner weaned than he began to learn the apostolic teaching. Among
his earliest impressions were the lessons and exhortations of Peter of Galatia, to whom his
mother owed so much, and of Macedonius " the barley eater," who had helped to save the
Antiochenes in the troubles that arose about the statues.^ Of the latter^ Theodoret quotes
the earnest charges to a holy life, and in his modesty expresses his sorrow that he had not
profited better by the solitary's solemn entreaties. If however Macedonius was indeed quite
ignorant of the Scriptures,'' it may have been well for the boy's education to have been not
wholly in his hands. It is not impossible that he may have had a childish recollection of
Chrysostom, who left Antioch in 398. To Peter he used to pay a weekly visit, and records"
how the holy man would take him on his knees and feed him with bread and iâisins. A
treasure long preserved in the household of Theodoret's parents was half Peter's girdle, woven
of coarse linen, which the old man had one day wound round the loins of the boy.
Frequently proved an unfailing remedy in various cases of family ailment, its very reputa-
tion led to its loss, for all the neighbours used to borrow^ it to cure their own complaints,
and at last an unkind or careless friend omitted to return it.^
When a stripling Theodoret was blessed by the right hand of Aphraates the monk, of
whom he relates an anecdote in his Ecclesiastical History,^ and when his beard was just
beginning to grow was also blessed by the ascetic Zeno.'* At this period he was
already a lector® and was therefore probably past the age of eighteen. By this time his
general education would be regarded as more or less complete, and to these earlier years
may be traced the acquaintance which he shows with the writings of Plomcr, Thucydides,
Plato, Euripides, and other Greek classics. Lighter literature, too, will not have been
excluded from his reading, if we accept the genuineness of the famous letter on the death
of Cyril,'" and may infer that the dialogues of Lucian are more likely to have amused the
leisure hours of a lad at school and college than have intruded on the genuine piety and
marvellous industry of the Bishop of Cyrus.
Theodoret was familiar with Greek, Syriac, and Hebrew, but is said to have been unac-
quainted with Latin." Such I presume to be an inference from a passage in one of his
works'^ in which he tells us " The Romans indeed had poets, orators, and historians, and
we are informed by those who are skilled in both languages that their reasonings are
closer than the Greeks' and their sentences more concise. In saying this I have not the
least intention of disparaging the Greek language which is in a sense mine,'^ or of making
an ungrateful return to it for my education, but I speak that I may to some extent close the
lips and lower the brows of those who make too big a boasting about it, and may teach
them not to ridicule a language which is illuminated by the truth." But it is not clear
from these words that Theodoret had no acquaintance wath Latin. His admiration for
orthodox Western theology as well as his natural literary and social curiosity would lead
him to learn it. In the Ecclesiastical History (iii. 16) there is a possible reference to
Horace.
Theodoret's chief instructor in Theology was the great light of the school of Antioch,
Theodorus, known from the name of the see to which he was appointed in 392,
"
ISIop-
or " the hearth of in Cilicia Secunda. He also refers to his
suestia," Mopsus," obligations
lEp. LXXXI. = Ecc.Hist. V. 19. p. 146. a

Relig. Hist. 1215. * cf. Ecc. Hist. p. 146. «
Relig. Hist. iiSS.
' The confidence of Theodoret in the wonder
working powers of half Peter's girdle may be taken as a crucial instance of
what detractors of the individual and of the a<je would ciiil his foolish credulity. }?ut an unsound process of reasoning from
post hoc ict pfopter hoc is not confined to any particular period, and it is not impossible that the scientists of the thirty-fourth
century may smile benevolently at some of the cherished remedies of the nineteenth.
'Cf. » " Vide n.
p. 127. Relig. Hist. I20.V p. .^4.
"
p. 346. To what is said there may be added the following remarks from Dr. Salmon's Infallibility of the Church"
10 Vide
" The letter from which these passages are taken was read as Theodoret's atthe fifth General Council (fifth Session)
p. 303, n.
and there accepted as his. But on questions of this kind Councils are not infallible; and the letter contains a note of spuri-
ousness in purporting to be addressed to John, bishop of Antioch, who died before Cyril. I own that the suggestion that for
'John' we ought to read Domnus does not suffice to remove suspicion from my mind.
' '
But it is solely for the reason
just st.atcd that I feel no confidence in accepting the letter as Theodoret's. Newman's opinion that it is incredible Theodoret
could have written so ' atrocious ' a letter is one which it is amazing should be held by any one familiar with tlie controversial
amenities of the time. Our modern urbanity is willing to bury party animosities in tlic grave; but in the fifth century Swift's
translation would be thought the <mly proper otic of the maxim ' De mortuis nil tiisi bonum' when scoundrels die let all be-
'
moan them.' Certainly the m;in who half a dozen vears after Chrysostom's death spoke of him as Judas Iscariot had no right
to expect to be politely treated after his own death by one whom he had relentlessly persecuted."
Glubokowski, whose great work on Theodoret now in progress is unfortunately a scaled volume to the majority of
readers on account of its being written in the author's native Russian, is of opinion that the letter is spurious. See also
Schrbckh Kircheges. xviii. 370. I am myself unable to see the forceof the /w^^rwai evidence of spuriousness. It may have been
half playful, and never meant for pulilication.
n Cf. Can. Venables Diet. Christ. Biog. iv. qo6. 12 Grcecarum
affectionum curalio S43.
18 To a
Syrian it would not be literally the mother tongue, but was possibly acquired in infancy.
PROLEGOMENA.
to Diodorus of Tarsus.^ Accepting 393 as the date of his birth and 392 as that of Theodore's
appointment would seem that the younger theologian must have been rather a
to his see, it
reader than a hearer as well of Theodore as of Diodore. But Theodore expounded Script-
ure in many churches of the East.' The friendship of Theodoret for Nestorius may have
begun when the latter was a monk in the convent of St. Euprepius at the gates of Antioch.
^
It is recorded that on one occasion Theodore gave oflence while preaching at Antioch by
refusing to give to the blessed Virgin the title Qeotukoc. He afterwards retracted this refusal
for the sake of peace. The original objection and subsequent consent have a curious sig-
nificance in view of the subsequent careers of his two famous pupils. Of the school of
Antioch as distinguished from that of Alexandria it may be said broadlv that while the
lattershewed a tendency to syntheticism and to unity of conception, the former, under the
influence of the Aristotelian philosophy, favoured analytic processes.
*
And while the
general bent of the school of thinkers among whom Theodoret was brought up inclined to
a recognition of a distinction between the two natures in the Person of Christ, there was
much in the special teaching of its great living authority which was not unlikely to lead to
"
such division of the Person as was afterwards attributed to Nestorius. Such were the in-
fluences under which Theodoret grew up.
On the death of his parents he at once distributed all the property that he inherited
from them, and embraced a life of poverty,^ retiring, at about the age of three and twenty,
to Nicerte, a village three miles from Apamea, and seventy-five from Antioch, in the
monastery of which he passed seven calm and happy years, occasionally visiting neighbour-
ing monasteries and perhaps during this period paying the visit to Jerusalem which left an
" With
indelible impression on his memory. my own eyes," he writes,' "I have seen that
desolation. The prediction rang in my ears when I saw the fulfilment before my eyes and
I lauded and worshipped the truth." Of the peace of Theodoret's earlier manhood Dr.
Newman says in a sentence less open to criticism than another which shall be quoted fur-
**
ther on, "There he laid deep within him that foundation of faith and devotion, and ob-
tained that vivid apprehension of the world unseen and future which lasted him as a secret
spring of spiritual strength all through the conflict and sufferings of the years that fol-
lowed."
II. — Episcopate at Cyrus.
Cyrus or Cyrrhus was a town of the district of Syria called after it Cyrestica. The
capital of Cyrestica was Gindarus, which Strabo describes" as being in his time a natural
nest of robbers. Cyrus lies on a branch of the river OEnoparas, now Aphreen, and the site
is still known as Koros. A
tradition has long obtained that it received the name of Cyrus
from the Jews in honour of their great benefactor, but this is more than doubtful.
The form Cyrus may have arisen from a confusion with a Cyrus in Susiana.^" The
Cyrestica is a fertile plain lying between the spurs of the Alma Dagh and the Euphrates,
irrigated by three streams and blessed with a rich soil. The diocese, which was subject
^^
to the Metropolitan of Hierapolis, contained some sixteen hundred square miles and eight
hundred distinct parishes each with its church. ^^ But Cyrus itself was a wretched little
*^
place scantily inhabited. Before it was beautified by the munificence of Theodoret it
contained no buildings of any dignity or grace. The people of the town as well as of the
diocese seem to have been poor in orthodoxy as well as in pocket, and the rich soil of the
district grew a plentiful crop of the tares of Arianism, Marcionism, Eunomianism and
Judaism.^*
Such was the diocese to which Theodoret, in spite of his honest fzolo episcopari,^^ was
consecrated at about the age of thirty, A. D. 433. Of the circumstances of this consecration
we have no evidence. Garnerius conjectures that he must have been ordained deacon
by Alexander who succeeded Porphyrins at Antioch. He was probably appointed, if not
consecrated, to succeed Isidorus at Cyrus, by Theodotus the successor of Alexander on the
patriarchal throne of Antioch. In this diocese certainly for five and twenty years, per-
haps for five and thirty, with occasional intervals he worked night and day with
unflagging patience and perseverance for the good of the people committed to his
care, and in the cause of his Master and of the truth. The ecclesiastic of these early
1
Ep. XVI. 2
John of Antioch Fac. ii. 2.
s
Cyril.Alex. Ep. LXIX. ' Grcec. Affect. Cur. logo. " Ep. XLII. '=
Ep. LXXXI.
*
Glubokowski p. 63. ^ Historical Sketches iii. îg. JÊp. CXIII.
E
e.g-. Theodorus, Migne 776.
s>
Strabo xvi. c. 751. " Ep. CXXXVIII.
6Ep. CXIIl. lOGlubokowskip. 31. Tilieniont v. 217. " Epp. LXXXI, CXIII.
B 2
THEODORET.
times is sometimes imagined to have been a morose and ungenial ascetic, wasting
his energies in unprofitable hair-spHtting, and taking little or no interest in the
every day needs of his contemporaries. In marked contrast with this imaginary
bishop stands out the kindly figure of the I'eal bishop of Cyrus, as the modest statements
and hints supplied by his own letters enable us to recall him.
As an administrator and man of business he was munificent and efficient. Stripped,
as we have already learnt, of his family property by his own act and will, he must have
been dependent in his diocese on the revenues of his see. From these, which cannot have
been small, he was able to spend large sums on public works. Cyrus was adorned with
porticoes, with two great bridges, with baths, and with an aqueduct, all at Theodoret's "ex-
pense.^ On assuming the administration of his diocese he took measures, he tells us, to
secure for Cyrus " the necessary arts," and from these three words we need not hesitate
to infer that architects, engineers, masons, sculptors, and carpenters, would be attracted
" from all "
quarters to the bishop's important works. And for this increased population
it is interesting to note that Theodoret provided competent practitioners in medicine and
surgery, in which it would seem he was not himself unskilled.^ His keen interest in the
needs of his people is shewn by the efforts he made to obtain relief for them from
temporal
the cruel pressure of exorbitant taxation.* So unendurable was the tale of imposts under
which they groaned that in many cases they were deserting their farms and the country, and
he earnestly appeals to the empress Pulcheria and to his friend Anatolius to help them.*
The tender sympathy felt by him for all those afflicted in body and estate, as well as in
mind, is shewn in his letters on behalf of Celestinianus, or Celestiacus, a gentleman of
position at Carthage, who had suffered cruelly during the attack of the Vandals," and in
the admirable and touching letters of consolation addressed to survivors on the deaths
of relatives. That these should have been religiously preserved need excite no surprise.'
Of the terms on which he lived with his neighbours we can form some idea from the jus-
tifiable boast contained in his letter to Nomus. In the quarter of a century of his episco-
pate, he writes, he never appeared in court either as prosecutor or defendant his clergy ;
followed his admirable example; he never took an obol or a garment from any one; not
one of his household ever received so much as a loaf or an egg he could not bear to think ;
that he had any property beyond his few poor clothes." Yet he was always ready to give
where he would not receive, and in addition to all the diocesan and literary work which
he conscientiously performed, he spent more time than he could well afford in all sorts of
extra diocesan business which his position thrust in his way.
As a shepherd of souls he was unceasing in his efforts to win heathen, heretics and
Jews to the true faith. His diocese, when he assumed its government, '°
was a veiy hot-
bed of heresy.^ Nevertheless in the famous letter to Leo he could boast that
not a tare was left to spoil the crop. His fame as a preacher was great and wide,
and makes us the more regret that of the discourses which in turn roused, cheered, and
blamed, so little should survive. The eloquence, so to say, of his extant writings, gives
indications of the force of spoken utterances not less marked by learning and literar}- skill.
Two of his letters give vivid pictures of the enthusiasm of oriental auditories in Antioch,
once so populous and so keen in theological interest, where now^ amid a people
numbering only about a fiftieth part of their predecessors of the fifth century, there is not
a single church. Wesee the patriarch John in a frenzy of gladness at Theodoret's ser-
"
mons, clapping his hands and springing again and again from his chair we see the heads ;
of the congregation receiving the bishop of Cyrus with frantic delight as he came down
from the pulpit, flinging their arms round him, kissing now his head, now his breast, now
his hands, now his knees, and hear them exclaiming, " This is the Voice of the Apostle
" "'
!
But Theodoret had to encounter sometimes the fury of opposition. Again antl again in
his campaign against heretics and unbelievers he was stoned, wounded, and brought nigh
'^ " He from whom no secrets are hid knows all the bruises
unto death. my body has
received, aimed at me by ill-named heretics, and what fights I have fought in most of the
'*
cities of the East against Jews, heretics, and heathen."
1
Epp. LXXIX. LXXXI. 2
Ep. CXV. >
Epp. CXI V, CXV, and Dial. p. 217 cf. also de Prov. 518 et seqq.
Epp. XLIl, XLIII, XLV. Epp. XLIII. and XI.V. Epp. XXIX.-XXXVl.
« ^
'cf. Epp. yil. VIII. XIV. XV. XVII.XVIII. LXV. I.XIX. »

Ep. LXXXI.
" " In a diocese such as
his, Ivini; as it wcro in a corner of tht; world, not reached by the public posts, isolated by the
great river to the east and the niouiitain clinins to the west, )ieo])led by half-leavened heathen, Christianity assumed many
strange forms, sometimes hardly recoijnisal)le caricatures of the truth." Canon Venables. Diet. Clirist. Biojj. iv. gci6.
i"Epp. CXIII. u Ep. LXXXIII. "Ep. CXLVII. " Epp. lxXXI and CXIH. " Ep. CXIII.
PROLEGOMENA.
Til. — Relations with Nestorius and to Nestorianism.

Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople, was bound by ties of close friendship both to
Theodoret and to John, patriarch of Antioch. In August, 430, the western bishops, under
the presidency of the Pope Celestine, assembled in council at Rome, condemned Nestorius,
and threatened him with excommunication. Shortly afterwards a council of Orientals at
Alexandria, summoned by Cyril, endorsed this condemnation and despatched it to Constan-
tinople. Then John received from Celestine and Cyril letters announcing their common
action. When the couriers conveying these communications reached Antioch they found
John surrounded by Theodoret and other bishops who were assembled possibly for the ordi-
nation of Macarius, the new bishop of Laodicea. John took counsel with his brother bishops,
and a letter was despatched in their common name to Nestorius, exhorting him to accept
the term QcoruKor, round which the whole war waged pointing out the sense in which it
;
could not but be accepted by every loyal Christian, and imploring him not to embroil
Christendom for a word. This letter has been generally attributed to Theodoret. But
while the conciliatory sage of Cyrus was endeavouring to formulate an Eirenicon, the ardent
Egyptian made peace almost impossible by the publication of his famous anathematisms.
John and his friends were distressed at the apparent unorthodoxv of Cyril's condemnation
of Nestorius, and asked Theodoret to refute Cyril.' The strong language employed in
Letter CL. conveys an idea of the heat of the enthusiasm with which Theodoret entered on
the task, and his profound conviction that Cyril, in blind zeal against imaginary error on
the part of Nestorius, was himself falling headlong into the Apollinarian pit. eager An
war of words now waged over Nestorius between Cyril and Theodoret, each denounc-
ing the other for supposed heresy on the subject of the incarnation and, with deep ;
respect for the learning and motives of Theodoret, we may probably find a solution of
much that he said and did in the fact that he misunderstood Nestorius as completely as
he did Cyril.* Cyril, nursed in the synthetic principles of the Alexandrian school, could
see only the unity of the two natures in the one Person. To him, to distinguish, as the ana-
lysis of Theodoret distinguished, between God the Word and Christ the Man, was to come
perilously near a recognition of two Christs, keeping up as it were a mutual dialogue of
speech and action. But Cyril's unqualified assertion that there is one Christ, and that Christ
is God,
really gave no ground for the accusation that to him the manhood was an unreality.
Yet he and Theodoret were substantially at one. Theodoret's failure to apprehend Cyril's
drift was no doubt due less to
any want of intelligence on the part of the Syrian than
to the overbearing bitterness of the fierce Egvptian.
On the other hand Theodoret's loyal love for Nestorius led him to give his friend
credit for meaning what he himself meant. While he was driven to contemplate the
doctrines of Cyril in their most dangerous exaggeration, he shrank from seeing how the
Nestorian counter statement might be dangerously exaggerated. Theodoret, as Dr. Bright
" uses a
remarks,^ good deal of language which is prima facie Nestorian; his objections
are pervaded by an ig)io7'atio elencki^ and his language is repeatedly illogical and
inconsistent; but he and Cyril were essentially neai'er to each other in belief than at the
time they would have admitted, for Theodoret virtually owns the personal oneness and
" in his
explains the phrase God assumed man' by 'He assumed manhood.'"
'
Cyril
letter to Euoptius
earnestly disclaims both forms of ApoUinarianism the notion of a —
mindless manhood in Christ and the notion of a body formed out of Godhead. In his
reply (on Art iv.) he admits the language appropriate to each nature."
Probably both the Egyptian and the Syrian would have found no difficulty in
subscribing the language of our own judicious divine; "a kind of mutual commutation
there is whereby those concrete names, God and Man^ when we speak of Christ, do take
interchangeably one another's room, so that for truth of speech it skilleth not whether we
say that the Son of God hath created the world and the Son of Man by his death hath
saved it or else that the Son of Man did create, and the Son of God died to save the
world. Howbeit, as oft as we attribute to God what the manhood of Christ claimeth, or
to man w^hat his Deity hath right unto, we understand
by the name of God and the name
of Man neither the one nor the other nature, but the whole
person of Christ, in whom both
natures are. When the Apostle saith of the Jews that they crucified the Lord of Glory,
and when the Son of Man being on earth aflirmeth that the Son of Man was in heaven at
1 Vide the Anathematisms and Theodoret's refutation in the Proleg-omena.
2 cf.
Glubokowski p. 9S. » Diet. Christ
Biog. i.
767.
THEODORET.
the same instant, there is in these two speeches that mutual circulation before mentioned.
In the one there is attributed to God or the Lord of Glory death, whereof divine nature
is not capable; in the other ubiquity unto man, which human nature admittcth not.
Therefore by the Lord of Glory we must needs understand the whole person of Christ,
who lacing Lord of Glory, was indeed crucified, but not in that nature for which he is
termed the Lord of Glory. In like manner by the Son of Man the whole person of Christ
must necessarily be meant, who being man upon earth, filled heaven with his glorious
presence, but not according to that nature for whicii the title of Man is given him.
Without this caution the Fathers whose belief was divine and their meaning most sound,
shall seem in their writing one to deny what another constantly doth afiirm. Theodoret
disputeth with great earnestness that God cannot be said to suffer. But he thereby
meaneth Christ's divine nafitre against Apollinarius, which held even Deity itself
passible. Cyril on the other side against Nestorius as much contendeth that whosoever
will deny very God to have suftei'ed death doth forsake the faith. Which notwithstanding
to hold were heresy, if the name of God in this assertion did not import as it doth the
person of Christ, who being verily God suffered death, but in the flesh, and not in that
substance for which the name of God is given him."
'
As to the part played by Theodoret throughout the whole controversy we may

conclude that thoug^h he had to own himself beaten intellectually, vet the honours of the
moral victory remain with him rather than with his illustrious opponent. Not for the
last time in the history of the Church a great duel of dialectic issued in a conclusion
wherein of the champion who was driven to say, "I was wrong," the congregation of
the faithful has yet perforce felt that he was right.
The end is well known. Theodosius summoned the bishops to Ephesus at the
Pe-ntecost of 431. There arrived Cyril with fifty supporters early in June there arrived ;
Theodoret with his Metropolitan Alexander of Hierapolis, in advance of the rest of the
Orientals. The Cyrillians were vainly entreated to wait for John of Antioch and his party,
and opened the Council without them. When they arrived they would not join the
" Conciliabulum "
Council, and set up their own apart. Under the hot Levantine sun of
July and August the two parties denounced one another on the one side for not accepting
the condemnation of Nestorius, which the Cyrillians had passed in the beginning of their
proceedings, on the other for the informality and injustice of the condemnation. Then
deputies from the Orientals, of whom Theodoret was one, hurried to Constantinople, but
were allowed to proceed no further than Chalccdon. The letters written by Theodoret
at this time to his friends among the bishops and at the court, and his petitions to the
Emperor,* leave a vivid impression of the zeal, vigour and industry of the writer, as well
as of the extraordinary literary readiness which could pour out letter after letter, memorial
after memorial, amid all the excitement of controversy, the weariness of travel, the
sojourning in strange and uncomfortable quarters, and the tension of anxiety as to an
uncertain future.
Though Nestorius was deposed his friends protested that thcv woidd continue true to
him, and Theodoret was one of the synod held at Tarsus, and of another at iVntioch, in
which the protest against Cyril's action was renewed. But the oriental bishops were now
themselves undergoing a process of scission,^ John of Antioch and Acacius of Bertra
heading the peacemakers who were anxious to come to terms with C}ril, while Alexander
of Hierapolis led the irreconcilal)les. Intellectually Theodoret shrank from concession,
but his moral instincts were all in fovour of peace. He himself drew up a declaration of
faith wliich was presented by Paul of Emesa to Cyril, which Cyril accepted. But still true
to his friend, Theodoret refused to accept the deposition of Nestorius and his individual
condemnation, and it was not till several jêars had elapsed that, moved less by the threat of
exile and forfeiture, as the imperial penalty for refusing to accept the position, than by the en-
treaties of his lieloved flock and of his favourite ascetic solitaries that he would not leave them,
Theodoret found means of attaching a meaning to the current anathemas on Nestorianism,
not, as he said, on Nestorius, which allowed him to submit. He even entered into friendly
correspondence with Cyril.'' But the truce was holhnv. Cyril was indignant to find that
Theodoret still maintained his old opinions. At last the protracted quarrel was ended by
Cyril's death in June, 444.
On the famous letter over which so many battles of criticism have been fought wc
1 Hooker. Ecc. Pol. v. liii. 4. a
Epp., CLVII., CLVIIL, CLXVIl., CLXVIII., CLXIX., CLXX.
• Hefelc. Hist. Consc. iii. 127. Can. Venables. Diet. Christ, liioy. iv. 910. *
Ep. LXXXUI.
PROLEGOMENA.
have already spoken. If it was by Theodoret, to which opinion my own
really written
view inclines/ there is no reason should damn it as " a coarse and ferocious invec-
why we
tive." If genuine, it was clearly a piece of grim pleasantry dashed oft' in a moment of
excitement to a joersonal friend, and never intended for the publicity w^hich has drawn such
severe blame upon its writer.
But though the death of Cyril might appear to bring relief to the Church and Empire
as well as to his individual opponents, it was by no means a ground of unmixed gratifica-
tion to Theodoret." Dioscorus, who succeeded to the Patriarchate of Alexandria, however
Theodoret in the language of conventional courtesy may speak of the new bishop's humble
mindedness,'* inherited none of the good qualities of Cyril and most of his faults. Theod-
oret, naturally viewed with suspicion and dislike as the friend and supporter of Nestorius,
gave additional ground for ill-will and hostility by action which brought him into individ-
ual conflict with Dioscorus. He accepted the synodical letters issued at Constantinople at
the time of Proclus, and so seemed to lower the dignity of the apostolic sees of Antioch
and Alexandria; * he also warmly resented the tyrannical treatment of his friend Irenteus,
bishop of Tyre." Irenceus had indeed in the earlier days of his banishment to Petra after
his first condemnation in 435 attacked Theodoret for not being thoroughly Nestorian, but
Theodoret was able to claim Irenaeus as not objecting to the crucial term OenroKog,^ reasonably
understood, and accepted him as unquestionably orthodox. When therefore Dioscorus, the
Archimandrite Eutyches, and his godson the eunuch Chrysaphius attacked Domnus for
consecrating Irenaus to the Metropolitan see of Tyre, Theodoret indignantly protested and
counselled Domnus as to how he had best reply.' But Dioscorus and his party had now the
ear, and guided the fingers, of the imperial weakling at Constantinople, and the deposition
of Irenjeus (Feb. 17, 44S) was followed after a year's successful intrigues by the autograph
edict of Theodosius confining Theodoret within the limits of his own diocese as a vexatious
and turbulent busybody.
IV. — Under the Ban of Theodosius and of the Latrocinium.

Theodoret was at Antioch when Count Rufus brought him the edict. His
friends
would have detained him, but he hurried away." On reaching Cyrus he wrote to his
friend Anatolius warmly protesting against the cruel and unjust action taken against him,
and informing the patrician that Euphronius, a military officer, had travelled hard on the
track of Rufus to ask for a written acknowledgment of the receipt of the edict of relega-
tion.® The letters written at this crisis by the indignant pen of the maligned scholar and
saint
'°
have a peculiar value, at once biographical, literary, and theological. To Euse-
bius bishop of Ancyra he sends an important catalogue of his works. To Dioscorus, the
chief of the cabal against him, he sends a summary of his views on the incarnation and the
nature of our Lord, couched in such terms as might perhaps in earlier days have shortened
his great controversy with Cyril. But the opponents of Theodoret were not in a mood
to be moved by any formulation of the terms of his faith. Dioscorus received the letter
with insult, and publicly joined in the shout of anathema which he permitted to be
raised against his hated brother." The condemnation of Eutyches by Flavian's Constan-
tinopolian Synod had roused the Eutychian party to leave no stone unturned to secure its
reversal and crush it and all who upheld it. Of the latter Theodoret was the most prominent,
the ablest and perhaps the holiest. Hence he was the natuiâl representative and personi-
^^
fication of the doctrines that Dioscorus sought to decry and degrade. The sixth Council
of Ephesus of evil fame met in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin on August 8, 449.
Eutyches was acquitted. Flavian was condemned. Ibas of Edessa, Domnus of Antioch,
and Theodoret of Cyrus were deprived of their sees. The disgraceful scenes of violence
which marked every stage of this shamefid ecclesiastical gathering have been described
^^
again and again with the vivid detail rendered possible by the exactitude of contemporary
1 Glubokowski p. 163 thinks it spurious. -
Glubokowski, p. 163.
3
Ep. LX. c
Ep. ex. ••>
Ep. LXXIX.
4
Ep. LXXXVI. '
Ep. ex. 10
Epp. LXXIX. LXXX. LXXXI. LXXXII. LXXXIII.
s
Epp. HI. XII. XVI. XXXV. 8
Epp. LXXIX .ind LXXX. n Ep. LXXXVI.
12 " Theodoret's condemnation was the chief
object aimed at in summoning" the Latrocinium. He was "the bugbear
of the whole Eutycliian party and consequently condemned in advance." Canon Venables, Diet. Ohrist. Biog. iv. 913 and
Martin Brigandage a Ephese p. 192.
specially Gibbon ehap. xlvii. Milman Hist. Lat. Ohrist. Book II. Ohap.Jiv. Stanley, Christian Inst it iii ions,
13 See
Chap. xvi. 4 and Canon Bright Art. Dioscorus in Diet. Christ. Biog. General Councils, it may be remarked, have been depreci-
ated and ridiculed by historians of tv/o kinds; the anti-Christian, such as Gibbon, who have been glad of the opportunity of
bringing discredit on the Church; and the Roman, such as Cardinal Newman, who are aware that the authority of Councils is
not always reconcileable with the asserted authority of the Bishop of their favourite see. (" Even those councils which were
otcumenical have nothing to boast of in regard to the Fathers, taker individually, which compose them. They appear as the
THEODORET.
narrative, but, innsmuch as Theodoret was condemned in his absence we are concerned
here less with the manner in which his condemnation was brought about than with the
steps he took to protest against and to reverse it.
To the prisoner of Cyrus courier after courier would bring intelligence of the riots
and tricks of the council. At last came news of the crowning wrong. On the indictment
of an Antiochene presbyter named Pelagius, Theodoret was condemned as an enemy of
God, a disseminator of poison, a false teacher deserving to be burnt. In support of the
accusation was quoted the careful theological statement addressed by Theod«^ret to the
monks in the Euphratensis and the Osrhoene whicli appears as Letter CLI., as well as
citations from his works at large. Dioscorus described the absent defendant as a blasphe-
mous enemy of God and the Emperor whose life had been spent in damning souls. The-
odoret was sentenced not merely to deposition from his see but to degradation from the
priesthood and to excommunication, and his books were ordered to be burnt.' So the great
council ended with the deposition of Flavian of Constantinople, Eusebius of Dorylajum,
Daniel of Carrai, Irenteus of Tyre, Aquilinus of Biblus, and Domnus of Antioch as well as
of Theodoret.^ Eutyches the heretic Archimandrite was restored and the brutal Dioscorus
seemed master of Christendom. One word of manly Latin had broken in on the supple
suffrages of the servile orientals, the CoJitradicitur'' of Hilarius the representative of the
''•
Church of Rome.
To that church, and to its illustrious bishop, Theodoret naturally turned in his hour of
need. He implored his friend Anatolius to get him permission to plead his own cause in
person in the West, or if not to let him retire to his old home at Nicerte.^ The latter alter-
native was conceded. In this retreat he iêceived many proofs of the affectionate regard of
his friends and offers of more practical help than his modest necessities demanded.''
Thence products of his facile pen travelled far and wide. The whole series of letters writ-
ten at this period gives touching testimony to the gentle and forgiving spirit of the sorely
tried bishop. There is nothing of the bitterness and fierce anger which appear sometimes
in the earlier controversy with Cyril. He is refined, not soured, by adversity, and, though
he never approached nearer to canonization than the acquisition of the inferior title of
Blessed, he appears in these dark days as no unworthy specimen of the suffering saint.*
The chief interest of these letters is in truth moral spiritual and theological. This, however,
has been obscured by the ecclesiastical interest which has been given them by the unwar-
"
ranted attempt to represent Theodoret's letter to Leo as an " appeal to the see of Rome
in the later and technical sense of the word. Whether St. Hilary of Aries ever did or did
not give the lie to his short life of strenuous protest against the growing aggrandizement of
the see of Rome, there is no doubt that before his death at the age of 41 in 449 hissuflVagans
had been released by Leo from allegiance to a Metropolitan disobedient to the Roman
chair, and that Valentinian had issued an edict confirming Leo's claims and making the
antag-cmist host in a bahtic, not as the shepherds of their people." Hist. Sketches, p. 335.) And it mxist he conceded that so
far as outward circumstances went the Latrocinuun was as good a council as any other. As is pointed out by Dean Mihnan,
" It is difficult to discover in what respect, either in the legality of its convocation or the number and dignity of the assembled
prelates, consists its inferiority to more received and honoured councils.Two imperial commissioners attended to maintain
order in the council and peace in the city Dioscorus the patriarch of Alexandria by the Imperial command assumed the
presidency. The I5ishops who formed the Synod of Constantinople were excluded as parties in the transaction, but Flavianus
took his place with the Metropolitans of Antioch and Jerusalem and no less than three hundred and sixty bishops and ecclesi-
astics. Three ecclesiastics, Julian a bishop, Renatus a presbyter, and Hilarius a deacon were to represent the bishop of liome.
The Abbot IJarsumas (this was an innovation) took liis seat in thcCouncil as a kind of representative of the monks." JMil-
man, Lat. Christ. Bool< II. Chap. iv. The fact is that the fjreal Councils of the Early Church are like the fjreat men of the
Early Church. Some have authority and some have not. Hut their authority does not depend upon formal circumstances or
outward position. They have authority because the inspired common sense of the Cliurch has seen and valued the truth and
wisdom of their utterances. Athanasius, Arius, Cyril, and Nestorius, were all great churchmen. Alhanasius and Cyril
stand out asiâinst the background of centuries as champions of the faith. Arius and Nestorius are counted as heretics.
Character does not outweigh doctrine. Nestorius is unsound in the faith though he was an amiable and virtuous man ; Cyril
is an authority of
orthodoxy tlujugh his personal qualities were not Saintly. Of all the councils that according to Ammianus
.Marcellinus hamstrung the postal resources of the Kmpire, take Nicea, Tyre, and the two Ephesian councils of 431 and 449.
.\ica;aand the earlier Ephesian are accepted by the Church. Catholic. Tyre and the later Ephesian, though both were sum-
moned at the will of princes and attended by a large concourse of bishops, are rejected. Why? The earlier Ephesian in the
disorder and violence of its proceedings was as disgraceful as tlie Tyrian and the later liphesian. The councils of Nicxa and
of Ephcsus, called the first and the third <ecuinenical councils, are vindicated by the assent of the wisest of theChurch. The
'\\ct\xm secnrus judical orbis ttrranim hero holds good, and is seen to be identical with the ultimate foundation of
Aristotelian detinition " define<l by reason, and as the wise man would define." And such is also the practical outcome of the
thereat
statement of Article XXI. of the Church of England.
cf. the striking jiassagc nf Augustine (Cont. Mnximin. Arian. ii. 14). " Sed nunc nee ego Niccenum, nee tu dehes
Ariminense, tanquam prajudiratnrits,J^roferre consilium. Nee ego htijus auctoritate, nee tu illiua detitieris. Scripturarum
ntietorilatibus,non qiiornmqiie proprtiSySed ulrisque communilnis teslihus, res cum re, causa cum causa, ratio cum ratioue
roncerlet." On the first four accepted (ecumenical councils Dr. Salmon {InJaHihilily of the Cliurch, p. 2S7) remarks, " Gregory
'.he Greai: says that he venerates these four as the four Gospels, and describes them as the
foursquare stones on which the
structure of faith rests. Yet the hard struggle each of these councils had to make and the number of years which the struggle
lasted before its decrees obtained general acceptance, show that they obtain their authority because of the truth which tliey
declared and it was not because of their authority that the decrees were recognised as true."
1 Canon Venablcs
Diet. Christ. Biog. Aclcs du Brigandage, pp. ig^, 19^. 2
Evagrius i. 10.
»Ep. CXIX. *Ep. CXXIII. BEpp.CiCIII. toCXXXIIl.aiidCLXXXI.
PROLEGOMENA.
authority of the Bishop of Rome supreme in the West.' It would be useful to maintainers
of the Roman supremacy if they could adduce instances of any assertion or acceptance of
similar authority in the East. So it has been said that Theodoret appealed to the Pope.^
In a sense this is of course perfectly true. Theodoret did appeal to the Pope. But the
whole superstructure of papal supremacy, so far as Theodoret is concerned, is really
based upon a poor pai'onomasia. The bishop of Cyrus " appealed" to the bishop of Rome
as any bishop believing himself to lie under an unjust sentence might
appeal to any other
bishop, and as Theodoret did appeal to other bishops. It is quite true that the church of Rome
had many claims to honour and regard, as Theodoret himself felicitously and opportunely
points out, and that the present occupant of its throne was a man of unblemished orthodoxy
and of commanding personal dignity. But to recognise these facts is a long way from ad-
mitting that this veiy dignified see had either de facto or de Jure any coercive jurisdiction
over the Metropolitans of Alexandria or of Hierapolis, to the latter of whom Cyrus was
subordinate. Theodoret himself quotes the crucial passage in St. Matthew's gospeP ap-
" Petra " means all the successors of the " Petrus." *
parently without any idea that the
What Theodoret asked from Leo was not the sentence of a superior but the sympathy and
support of an influential brother. What made it so peculiarly important that he should gain
the ear and the approval of Leo was that Rome had been wholly unconcerned in the intrigue
which condemned him. He could have had no more idea of papal authority in the later
ultramontane sense than he could of the decrees of the Vatican Council. Bound as he was
to do his utmost to vindicate not so much his own
position and doctrinal soundness, as the
truth now trampled on by the combined factions of Alexandria and the court, he naturally
turned to Leo as alike the most respected and most independent bishop of his age.''
Leo, however, could do little or nothing to help him. Theodosius, completely under
the influence of Chrysaphius and Dioscorus, was quite satisfied as to the proper constitution
and equity of the Latrocinlum.
V. — Theodoret and Chalcedon.

Now, not for the last time in history, an important part was played by a horse.
In July, 450, Theodosius, while hunting in the neighbourhood of his capital, was thrown
from the saddle into a stream, hurt his spine, and a few days afterwards died.® With him
died the cause of Eutyches and of Chrysaphius. The eunuch was promptly executed, and
at last a Council was conceded to reconsider and rectify the crimes and blunders of the
Latrocinium.' But the Empress and her venerable husband did not wait for the Council
to undo some of the wrong done to Theodoret, and the
large place he filled in the eyes and
estimation of the oriental world is shewn by the interest shewn at Constantinople in his
behalf.** The decree of relegation appears to have been rescinded, and he was free to
present himself at the synod. On the first assembling of the five hundred bishops,® under the
1 Cf.
Milman Lat. Christ. Book ii. Chap, iv; Const. Valentin, iii Aug. apud S. Leon. op. epist. xi.
" When Theodoret
^Garnerius, the Jesuit, in his dissertation on the lilc of Theodoret writes :
g'ot news of his deposition
he determined to send envoys to the apostolic see, that is to the head of all the churches in the world, to plead his cause before
the righteous judgment seat of St. Leo," and in his summary of his own chapter he says " Theodoret appeals to the apostolic
see."
Ep. CXLVI.
3 Matt. xvi. 4
iS.
^cf. Glubokowski. pp. 237, 239. Du Pin. iv. S3. Cardinal Newman, in his very bright and sympathetic sketch of
Theodoret, (Hist. Sketches ii. 30S ed. 1S91) writes the following remarkable sentence. "This, at least, he has in common
with St. Chrysostom that both of them were deprived of their episcopal rank by a council, both appealed to the holy see, and
by the holy see both were cleared and restored to their ecclesiastical dignities." It would be difficult in the compass of so
short a sentence to combine more statements so completely misleading. To say that Chrysostom and Theodoret both ap-
"
pealed to the holy see" is as much an anachronism as to say that they appealed to the Court of the Vatican or to the Dome
of St. Peter's. In their day there was no Iioly see, that is to say, xar' eôx'ji'. All sees were holy sees, just as all bishops were
styled your holiness. Rome, it is true, was tlie only apostolical see in the West, but it was not the only apostolical see, and
whatever official precedence it could claim over Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria, was due to its being the see of the old
imperial capital, a precedence expressly ordered at Chalcedon to be shared with the new Rome on the IJosphorus. As to the
"appeal," we have seen what it meant in the case of Theodoret. It meant the same in the case of Chrysostom. Cut to the
quick at the cruel and brutal treatment of his friends after his banishment from Constantinople in the summer of 404 he
pleaded his cause in letters sent as well to Venerius of Milan and Chromatins of Aquileia as to Innocent of Rome. Innocent
_
very properly^ espoused his cause, declared his deposition void, and did his best to move Honorius to move Arcadius to con-
voke acouncil. The cruel story of the long martyrdom of bitter exile and the death in the lonely chapel at Comana is a terri-
ble satire on the restoration to ecclesiastical dignities. The unwary reader of" the historical sketch " might imagine the famous
John of the mouth of gold brought back in triumph to Constantinople by the authority of the pope in 404 as he had been bv the
enthusiasm of his flock in 403, and Arcadius and Eudoxia cowering before the power of Holy Church like Henry IV. at
Canossa in 1077. The true picture of the three years of agony which preceded the old man's passage to the better world in
407 is a painful contrast to contemplate (Pallad. Dial. 1-3. Theodoret V. 34. Sozomen viii. 26, 27, 2S.) Of Theodoret's
restoration to " ecclesiastical dignity," and Leo's part in it, we shall see further on.
"cf. the deaths of William I. and William III. of England.
^Though Marcian's independence of western dictation was shewn in the summoning of the bishops not to a place in Italy,
as Leo had hoped and urged, but to Chalcedon, the beautiful Asiatic suburb of Constantinople.
8
Epp. CXXXIX, CXL.
"Accounts of the numbers vary. Marcellinus says 630. There were more than 400 signatures.
lo THEODORET.
presidency of the imperial Commissioners,' the minutes of the Latrocinium were read ;
the presence of Dioscorus was protested against by the Roman representation as having dared
to hold a synod unauthorized by Rome and the claim of Theodoret to sit and vote, al-
;
lowed both by the imperial Commissioners and by the westerns, since Leo ^ had accepted
him as an orthodox bishop, was vehemently resisted by the Eutychians. He entered, but
at first did not vote, and his enemies at last succeeded in wringing from him a jDcrsonal
anathema not only of Nestorianism, but of Nestorlus. The scenes reported in detail are
too characteristic alike of the earlier Councils and of Theodoret to be omitted.
"The illustrious Presidents and the honorable Assessors ordered that the most religious
bishop Theodoret should enter, that he might be a partaker of the Council, because the holy
Archbishop Leo had restored the bishopric to him and the most sacred and pious ;
Emperor determined that he was to be present at the Holy Council. And on the entrance
of the most religious Theodoret, the most religious bishops of Egvpt, Illyricum and Pales-
tine called out ' Have mercy upon us: The faith is destroyed. The Canons cast him out.
!
Cast out the teacher of Nestorius.' Tlie most religious bishops of the East and those of
Pontus, Asia, and Thrace shouted out 'We had to sign a blank paper we were scourged,
:
;
and so we signed. Cast out the Manichceans cast out the enemies of Flavian cast out ; ;
the enemies of the faith.' Dioscorus, the most religious bishop of Alexandria said :
'Why is Cyril being cast anathematized by Theodoret ?

out, wdio The Eastern
is
'
and Pontic and Asian and Thracian most religious bishops shouted out Cast out Dioscorus :
'
the murderer. Who does not know the deeds of Dioscorus?' The Egyptian and the
Illyrian and the Palestinian most religious bishops shouted out Long years to the
'
:
Empress The Eastern and the most religious bishops with them shouted out
!
'
Cast out :
'
tlie murderers The Egyptians and the most religious bishops with them shouted out
!
'
:
'
The Empress has cast out Nestorius. Long years to the orthodox Empress The Coun- !
cil will not receive Theodoret.' Theodoret, the most religious bishop, came up into the
midst and said I have oflered petitions to the most godlike, most religious and Christ-
'
:
lo\ing masters of the world, and I have related the disasters which have befallen me, and I
claim that they shall be read.' The most illustrious Presidents and the most honourable
Assessors said Theodoret, the most religious bishop, having received his proper place
'
:
from the holy Archbishop of the renowned Rome, now occupies the place of an
accuser. Wherefore, that there be no confusion in our proceedings, allow the things
which have had a beginning to be finished. No prejudice will accrue to anyone from
the appearance of the most religious Theodoret. Every argument for you and for him,
if you desire to make one on one side or the other is of course reserved.'
And after Theodoret, the most religious bishop, had sat down in the midst,
the Eastern, and the most religious bishops who were with them, shouted
out: 'He is worthy! He is worthy!' The Egyptians and the most religious
bishops who were with them shouted out Do not call him a bishop He is not :
'
!
a bishop Cast out the fighter against God

! Cast out the Jew^ The Easterns and ! !
'
the most religious

bishops who were with them shouted out The orthodox for the :
'
Council ! Cast out the rebels Cast out the murderers The Egyptians and the most
! !
'
religious bishops who were with them shouted out Cast out the fighter against God :
'
I
Cast out tlie insulter of Christ Long years to the Empress !

Long years to the !
Emperor! Long years to the orthodox Emperor! Theodoret has anathematized Cyril.'
The Easterns and the most religious bisho]:)s who were witli them shouted out Cast :
'
out the murderer Dioscorus The Egyptians and the most religious bishops with them
!
'
shouted out Long years to the Assessors He has not the right of speech. Pie is expelled
'
: !
from the whole Synod !' Basil, the most religious bishop of Trajanopolis, in the prov-
ince of Rhodope, rose
up and said: 'Theodoret has been condemned by us.' The
Egyptians and the most religious bishops with them shouted out Theodoret has ac- :
'
cused Cyril. We cast out Cyril if we receive Theodoret. The Canons cast out Theodoret.
God has turned away from him.' The most illustrious Presidents and the most honourable
Assessors said The vulgar cries are not worthy of bishops, nor will they assist either
:
'
side. Suffer, therefore, the reading of all the documents.' The Egyptians and the most
Porliaps of the Emperor himself. (Breviar. Hist. Eutych.) The representatives of the imperial government sat in the
>
centre of the Cancelli on tlicir riyht were Dioscorus, Juvenal of Jerusalem, and the Palestinian bishops on their left Pascha-
; ;
sinus of IJlvlia;um, (Marsala) I.ucentius of Asculum(Ascoli) with Boniface, a Iloman presbyter, the three representatives of
Leo, Anatolius of Constantinople, Maximus of Antiocli, and the orientals. Paschasinus signed -.xs " sj'nodo /'/icsuiens," hitt
he did not cither locallv or eflVclively preside.
^The acts of the Council of Chalcedon refer to Theodoret having been righted by the bishop of " the illustrious city of
" " the
Rome; archbishop of the senior city of Rome." The primacy is that of the ancient capital.
PROLEGOMENA. n
religious bisliops with them sliouted out Cast out one man, and we will all hear.
'
:
We shout out in the cause of Religion. We

say these things for the sake of the orthodox
Faith.' The most illustrious Presidents and the honourable Assessors said: 'Rather
acquiesce, in God's name, that the hearing of the documents should take place, and concede
tliat all shall be read in
proper order.' And at last they were silent, and Constantine,
the most holy Secretary and Magistrate of the Divine
Synod, read these documents."'
One more sad incident must be given —
the demand made at the eighth session that
Theodoret should pronounce a curse on his ancient friend. " The most reverend bishops
all stood before the rails of the most " Theodoret must now
holy altar, and shouted
anathematize Nestorius." Theodoret, the most reverend bishop, passed into the midst,
and said: "I have made my petition to the most divine and religious Emperor,
and I have laid documents before the most reverend bishops occupying
the place of the most sacred Archbishop Leo and if you think fit, they ;
shall be read to you, and you will know what I think.' The most
reverend bishops shouted 'We want nothing to be read only anathematize Nestori-
—
us.' Theodoret, the most reverend bishop, said I was brought up by the ortho-
:
'
dox, I was taught by the orthodox, I have preached orthodoxy, and not only
Nestorius and Eutyches, but any man who thmks not rightly, I avoid and count him an
alien.' The most reverend bishops shouted out Speak plainly anathema to '
Nestorius and his doctrine —

anathema to Nestorius and to those who defend him.'
:
;
Theodoret, the most reverend bishop said Of a truth I say nothing except so far
:
'
as I know it to be pleasing to God. First I will convince you that I am here, not because
I care for
my city, not because I covet rank. Because I have been falsely accused, 1
come to satisfy you that I am orthodox, and that I anathematize Nestorius and Eutyches,
and every one who says that there are two Sons.' Whilst he was speaking, the most
reverend bishops shouted out ' Speak plainly anathematize Nestorius and those who
:
;
think with him.' Theodoret, the most reverend bishop, said Unless I set forth at '
—
:
length my faith I cannot speak. I believe' And whilst he spoke the most reverend
bishops shouted
'
He is a heretic He is a Nestorian Away with the heretic An-
: ! ! I
athema to Nestorius and to any one who does not confess that the Holy Virgin Mary is
the Parent of God, and who divides the only begotten Son into two Sons.' Theodoret,
the most revei"end bishop, said, Anathema to Nestorius and to whoever denies that the
'
Holy Virgin Mary is the Parent of God, and who divides the only begotten Son into
two Sons. I have subscribed the definition of faith, and the epistle of the most holy
r> 2
Archbishop Leo.'
VL — Retirement after Chalcedon, and Death.

Some doubt hangs over the question whether after his vindication at Chalcedon
Theodoret resumed his labours at Cyrus, or occupied himself with literary work in the
congenial seclusion of Nicerte. Garnerius makes it about the time of his quitting Chal-
cedon that Sporacius charged him with the duty of writing on the Heresies,^ and if so his
five books on this subject would seem to have constituted the first fruit of his comparative'
"
Christ-loving Son," and no doubt owed something to
"*
leisure. Sporacius he styles his

the aid of the influential "Comes domesticorum," who was present at Chalcedon, when
the question of his admission to the Council was being agitated. To this period has also
been referred his commentary on the Octateuch." On Dr. Newman's statement that
Theodoret made over the charge of his diocese to Hypatius (one of his chorepiscopi, who
had been entrusted with his appeal to Pope Leo) and retired into his monastery, and
there regaining the peace which he had enjoyed in youth, passed from the peace of the
Church to the peace of eternity. Canon Venables remarks that there is no authority "^
'
for so pleasing a picture, and that Tillemont contradicts it altogether. Garnerius quotes
his congratulation to Sabinianus on leaving Perrha as suggestive of what conduct he might
**
have preferred.
It is at least certain that during this period he received a long and sympathetic letter from
1
Labbe, iv., 102, 103.
'Labbe iv. 621. (Theod. Ep. Cyr. doctrina christologica, 1SS3) thinks Theodoret changed his views; Mbll'T
Bertram
Herzog XV. he retained them, though
s.v.) that ^ necessarily modified in expression by stress of circumstances,
s Pra;f. Hseret, Fab. Êp. XCVII.
204. The Octateuch comprises the first eight books of the Old Testament.
> Photius Cod.
6 Diet. Christ.
Biog. iv. 916, »
xv., 311.
«
Ep. CXXVI.
12 THEODORET.
Leo, from which it is clear that the Roman bishop reposed great confidence in him.' It
is characteristic of one in whom the mere man was merged in the theologian and ecclesiastic
so of the year of his death, we have no specific informa-
that, as of the year of his birth,
tion, and arc compelled to form our conclusions on evidence which though valuable, is not
overwhelming. Theodorus Lector, the composer of the Historia Tripartita, in the 6th
century, states^ that Theodoret prepared a sepulchral urn for the burial of the famous as-*
cetic Jacobus that he predeceased Jacobus but that Jacobus was buried in it.^
; ; Evagrius
mentions Jacobus Syrus as still living when the Emperor Leo sent his Circular Letter to
the bishops in 458, though then he must have been in extreme old age. And Gennadius,
who lived not long after Theodoret, says that he died in the reign of Leo. The evidence is
not strong. Theodoret may have died some years before Jacob. But Gennadius probably
knew. On the whole we may conclude that there is some probability that Theodoret sur-
vived till none that he lived longer.
45S ;
Like Lucius Gary, Viscount Falkland, to whom,
in his isolation,Dean Stanley* compares him, Theodoret must have expired with the cry
of" Peace, Peace," in his heart, it not on his lips. Garnerius is careful to prove that he
died in " the peace of the Church," and appeals in support of this contention to the
laudatory testimony of Popes Vigilius, Pelagius I., Pelagius IL, and Gregory the Great.
The peace of the Church, in the narrower sense, has not always been accorded to holy men
and women who have assuredly departed this life in the faith and fear of their Lord. In
its truer and holier connotation it coincides with a state in which we trust we may contem-
plate the godly old man of Cyrus, forgetting the storms that had beaten now and
again on the life he was leaving behind him, and stepping quietly into the calm of the
windless haven of souls, —
the Peace not of man, but of God.
VII. — The Condemnation of "the Three Chapters."

A sketch of the of Theodoret might well be supposed to terminate with his death.
life
But it can hardly be regarded as complete without a brief supplementary notice of the
posthumous controversy which has contributed to his fame in ecclesiastical history. The
Council of Chalcedon was designed to give rest to the Church, and to undo a great wrong,
and catholic common sense has since vindicated its decisions. But it was not to be sup-
posed that the opinions and passions which had achieved a combined triumph at Ephesus
in 449 would die away and disappear in
consequence of the imperial and synodical action
of 451. The face of the world was changing. The vandal Genseric ca2:)turcd and pil-
laged Rome. The Teutonic races were pushing to a foremost place, and accepting first of
all an Arian Clovis represented orthodoxy almost alone. Theodoric, the
Christianity.
Arian Ostrogoth, mastered Italy. Then the turning tide saw Rome once again a city of
sole empire, but not the chief city. The victories of Belisarius made of Rome a suburb
of Constantinople, and empire and theology swayed and were swayed by the policy of
Justinian and the palace plots of Theodora. All through monophysitism had had its
friends and defenders. Metropolitans, monks, and mobs had anathematized one another
for nearly a century. At Alexandria Dioscorus had wôn almost a local canonization, and
the patriarch Timotheus, nicknamed " the Cat," had left a strong monophysite party, con-
solidated under Peter the Stutterer as the " acephali." " At Antioch Peter the Fuller had
anathematized all who refused to accept the Shibboleth he appended to the Trisagion,
" who wast crucified on our account."
Leo, Marcian's successor on the Eastern throne,
had followed Marcian's theology, and Zeno, Leo but the usurper Basiliscus had seen ele-
;
ments of strength in a bold liid for monophysite support. Zeno, on the fall of Basiliscus,
had attempted to atone the disunited sections of ChristencU)m by the henoticon, or edict of
unity, but the henoticon had been for years a watchword of division. Anastasius had
favoured the Eutychians. And in his reign Theodoret had been twice condemned, at the
'
synods of Constantinople and Sidon, in 499 and 512.
Justin I., the unlettered barbarian, supported the Chalcedonians, but in 544 Belisarius
>
Leo. Ep. cxx., and Migne Thcod. iv. 1 19^ Chagrined at the decision of the Council that Constantinople was to enjov
honora.-y precedence next after old Ivonie and practical equality and independence, in that the metropolitans of" lônlus, Asia,
and Thrace were to be ordained by tlie patriarch of Constantinople, Leo manages to write to Theodoret, /flr parenthcse, of the
Jioman See as one " qnam avU-rts omnium Dominus statuit pra-siJere." Hin " statin'/ " Leo had meant to refer to a Divine
Providence overrulinji: history, and in "/;-a-.«/<^(?/-t-" to the fact that Rome was for many years the capital of the world, his
remark would have been open to little objection. But he meant something- quite different.
=
Collect. Hook i. Ed. Migne p. 566.
3 There seems no
authority for the statement of Garnerius (Hist. Theod. xiii) repeated in Smith's Diet. Chris. Biog. that
Jacobus and Theodoret shared it. * de Scrip. Ecc. So.
» Christian Institutions.
Chaj). xvi. 6
A,(e,âAot — headless^ i.e., without bishop.
'Victor lunuii. and Mansi, viii. 371. Mansi, viii. 197-200.
PROLEGOMENA. 13
had made the Eutychian VigiHus bishop of Rome. Justinian aspiredWhen

to become a
second Constantine, and give theological as well as to the world, it was proposed
civil law
to condemn in a fifth oecumenical council certain so-called Nestorian writings, on the plea
that such a condemnation might reconcile the opponents of Chalcedon. The writings in
question were the Letter of Ibas of Edessa to Maris, praising Theodore of Mopsuestia ;
the works of Theodore himself, and the writings of Theodoret against Cyril. These
three literary monuments were known as
" the Three Of the controversy
'
Chapters."
of the Three Chapters it has been said that it
" filled more volumes than it was worth
*
lines." The Council satisfied nobody. Pope Vigilius, detained at Constantinople and
Marmora with something of the same violence with which Napoleon L detained Pius VI.
at Valence, declined to preside over a gathering so exclusively oriental. The West was out-
raged by the constitution of the synod, irrespective of
its decisions. The Monophysites
were disappointed that the credit of Chalcedon should be even nominally saved by the nice
distinction which damned the writings, but professed complete agreement with the council
which had refused to damn the writers. The orthodox wanted no slur cast upon Chalce-
don, and, however fenced, the condemnation of the Three Chapters indubitably involved
such a slur. Practically, the decrees of the fourth and fifth councils are mutually incon-
sistent, and it is impossible to accept both. Theodoret was reinstated at Chalcedon in
spite of what he had written, and
what he had written was anathematized at Constanti-
nople in spite of his reinstatement.
The xiii Canon of the fifth Council runs as follows, "if any one defends the impious
the first holy
writings of Theodoret which he published against the true faith, against
synod of Ephesus and against the holy Cyril and his twelve chapters; and
all that he
wrote in defence of the impiousTheodorus and Nestorius, and others who held the same
opinions as the aforesaid Theodorus and Nestorius, defending them and their impiety, and
accordingly calling impious the doctors of the church who confess the union according
to
hypostasis of God the Word in the flesh and does

;
not anathematize these writings and
those who have held or do hold similar opinions, above all those who have written against
the true faith and the holy Cyril and his twelve chapters, and have remained to the day of
their death in such impiety let him be anathema."
;
"
In this condemnation the works certainly included are Theodoret's Objections to
some of his letters, and, among his lost works, the " Pentalogium,"
Cyril's Chapters,"
namely five books on the Incarnation written against Cyril and his supporters at Ephesus,
of which fragments are preserved, and two allocutions against Cyril delivered at Chalcedon
in 431, of which portions exist in the acts of the fifth Council, and do not exhibit The-
odoret at his best.
The Council has at least preserved to us an interesting little record of the survival at Cyrus
of the memory of her great bishop, for it appears that at the seventh collation, held at the
end of May, notice was taken of an enquiry ordered by Justinian respecting a statue or por-
trait of Theodoret which was said to have been carried in procession into his cathedral town,
by Andronicus a presbyter and George a deacon.

3 A
more important tribute to his memory
isthe fact that, though it officially anathematized writings some of which, composed in
the thick of the fight, and soiled with its indecorous dust, Theodoret himself may well have
regretted and condemned, the Council advisedly abstained from directly condemning
a
bishop whose character and person were protected by the notorious iniquity of the robber
council that had deposed him, the friendship of the illustrious Leo, and the solemn vindi-
cation of the church in Synod at Chalcedon, as well as by his own confession of the taith,
his repudiation of the errors of Nestorius, and the stainless beauty and pious close of his
long life.
Nobetter reconciliation between Chalcedon and Constantinople can be proffered than
that which Garnerius quotes from the letter said to have been written by Gregory the
Great, though sent in the name of Pelagius II, to the lUyrians on the fifth council, "It is
the part of unwarrantable rashness to defend those writings of Theodoret which it is noto-
" the church was not now disturbed

1 Dean Milman
(Lat. Christ, iv, 4), following- in the wake of Gibbon, remarks that
b)' the sublime, if inexplicable, dogmas concerning the nature of God, the Persons of the Trinity, or the union of tlie divine
and human nature of Christ, concerning the revelations of Scripture, or even the opinions of the ancient fathers. The ortho-
doxy or heterodoxy of certain writings by bishops, but recently dead, became the subject of imperial edicts, of a fifth so-called
CEcumenic Council, held at Constantinople, and a religious war between the East and the West," but it was on their explana-
tion of sublime if inexplicable dogmas that the orthodoxy or heterodoxy of these bishops depended, and so far as the subject
matter of dispute is concerned, the position in 553 was not very different from that of 451. In both cases the church was moved
at once by honest conviction and partisan passion ; the state was influenced partly by a healthy desire to promote peace through-
out the empire, partly by the meaner ambition of posing as theological arbitrator.
* 3 Labbe. Act. Cone. Const, v. Coll. vii.
Gibbon, chap, xlvii. Schaft Hist. Christ, iii, 770.
14 THEODORET.
rious that Theodorct himself condemned in his subsequent profession of the right faith.
So long as we at once accept himself and repudiate the erroneous writings which have long
remained unknown we do not depart in any way from the decision of the sacred synod,
because so long as we only reject his heretical writings, we, with the synod, attack Nestorius,
and with the synod express our veneration for Theodoret in his right confession. His
other writings wc not only accept, but use against our foes."
'
VIII. — The Works of Theodoret.

Ofauthorities for the works of Theodoret we may first cite himself. In four of his
letters he mentions his own writings; viz. in Ixxxii, to Eusebius of Ancyra
: in cxiii, to ;
Leo of Rome in cxvi, to the Presbyter Renatus and in cxlv, to the monks at Constanti-
; ;
nople. Of these the first was written in 445 and the last three in 449 and a reference to
them will show the works mentioned. It is to be noticed ^ that no allusion is made to the
Refutation of the Twelve Chapters; to the defence of Diodorus of Tarsus and Theodorus of
Mopsuestia, nor to the Dialogues, though all are held to have been wi-itten before the
Latrocinium. may have
been, as Garnerlus conjectures, that Theodoret did not judge
It
it
politic at this time to call attention
to these particular works, but the
assumption is not
based on strong grounds, and Theodoret never appears as one unwilling to avow his convic-
tions, which indeed, were perfectly well known.
Gennadius, presbyter of Marseilles, who died in 496, writes " Theodoretus, bishop of
Cyrus, is said to have written many works those, however, which have come to my
:
knowledge are the following; of the Incarnation of the Lord, against the presbyter
Eutyches, and Dioscorus, bishop of Alexandria, who deny that there was in Christ human
flesh,
—powerful writings wherein he proves, as well by argument as by scriptural evi-
dence, that Christ had very flesh of the substance of His mother, which He took from
the Virgin, and very Godhead, which by eternal generation He received, in being gener-
ated, from God the father begetting Him. There exist also his books of Ecclesiastical
History, which he wrote in imitation of Eusebius of Ccesai-ea, beginning from the end of
the books of Eusebius down to his own time, viz. from the twentieth year of Constan-
:
tine down to the reign of Leo I, in whose reign he died." ^

Photius, in the ninth century, says that he has read the Ecclesiastical History; twenty-
seven books against Heresies, among which he reckons the " Eranistes " five books ;
" Hicrcticarum Fabularinn " five in with Commentaries on
praise of Chrysostom
; ;
Daniel, the Octateuch, Kings, Chronicles, and the Twelve Minor Prophets.
Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopulus in the fourteenth century. Hist. Ecc. xiv. 54, writes :
" whom
Theodoretus, Syrian by birth, was a follower of the great Chrysostom, he set
before him as a model of style. His own was flowing and copious, eloquent and easy,
and not destitute of Attic grace." He mentions expositions of difticult passages of the Old
Testament; Commentaries on the Prophets and the Psalms; the " de Providentia
"
a ;
volume "On
the Apostles;" the Confutation of heresies, called "the battle between
truth and falsehood
"
the refutation of Cyril's " Twelve Chapters
"
; the Ecclesiastical ;
the " a of the Lovers of God three books on the divine

History; Philotheus," History ;
doctrines, and five hundred ( ?) letters.

The
following is the catalogue of extant works as given by Sirmondus and followed
by Garncrius.
(i.) Excfietical. Qiiestions on the Octateuch, the Books of Kings and Chronicles ;
the Interpretation of the Psalms, Canticles, the Four Greater, and the Twelve Lesser
Prophets an exposition of all the Epistles of St. Paul, including the Plebrews.
;
(ii.) Historical. The Ecclesiastical History, and the "Philotheus," or Religious

History.
(iii.) Controversial. The Eranistes, or Dialogues, and the Haereticarum Fabu-
larum Comjoendium.
(iv.) Theological. The Grsecarum Affectionum Curatio, the Discourse on Charity,
and the De Providentia.
(v.) Epistolary. The Letters.
(vi.) To
these may be added the Refutation of the Twelve Chapters, and the follow-
ing given in the Auctarium of Garnerius.
I
Pcla<r. Pap:c. 7.-i6ed. Mi!»nc. ^Cf. Garnerius in Migne's Theodoret V. 2^5.
3The lust record in the History appears to be of A.D.440, cf. p. 159. Eusebius ends, and Theodoret begins, with the
defeat of Licinius in 323. Constantine began to reign in 306.
PROLEGOMENA. 15
(i.) Prolegomena and extracts from Commentaries on the Psalms.

(3.) Part of a Commentary on St. Luke.
(3.)Sermon on the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.
(4.)Portions of Sermons on St. Chrysostom.
(5.) Homily preached at Chalcedon iu 431.
(6.) Fragments of the Pentalogium, extracted from Marius Mercator,' who at-
tributed the work to the instigation of the devil.
Lost zvorks.
(i.) The Pentalogium, of which fragments are preserved in the Auctarium.
(2.) Opus mysticum, sive mysteriorum fidei expositiones, lib. xii.
(3.) Works " de theologia et Incarnatione," identified by Garnier with
three Dia-
logues against the Macedonians, and two against the ApoUinarians, erroneously attributed
to Athanasius.
(4.) Adversus Marcionem.
(5.) Adversus JudiEos ( the Commentary on Daniel).
.?
(6.) Responsiones ad quaesitus magorum Persarunn.

(70 Five sermons on St. Chrysostom.
(8.) Two allocutions spoken at Chalcedon against Cyril in 431.
(9.) Sermon preached at Antioch on the death of Cyril.
(10.) Works on Sabellius and the Trinity, of which portions are given by Baluz.
Misc. iv.
IX. — Contents and Character of the Extant Works.

(a) The
character of the Commentary on the Octateuch and the Books of Kings
and Chronicles is indicated " On se-
by the Title "fif rd arropa rf/^ deiac Tpaf/jg kut' iKkoyijv," or
lected difficulties in Holy Scripture." These questions are treated, with occasional de-
flexions into allegory, from the historico-exegetical point of view of the Syrian School,'
of which Diodorus of Tarsus and Theodore of Mopsuestia were distinguished representa-
tives. On Diodorus Socrates * remarks, "he composed many works, relying on the
bare letter of Scripture, and avoiding their speculative aspect." This might be said
of Diodorus' great pupil too. Nevertheless, though generally following a line of in-
terpretation in broad contrast with that of Origen, Theodoret quotes Origen as well as
Diodore and Theodore of Mopsuestia as authorities. Of the 1S2 "questions " on Genesis
and Exodus the following may be taken as specimens.
" What
Qiiestion viii. spirit moved upon the waters.?" Theodoret's conclusion is
that the wind is indicated.
" And God saw that it was good'?" To
Qiiestion X. Why
did the author add, '
persuade the thankless not to find fault with what the divine judgment pronounces good.
" To whom did God
Qiiestion xix. say let us make man in our image and like-
'
ness'?" The reply, carefully elaborated, is that here is an indication of the Trinity.
"
What is meant by image ? ' "
Question xx.
'
Here long extracts from Diodorus, Theodorus, and Origen are given.
" did God plant paradise, when He intended straightway to
Question xxiv. Why
"
drive out Adam thence ?
God condemns none of foreknowledge. And besides, He wished to shew the saints the
^
Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world.
" What is the
meaning of the statement The man is become as one of
'
Qiiestion xl.
"
Theodoret thinks this is said ironically. God had forbidden Adam to take of the
'
us ?
fruit of the tree of life, not because he grudged man immortal life, but to check the course
of sin. So death is a means of cure, not a punishment.
" Whom
did Moses call sons of God?" A long argument replies,
Qiiestion xlvii.
the sons of Seth.
" Did not
Question Ixxxi suggests an ingenious excuse for Jacob. Jacob lie when he
said, 1 am Esau thy firstborn?" He had bought the precedence of primogeniture, and
therefore spoke the truth when he called himself firstborn.
1
a writer, supposed to be a layman, whose works were discovered in two MSS. at the end of the seventeenth
century
One is in the Vatican, the other was found in the Cathedral Library of Beauvais. Marius wrote
fully on the Nestorian Coii
troversy, and with acrimony against Theodoret.
2 As catalogued by Canon Venables from Cave (Hist. Lit. i. 405 ff.) Diet. Christ. Biog-. iv. 91S.
3 cf. Gieseler i. 2oq, who refers to Miinter in Staiidlins Archiv. fiir
Kirchengesch. i. 1. 13.
*vi.,3.
6 Matt. XXV. 34.
i6 THEODORET.
"
Exodus. Question xii. What is the meaning of the phrase I will harden Pha-
'
raoh's heart'?" This is answered at great length.

The information given in these notes, as we might call them, is theological, exegetic,
and explanatory of peculiar terms, and is often of interest and value. On the fourteen
Books of Questions and Answers Canon Venables,* quoting Ceillier, remarks that the
whole form a literary and historical commentary of great service for the right comprehen-
sion of the text, characterized by honesty and common sense, and seldom straining or
evading the meaning to avoid dangerous conclusions.
(b) On the Psalms and the rest of the Books of the Old Testament the Commen-
tary is no longer in the catechetical form, but is styled Interpretation.'
The Psalmist, Theodoret observes,^ in many places predicts the passion and resurrec-
tion of our Lord, and to attentive readers causes real delight by the variety of his prophe-
sying. In view of some recent discussions concerning the authorship of certain Psalms it
" It has been
is
interesting to find the entlnisiast for orthodoxy in the 5th century writing
contended by some critics that the Psalms are not all the work of David, but are to be as-
cribed in some cases to other writers. Accordingly, from the titles^ some have been attrib-
uted to Idithum, some to Etham, some to the sons of Core, some to Asaph, by men who
have learned from the Chronicles that these writers were prophets.* On this point I make
no positive statement. What difference indeed does it make to me whether all the Psalms
are David's, or some were the composition of others, when it is clear that all were written
by the active operation of the Holy Spirit.?"
The importance of the commentary on the Psalms may be estimated by the fact that it
is longer than all the catechetical
commentary on the preceding Books combined.
The interpretation on the Canticles follows spiritual, as distinguished from literal, lines.
The lover is Jesus Christ —
the bride, the Church.
;
From the prologue it appears that
Theodoret held all the Old Testament to have been re-written, under divine inspiration, by
Ezra. This is regarded as the earliest of the exegetical works.
The original commentary on Isaiah has been lost. The only existing portions are
passages collected from the Greek
*
catena? by Sirmond and edited in his edition, but the
opinion has been entertained that these passages should be referred to Theodore of Mop-
suestia who also commented on Isaiah, and who is sometimes confused with Theod-
oret by the compilers of the Greek catenae.
The commentary on Jeremiah includes Baruch and the Lamentations.*
(c) The epistles of St. Paul, among which Theodoret I'eckons the Epistle to the
Hebrews, the only portions of the New Testament on which we possess our author's
are
commentaries. On them the late Bishop Lightfoot writes, " Theodoret's commentaries on
St. Paul are superior to his other exegetical writings, and have been assigned the
palm
over expositions of Scripture. See Schrockh xviii. p. 398. sqq., Simon, p. 314
all patristic
sqq. Rosenmiiller iv. p. 93 sqq., and the monograph of Richter, de Theodoreto Epist.
Paulin. interprete (Lips. 1S22.) For appreciation, terseness of expression and good
sense, they are perhaps unsurpassed, and, if the absence of foults were a just standard of
merit, they would deserve the first place but they have little claim to originality, and he
;
who has read Chi'ysostom and Theodore of Mopsuestia will find scarcely anything in
Theodoret which he has not seen before. It is right to add however that Theodoret
modestly disclaims any such merit. In his preface he apologises for attempting to
interpret St. Paul after two such men who are luminaries of the world
'
'
and he professes :
nothing more than to gather his stores from '

the blessed fathers.' In these expressions
'
he alludes doubtless to Chrysostom and Theodore."
As a specimen of the mode of treatment of a crucial passage, of interest in view of the
writer's relations to the Nestorian and Eutychian controversies, the notes on I. Cor. xv. 27,
" This is a
28 may be quoted. passage which Arians and Eunomians have been wont to
be constantly adducing with the notion that they arc thereby belittling the dignity of
the only-begotten. They ought to have perceived that the divine apostle has written
nothing in this passage about the Godhead of the only-begotten. He is exhorting us to
believe in the resuiTection of the flesh, and endeavours to prove the resurrection of the
flesh by the resurrection of the Lord. It is olwious that like is conformed to like. On
this account he calls Him the first fruits of them tliat have fallen asleep,' and styles Him
'
1 Diet. Christ. ISiog-. iv. qi6,] > » In Ps. Ed.

* cf. I.
epfijji-eia. Migne 604, 605.
Chron. vi. 44., xv. 17, 19, and Art. Jeduthun in Diet. Bib.
» Garnerius. Theod. Eil. Migne i, 274. cf. note on page 327. 1
Lightfoot. Epist. Gal. ed. 1S66, p. 226.
PROLEGOMENA. 17
Man,' and by comparison with Adam proves that by Him the general resurrection
'
will come to pass, with the object of persuading objectors, by shewing the resurrection
of one of like nature, to believe that all mankind will share His resurrection. It must
therefore be recognised that the natures of the Lord are two and that divine Scripture names
:
Him sometimes from the human, and sometimes from the divine. If it speaks of God,
it does not deny the manhood if it mentions man it at the same time confesses the
:
Godhead. It is impossible always to speak of Him in terms of sublimity, on account of

the nature which He received from us, for if even when lowly terms are employed some
men deny the assumption of the flesh, clearly still more would have been found infected
with this unsoundness, had no lowly terms been used. What then is the meaning of
'then is subjected'? This expression is applicable to sovereigns exercising sovereignty
now, for if He then is subjected He is not yet subjected. So they are all in error
who blaspheme and try to make subject Him who has not yet submitted to the limits
of subjection. We must wait, and learn the mode of the subjection. But we have gone
through long discussions on these points in our contests with them. It is enough now to
indicate briefly the Apostle's aim. He is writing to the Corinthians who have only just
been set free from the fables of heathendom. Their fables are full of violence and
iniquity. Not to name others, and pollute my lips, they worship parricide gods, and say
that sons I'evolted against then- fathers, drove them from their realm, and seized their
sovereignty. So after saying great things of Christ, in that He shall destroy all rule and
authority and power, and shall put an end to death, and hath subdued all things under
his feet; lest starting from those fables of theirs thev should expect Him to treat His
father the Dtemons whom they adore after mentioning, as was necessary, the
like ;
subjugation of all things the apostle adds The Son Himself shall be subject to Him that
'
did put all things under Him.' For not only shall He not subject the Father to
Himself, but shall Himself accept the subjection becoming to a son. So the divine
apostle, suspecting the mischief arising from the pagan mythology, uses expressions of
lowliness because such terms are helpful. But let objectors tell us the form of that
subjection. If they are willmg to consider the truth. He shewed obedience when He
was made man, and wrought out our salvation. How then shall He then be subjected,
and how shall He then deliver the kingdom to God the Father? If the case be viewed in
this way, it will appear that God the Father does not hold the kingdom now. So full
of absurdity are their arguments. But He makes what is ours His own, since we are
called His body, and He is called our Head. He took our iniquities and bore our
'
diseases.'^ So He says in the Psalm 'my God, my God, look upon me, why hast
Thou forsaken me. The words of my transgressions are far from my health.' *
And yet He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. But a mouth
is made of our nature, in that He was made the first fruits of the nature. So He
appropriates our frequent disobedience and the then subjection, and, when we are
subjected after our delivery from corruption He is said to be subjected. What follows
leads us on to this sense. For after the words ' then shall the son be subject to Him that
did put all things under Him,' the Apostle adds that God may be all in all.'
'
He is
everywhere now in accordance with His essence, for His nature is uncircumscribed, as says
the divine apostle, ' in Him we live and move and have our being.'
^
But, as regards His
good pleasure, He is not in all, for the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in
'
those that hope in his mercy.'* But in these He is not wholly. For no one is 'pure of
uncleanness,'^ and'In thy sight shall no man living be justified"^ and If thou Lord shouldst '
mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand?' Therefore the Lord taketh pleasure wherein
they do right and taketh not pleasure wherein they err. But in the life to come where corrup-
tion ceases and immortality is given passions have no place and after these have been quite
;
driven out no kind of sin is committed for the future. Thus hereafter God shall be all in
all, when all have been released from sin and turned to Him and are incapable
of any incli-
nation to the worse. And what in this place the divine Apostle has said of God in another
passage he has laid down of Cbrist. His words are these.
'
Where there is neither Jew
nor Greek, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian . . but Christ is .
all and in all.'

'
He would not have applied to the Son what is attributable *
to the Father
had he not of divine grace learnt that He is of equal honour with Him."
On the meaning of the passage about them that are baptized for the dead it is curious to
5 Is. liii. 4. s Acts xvii. 2S. ^
Job xiv. 4. LXX. 7 Coloss. iii. 11.
»Ps. xxii. I. * Ps. cxlvii. II. ' Psalm cxiiii. 2. « Theodor. Ed. Migne iii. 271. Seqq.
VOL. III. C
i8 THEODORET.
find only one interpretation curtlv profTei'ecl In apparent unconsciousness of any other being
known Thcodoict's words are " He, says the apostle, who is baptized is
or possible.
buried with tiie Lord, that as he has been sharer in the death so he may be sharer in
the resurrection. But if the body is dead and does not rise why then is he baptized.'"
The dead for which a man is baptized seems to be regarded as his own dead body i.e.,
'
dead in trespasses and sin and subject to corruption.
(d) Of the historical works, (i) the iilcclesiastical History needs less description, in that
a translation in extenso is given in the text. Its style and spirit speak for themselves.
Photius^ well describes it as " clear, lofty, and concise."
^
Gibbon, referring to the three ecclesiastical historians of this period speaks of
" Socrates, the more curious Sozomen, and the learned Theodoret." Of learning, in-
dustry, and veracity the proofs are patent in the book itself. The chief fault of the work
is its want of chronological arrangement.' A
minor shortcoming is what may be called a
lack of perspective; a fulness of detail is sometimes conceded to mere episode and pa-
renthesis, while characters and events of high and crucial importance would scarcely be
known to be so, were we dependent for our estimation of them on Theodoret alone. Va-
'
lesius inclines to the opinion that his opening words about supplying things omitted re-
fer to Socrates and Sozomen, and compares him in his composition of a history after those
writers (there is just a possibility that he might have completed the parallel by referring to
a third predecessor —
Rufinns) to St. John filling up the gaps left by the synoptists." But
this view is open to question. Theodoret names no previous writers but Eusebius. A
special importance attaches to his account of such events and persons as his local knowU
edge enables him to give with completeness of detail, as for instance, all that relates to
Antioch and its bishops. Garnerius is of opinion that the work might with propriety 1)0
entitled A
History of the Arian Heresy all other matter introduced he views as merely
;
episodic.^ He also quotes the letter* of Gregory the great in which the Roman bishop
states that " the apostolic sec refuses to receive the History of ' Sozomenus (sic) inas-
'
much as it and praises Theodore of Mopsuestia, maintaining that he was

abounds with lies,
up to the day of his death, a great Doctor." "Sozomen" is supposed to be a "slip of the
" Theodoret." " multa mentitur is an un-
pen, or of the memory, for But, if this be so,
fair description of the errors of the historian. Fallible he was, and exhibits failure in
^
accuracy, especially in chronology, but his truthfulness of aim is plain.
(ii) The Religious History, several times referred to in the Ecclesiastical Histoiy,
and therefore an earlier composition, contains the lives of thirty-three famous ascetics, of
whom three were women. The " curious intellectual problem" '" of the readiness wîth which
" "
Theodoret, a disciple of the prosaic and critical school of Antioch, accepts and repeats
marvellous tales of the miracles of his contemporary hermits, has been invested with fresh
interest in our own time by the apparent sympathy and similar belief of Dr. Newman,
who asks " What made him drink in with such relish wdiat we reject with such disgust.'*
Was it some miracles were brought home so absolutely to his sensible
that, at least,
experience that he had no reason for doubting the others which came to him second-hand.'*
This certainly will explain what to most of us is sure to seem the stupid credulity of so
well-read, so intellectual an author." " Cardinal Newman evidently implies that the
evidence was irresistible, even to a keen and trained intelligence. Probably in many cases
the explanation is to be found, as has been already suggested in the remarks on Theodoret's
birth, in the ready acceptance of the current views of the age and place as to cause and
effect. Theodoret believed in the marvels of his monks. Matthew Hale believed in
' Here Theodoret agrees in the main with Chrysostoin and Tlicophyliict, vide RefF. in Alford ad loc.
"
Unquestionably the rit^ht view of this controverted passage is that of the Greek Fathers, Chrysostom, Theophylact,
Theodoret, and others. In residing their comments it is quite clear that they found no more difficulty in St. Paul's elliptical
use of the Greek i/irep than we do in Sliakespcre's use of the English for.' They did not hesitate in their homilies to expound
'
that the phrase * for the dead meant * with an interest in the resurrection of the dead,' or that for
'
by itself meant even so
' '
much as ' in expectation of the resurrection.' Speaker's Commentary, iii. 373. -

Rib. Cod. xxxi.
3 xxi. n.
Chap.
(x. 42) repeats the charge of distinct errors in chronology in (a) the statement that Arius died in 325 instead of
* Ceillicr
in 336; (b) the extension of the exile of^ Athanasius by four months ; (c) tlie election of Ambrose at the beginning of the reign
of Valentinian, instead often years later; (d) the troubles at Antioch placed after instead of before those at Thessalonica;
(e) the siege of Nisibis in 3^0 confounded with that of 359. As to (a) the truth is that Theodoret is guilty rather of vagueness
than of a misstatement. (Vide I. capp. xiii, xiv.) Theobjection to (b) the two years and four months exile of Athanasius is
due to Valerius (obs. Ecc. i). Canon Biight (Diet. Christ. Biog. i. 187) agrees with Theodoret (cf. Newman Hist. Tracts xii
and Ilcfele, Concilicngesch. i.467.) In (c) Theodoret is vague, in (d) wrong. According to Valesius.Volagcsus, and not
Jacobus, was bishop of Nisibis in 350.
b
t^? e/ocArjo-iacmio"/? io-Topiat tH TrapaAfin-dnevo.
c Valesii annotationes — Theod Migne III. 1522. Valesius is the Latinized form of Henri de Valois, French historio-
:
grapher royal, who edited Ammianus Marcellinus and the Greek Ecclesiastical historians. He died in 1692.
'•
Theod. Ed. Migne. V. 2S2. »
Ep. XXXIV.
* " IJaronius of remark about Theodoret's lies, that is his errors in the order of events,
obviously approves Gregory's
and out of Book iv. produces no less than fifteen l)hnHUrs, to say nothing of those in iii and v." Garner. loc. cit. aSo, 381.
^" Canon Venables
Diet. Christ. Biog. iv. 91S. ^Ûisioricat Sketches iii. 314.
PROLEGOMENA. 19
witchcraft. Neither, that is, was some centuries removed from his own age. Neitlicr
need be accused of stupid credulity. The enthusiasm which led him to reckon on
finding
the noble army of martyrs a very present
help in time of trouble because he had a little
bottle of their oil, probably that burned at their
graves, slung over his bed and his ;
assurance that the old cloak of Jacobus, folded for his pillow, was a more than adamantine
bulwark against the wiles of the devil, indicate no more than an exaggerated reliance on
the power of material memorials to ailect the imagination.' And it is curious to remark
that with all this acceptance of the cures effected by ascetics, Theodoret made a
provision of medical skill for his flock at Cyrus."
(e) The works reckoned as theological, as distinct from the controversial, are three:
(i) The twelve discourses entitled 'EAAtîvayjh (?f/w-fr-//,/)7ra%/«rwy, or
" Grcecartim
affectiomnn
curatio^ seji evangeliccs veritatis ex gciiiilttim philosophia cognitio.'''' They contain an
elaborate apology for Christian philosophy, with a refutation of the attacks of
paganism
against the doctrines of the gospel, and may have been designed, as Garnerius conjec-
tures, to serve as an antidote against whatever might still survive of the influence of
Julian and his writings. Here we see at once our author's " genius and erudition "
(Mosheim). In these orations he exhibits a wide acquaintance with Greek literature,
and we find cited, or referred to, among other writers, Homer, Hesiod, Alcman,
Theognis, Xenophanes, Pindar, Heraclitus, Zeno, Parmenides, Empedocles, Euripides,
Herodotus, Xenophon, Plato, Aristotle, Demosthenes, Diodorus Siculus, Plutarch, and
Porphyry. Homer and Plato are largely quoted. Basnage,^ indeed, contested their
genuineness, but without weakening their position among Theodoret's accepted works.
They have seemed to some to encourage undue honoui to and invocation of saints and
martyrs^ but their author seems to anticipate later exaggeration of their reverence by the
" We ascribe Godhead to Them that have been distinguished
distinction, notliing visible.
in virtue we honour as excellent men, but we worship none but the God and Father of
all, His Word, and the Holy Spirit."" (ii). The Discourses against paganism were
followed by ten on Divine Providence, a work justly eulogized as exhibiting Theodoret's
literary power in its highest form. Of it Garnerius, who is by no means disposed
to bestow indiscriminate laudation on the writer, remarks that
nothing was ever pub-
lished on this subject more eloquent or more admirable, cither by Theodoret, or
by
any other.® The discourses may not improbably have been delivered in public at
Antioch, and have been the occasion of the enthusiastic admiration described as shewn
by tlie patriarch John.' In them he presses the argument of the divine guidance of the
world from the constitution of the visible creation, and specially of the body of man.
The preacher draws many illustrations from the animal world and shews himself to be
an intelligent observer. The pui'suit of righteousness is proved not to be vain, even though
the achieved result is not seen until the resurrection, and it is argued that from the begin-
ning God has not cared for one chosen race alone but for all mankind. The crowning
evidence of divine providence is in the incarnation. " I have taught you " so the great ora- —
tions conclude —
"the universal jDrovidence of God. You behold His unfathomable loving
kindness ;
—
His boundless mercy; cease then to strive against Him that made you learn ;
to do honour to your benefactor, and requite his mighty benefits with

grateful utterance.
Offer to God the sacrifice of praise defile not your tongue with blasphemy, but make it
;
the instrument of worship for which it was designed. Such divine dispensations as are
plain, reverence; about such as are hidden make no ado, but wait for knowledge in the
time to come. When we shall put ofl' the senses, then we shall win perfect knowledge.
Imitate not Adam who dared to pluck the forbidden fruit lay not hold of hidden things, ;
but leave the knowledge of them to their own fit season. Obey the words of the wise
man — say not What is this.-* For what purpose is this!
**
'For all things were made for
good.' Gathering then from every source occasion for praise, and mingling one melody,
ofler it with me to the Creator, tlie giver of good, and Christ the Saviour, our very God.
To them be glory and vvôrship and honour for endless age on age. Amen."
(iii) The Discourse on Divine Love. This love, saj^s Theodoret, is the source of the
holy life of the ascetics. For his own part he would not accept the kingdom of heaven
without it, or with it, were such a thing possible, shrink from the pains of bed. It was
»Theod. Ed. Mi^ne. iii. 1244. Schrockh. xviii. 362. 2Ep. CXV.
3 Histoire dt. V i^glise. II. 122^. Jacques de Beauval Basnage
1723. f
* Schrbckh Kirchcnsjesch., V o\, xviii. 410. 6 Gr.-cc. Cur. AfT. Ed.
Migne 754.
•i "
On y voit toiite. la heaitte du ginie de Tlieodorel; die choix dans les pensres, de la noblesse davsles exf^ressions, dt
Velfffance et de la neltete dans le style, de la suite et de la force dans les raisonnements." Ceillier x. SS (Keini Ceillicr t 1761.
}iis.'''//istohe Generale des aiitei/rs sacrcs" was published in Paris 1729-1763.) '
Kp. Ixxxiii. <*
cf. Ecclus. xxxix. 27.
C 2
20 THEODORET.
really love, he says, which led to Peter's denial lie need not ; have denied if he could have
borne to keep aloof, but love goaded him to be near his Lord.
(f.) The controversial works are
(i.) The " Eranistes," or Dialogues, of which the translation is included in the
text. They contain a complete refutation of the Eutychian position, and the quotations
in them are in several cases valuable as giving portions of the writing of Fathers not else-
where preserved. They are supposed to have been written shortly after the death of Cyril
in 444, and are intended at once to vindicate Theodoret's own orthodoxy, and to expose
the errors of the party protected by Dioscorus.
(ii.) The IKereticarum Fabularum Compendium, {AlperiKf/Q KmninSmr i-trouy) was com-
posed at the request of Sporacius, one of the representatives of Marcian at Chalcedon, and
is, as its title indicates, an account of past or present heresies. It is divided into five
Books, which treat of the following heretics.
I. Simon Magus, JNIcnander, Saturnilus,' Basilides, Isidorus, Carpocrates, Epiphancs,
Prodicus, Valentinus, Secundus, Marcus the Wizard, the Ascodruti,^ the Colorbasii, the
Barbclioti,^ the Ophites, the Cainites, the Antitacti, the Perati, Monoimus, Hcrmogenes,
Tatianus, Severus, Bardcsanes, Harmonius Florinus, Cerdo, Marcion, Apelles, Potitus,
Prepon, and Manes.
II. The Ebionites, the Nazarenes, Cerinthus, Artemon, Theodotus, the Melchise-
deciani, the Elkcsitcs, Paul of Samosata, Sabellius, Marcellus, Photinus.

III. The Nicolaitans, the Montanists, Noetus of Smyrna, the Tessarcsca^decatites
(i.e. Qiiartodecimani) Novatus, Nepos.

IV. Arius, Eudoxius, Eunomius, Aetius, the PsathjnMani, the Macedoniani, the Do-
natists, the Meletians, Appollinarius, the Audiani, the Messaliani, Nestorius, Eutyches.
V. The last book is an "• Epitome of the Divine Decrees."
This catalogue, it has been remarked, does not include Origenism and Pelagianism.'*
But though Theodoret did not S3anpathize with Origen's school of scriptural interpreta-
tion, there was no reason why he should damn him as unsound in the faith. And the
controversy between Jerome and Rufinus as to Origen was a distinctively western con-
troversy. So was Pelagianism a western heresy, with which Theodoret was not brought
into immediate contact.
The
fourth book is obviously the most important, as treating of heresies of which the
writer would have contemporary knowledge. And special interest has attached to the
chapter on Nestorius, who is condemned not merely for erroneous opinion on the incarna-
tion and person of Christ, but as a timeserver and pretender, seeking rather to be thought,
than to be, a Christian. Garnerius indeed doubts the genuineness of the chapter, and
Schulze, in defending it, points out the similarity of its line of argument to that employed in
the treatise " against Nestorius," which is very generally regarded as spurious. It may
have been added after Chalcedon, when the writer had been forced into the denunciation of
his old friend. But the expressions used alike of the incarnation and of Nestorius seem
somewhat in contrast with other writings of Theodoret. Schi'ockh " inclines to the view in
which Ceillicr concurs, that this damning account of Nestorius was really written by his
old champion, and accounts for the harshness of condemnation by the influence of the
clamours of Chalcedon and the induration which old age sometimes brings on tender
spirits. It can only be said that if this is Theodoret, it is Theodoret at his worst.
The heads of the Epitome of Divine Decrees are the following twenty-nine: Of the
Father of the Son of the Holy Ghost of Creation of Matter of yEons of Angels of
; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Daemons of Man of Providence of the Incarnation of the Saviour; that the Lord took a
; ; ;
body; that He took a soul as well as Plis body; that the human nature which He took was
perfect that He i-aised the nature which He took that He is good and just that He gave
; ; ;
the Old and the New Testament of Baptism of Resurrection of Judgment of Promises
; ; ; ; ;
of the Second Advent {'E-njavna') of the Saviour; of Antichrist of Virginity; of Marriage; ;
of Second Marriage; of Fornication; of Reijentance of Abstinence. ;
The short chapter on the Incarnation has a special value in view of the author's con-
nection with the Nestorian Controversy. " It is worth
while," he writes in it,
" to ex-
hibit what we hold concerning the Incarnation, for this exposition proclaims more clearly
>
SaTopi'eiAos or 2aTopi'iAo? in Hippnlytus, Epiphanius, and Theodoret; but Saropvii'o? (Saturninus) in Irenaaus and
Eusebius.
2 Galatian sect. Jerome has " Ascodrobi," Epiphanius (Hxr. 416) identifies " Tascodrugitse," with Cataphrygians or
A
Montanists, and says they were so called froin the habit of puttinjj their finger to their nose when praying.
3 In
lipiphanius (i. 85, T?) Barbelitie. Harbelo was a niythnloyic personage; —
The sect gnostic.
* Ceillicr x. " icviii.
S.^. 416.
PROLEGOMENA. ±i
the providence of the God of all. In his forged fables Valentinus maintained a distinction
between the only-begotten and the Word, and further betvvêen the Christ within the pleroma
and Jesus, and also the Christ who is without. He said that Jesus became man, by
putting on the Christ that is without, and assuming a body of the substance of the soul and ;
that He made a passage only through the Virgin, having assumed

nothing of the nature
of man. Basilides in like manner distinguished between the only-begotten, the Word and
the Wisdom. Cerdon, on the other hand, Marcion, and Manes, said that the Christ ap-
peared as man, though he had nothing human. Cerinthus maintained that Jesus was
generated of Joseph and Mary after the common manner of men, but that the Christ came
down from on high on Jesus. The Ebionites, the Theodotians, the Artemonians, and
Photinians said that the Christ was bare man born of the Virgin. Arius and Eunomius
taught that He assumed a body, but that the Godhead discharged the function of the soul.
ApoUinarius held that the body of the Saviour had a soul,^ but had not the reasonable
soul ; for, according to his views, intelligence was superfluous, God the Word being
present. I have stated the opinions taught by the majority of heresies with the wish of making
plain the truth taught by the church. Now
the church makes no distinction between
{tov avTov avoimlÊL) the Son, the only begotten, God the Word, the Lord the Saviour, and Jesus
Christ. '
Son,'
'
only begotten,'
'
God the Word,' and ' Lord,' He was called before the
Licarnation and is so called also after the Incarnation but after the Incarnation the same
; ;
(Lord) was called Jesus Christ, deriving the titles from the facts. 'Jesus' is interpreted
to mean the Saviour, whereof Gabriel is witness in his words to the '
Thou
Virgin
shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.' " But He was
'
styled
'
Christ on account of the unction of the Spirit. So the Psalmist David says
'
Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.'^ And through the Prophet Isaiah the Lord Himself says 'The spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me.' • Thus the Lord Himself taught
us to understand the prophecy, for when He had come into the synagogue, and opened the
book of the Prophets, He read the passage quoted, and said to those present This day '
*
is the Scripture fulfilled in
your ears.' The great Peter, too, preached in terms harmoni-
ous with the prophets, for in his explanation of the mystery to Cornelius he said That '
word ye know which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee after
the Baptism which John preached how God anointed Jesus Christ with the Holy Ghost
;
and with power.' ® Hence it is clear that He is called Christ on account of the unction
of the spirit. But he was anointed not as God, but as man. And as in His human
nature He was anointed, after the Incarnation He was called also Christ.' But yet there '
is no distinction between God the Word and the Christ, for God the Word incarnate was
named Christ Jesus. And He was incarnate that He might renew the nature corrupted
by sin. The reason of His taking all the nature which had sinned was that He might
heal all. For He did not take the nature of the body using it as a veil of His Godhead,
according to the wild teaching of Arius and Eunomius for it had been easy for Him even
;
without a body to be made visible as He was seen of old by Abraham, Jacob and the rest
of the saints. But he wished the very nature that had been worsted to beat down the
enemy and win the victory. For this reason He took both a body and a reasonable soul.
For Holy Scripture does not divide man in a threefold division, but states that this living
being consists of a body and a soul.' For God after forming the body out of the dust
breathed into it the soul and shewed it to be two natures not three. And the same Lord
in the Gospels says, Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul,' ^
'
and many similar passages may be found in divine Scripture. And that He did not assume
man's nature in its perfection, contriving it as a veil for His Godhead, according to the
heretics' fables, but achieving victory by means of the first fruits for the whole race, is
truly witnessed and accurately taught by the divine apostle, for in His Epistle to the Ro-
mans, when unveiling the mystery of the Incarnation, he writes Wherefore as by one man '
sin entered into the world, and death

by sin and so death passed upon all men, for that
;
all have sinned for until the law sin was in the world
: but sin is not imputed when there
:
is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them who had
not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of Him that is
^
to come.'
1 * Is. Ixi. I. ' cf. note on pp. 132 and 194.

eM>ûX°''-
2 Matt. i. 21. "Lukeiv. 21. » Matt. x. 28.
s Ps. xlv. « Acts X. 9 Rom. V. 12, 13, 14.
7. 37, 38.
22 THEODORET.
(iii.) The refutations of the Twelve Chapters of Cyril are translated in the
Prolegomena.^ '
In the Epistle of Cyril and the Comrnonitoriuni datum Posidonio Cyril
to Cclestinus
shows what sense he wishes on the utterances of Nestorius. " The faith, or rather the
to fix
'
cacodoxy of Nestorius, has this force; he says that God the Word, prescient that he
'
who was to be born of the Holy Virgin would be holy and great, therefore chose him and
arranged that he should be generated of the Virgin without a husband and conferred on
him the privilege of being called by His own names, and raised him so that even though
after the incarnation he is called the only begotten Word of God, he is said to have been
made man because He was always with him as with a holy man born of the Virgin. And
as He was with the prophets so, says Nestorius, was He by a greater conjunction {avtwpna'^ .
On this account Nestorius always shrinks from using the word union (tvuaic) and speaks of
conjunction,' as of some one without, and, as He says to Joshua as I was with Moses
' '
But, to conceal his impiety, Nestorius says that He was with him
^
so will I be with thee.'
from the womb. Wherefore he does not say that Christ was very God, but that Christ
was good pleasure; and, if he was called Lord, so again Nestorius
so called of God's
understands him to be Lord because the divine Word conceded him the boon of being so
named. Nor does he say as we do that the Son of God died and rose again on our behalf.
The man died and the man rose, and this has nothing to do with God the Word. And in the
mysteries what lies (i.e. on the Holy Table) (to KpoKEijuevov) is a man's body; but we be-
lieve that it is flesh of the Word, having power to quicken because it is made flesh and
blood of the Word that quickeneth all things."
Nestorius was not unnaturally indignant at this misrepresentation of his words,
and complains of Cyril for leaving out important clauses and introducing additions
of his own.'' Cyril succeeded in pressing upon Celestinus the idea that Nestorius,
who had vigorously opposed the Pelagians, was really in sympathy with them,
and so secured the condemnation of his opponent at Rome and at Alexandria, and
published his twelve anathemas to complete his own vindication. These wx're
answered by Theodoret on behalf of the eastern church in 431. In 433 formal peace
was made, so far as the theological, as apart from the personal, dispute was concerned, by
the acceptance by both John of Antioch and Cyril of the formula, slightly modified, which
Theodoret himself had drawn up at Ephesus two years before. It is as follows
""
: "We
confess our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, to be perfect God and
perfect man, of a reasonable soul and body, begotten before' the ages of the
Father, as touching His godhead, and in the last davs on account of us and our salvation
(born) of the Virgin Mary as touching His manhood; that He is of one sub-
stance with the Father as touching His godhead, of one substance with us as touching His
manhood for there is made an union of two natures wherefore we confess one Christ,
; ;
one Son, one Lord. According to this meaning of the unconfounded union we confess the
holy Virgin to be ^BeotSkoq,' on account of God the Word being made flesh and becoming
man, and of this conception uniting to Himself the temple taken of licr. We acknowledge
that theologians use the words of evangelists and apostles about the Lord some in common,
as of one person, and some distinctively, as of two natures, and deliver tlie divine as touch-
®
ing the Godhead of the Christ, and the lowly as touching His manhood."
This is substantially what Theodoret says again and again. This satisfied Cyril.
This would prolxably have been accepted by Nestorus too.' What then was it, apart
from the odium theologicum, which kept Nestorius and Cyril apart? Below the apparent
special pleading and word-jugglery on the surface of the controversy lay the principle
that in the Cln-ist God and man were one; the essence of the atonement or reconciliation
lying in the complete union of the human and the divine in the one Person; the "I" in
the "I am" of the Temple and the "I thirst" of tlie Cross being really the same.
" God and man is one Christ." The
position which the Cyrillians viewed with alarm
was a reduction of tliis unity to a mere partnership or alliance; God dwelling in Jesus —
of Nazareth as He dwells in all good men, only to a greater degree; the eternal Word —
being in close contact with the son of Mary {avi>&<pein). So, whatever may have been
the unhappy faction-fights with which the main issue was confused, there was in trutli a
great crisis, a great question for decision was Jesus of Nazareth an unique personality,
;
»
Page 26. Afiinsi. T. IV. 1012 Seqq. Mi-nc P:it. I.XXVII. 85.
=
Synod, c. 17. ISI;insi V. p. 773.

8 » Gicscler Vol. I. Gicscltr i. 231;. ''
Jos. i. s.
•''•
p. 231.
"In Walch's Hist. Ketz. V. 77S, there is a good
summary of Sestoriiis' views: he'lhiiiks the disi)ute a mere logomachy.
So also Luther, and after him Basnage, Dupin, Jablonski. vide reff. in Gieseler i. 236.
PROLEGOMENA. 23
or only one more in the goodly fellowship of prophets? Was He God, or was He not?
There can be little doubt as to the answer Nestorius would have given. There can be
none as to that of Theodoret, But on the part of Cyril there was the quite mistaken con-
viction that Theodoret was practically contending for two Christs. On the other hand
Theodoret erroneously identified Cyril with the confusion of the substance and practical
"
patripassianism which he scathes in the Eranistes," and which the common sense of
Christendom has condemned in Eutyches.
(g) To Nicephorus Callistus in the 15th century five hundred of Theodoret's letters
were known,' and he is eloquent in their praise. Now, the collection, including several by
other writers, comprises only one hundred and eighty one. The value of their contributions
to the history of the times as well as of their writer will be evident on their study. The
order in which they are published is preserved in the translation for the sake of reference.
A chronological order would have obvious advantages, but this in many cases could only
be conjectural. Where the indications of time are fairly plain the probable date is
suggested in a note. The letters are divided into (a) dogmatic, (b) consolatory, (c)
festal, (d) commendatory, (e) congratulatory, (f) commenting on passing events. Of
them vScliulze writes "Nihil eo in genere scribendi perfectius nam quce sunt epistolarum
;
virtutes, brevitas, perspicuitas, elegantia, urbanitas, modestia, observantia decori, et ingen-

iosa prudensque ac erudita simplicitas, in epistolis Theodoreti admirabiliter ita elucent ut
scribentibus exemphi esse possint." They not only" says Schrockh,^ "vindicate the
'••
admiration of Nicephorus, but are specially attractive on account of their exhibition of the
writer's simplicity, modesty, and love of peace."
the study of these letters " we rise," writes Canon Venables,^ " with a heightened
From
estimate of Theodoret himself, his intellectual power, his theological precision, his warm-
hearted affection for his friends, and the Christian virtues with which, notwithstanding
some weaknesses and an occasional bitterness for which, however distressing, his persecu-
tions offered some palliation, his character was adorned."
The reputation of Theodoret in the Church is a growing reputation, and the
practical canonization which he has won in the heart of Christendom is a testimony
to the power and worth of character and conduct. Though never officially dignified
by a "higher ecclesiastical title than " Beatus" he is yet to Marcellinus " Episcopus sanctus
Cyri
*
and to Photius " " divinus vir." His earnest, sometimes bitter, conflict with the
great intellect and strong will of Cyril, and apparent discomfiture in the war which raged,
often with dire confusion, up and down the long lines of definition, have not succeeded in
robbing him of one of the liighest places among the Fathers of whom the Church is
proudest. He exhibits, each in a lofty and conspicuous form, all the qualities which mark
a great and good churchman. His theological writings would have won high fame in a
recluse. His administration of his diocese, as we learn it from his modest letters, would
have gained him the character of an excellent bishop, even had he been no scholar. His
temper in controversy, though occasionally breaking out into the fiery heat of the oriental,
is for the most His devotion to his
part in happy contrast with that of his opponents.
duty is undeniable, and his industry astonishing. It is impossible not to feel as we read
his writings that he is no self-seeker arguing for
victory. He believes that the fate of the
Church rests on the fidelity of Christians to the Nicene Confession, and in his champion-
ship of this creed, and his opposition to all that seems to him to threaten its adulteration
or defeat, he knows no awe of prince or court.
Owning but one Lord, he is true through
evil and good report to Him, and his
figure stands out large, bright, and gracious across
the centuries, against a background of intrigue and controversy sometimes very dark, as
of a patient and faithful soldier and servant of Christ.'^ If his shortcomings were those of
his own age, —
and in an age of virulent strife and of denial of all mercy to opponents
his memory rises as a comparative monument of moderation, —
his graces were the graces
of all the ages.' Were it customary, or even possible, in our own church and time to
maintain the ancient custom of reciting before the Holy Table the names approved as
of good men and true in the past history of the Holy Society, in the long catalogue of the
faithful departed for whom worshippers bless the name of their common Lord, a place
must indubitably be kept for Theodoretus, bishop of Cyrus.
1 Ecc. Hist. xiv. 54. ^ xviii. 3 Diet. Christ.
427. Biog:. iv. 91S.
* Marc. 466. Cciller x. 5 Cod.
25. xxiv., p. 527.
'^
La
vie saintc et edifiaiite que Tliiodoret mena des sa premiere jetuiesse ; les travaux apostoliques dont il honora son
episcopal; son zele pour la conversion des ennemis dc Peglise ; les persecutions quWl souffrait pour lenom deyHsus Christ ; son
antour pour la solitude, potir la j>auvrcte et pour les pauvres ; Vesprit de charite qiCil a fait paraitre dans toutes les occa
X- 25. 7 cf. Schrockh xviii. 356.

^4 THEODORET.
MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS OF SEPARATE WORKS.
The editions of the Ecclesiastical History are the most numerous, though of several
others there are many. Of the collected works the following are the principal.
(i) Editio princeps, of Paulus Manutius, Latin Version only. Rome I55^*
(ii) J. Birckman, fol. 2 voll. Latin only Cologne 1573.
(iii) J. Sirmond, 4 voll. fol. Greek and Latin, Paris 1643.
To this the Auctarium of J. Gamier, with his dissertations was added in 1684.
(iv) John Lewis Schulze, Greek and Latin, based upon the preceding, in 5 voll.
Halle, 1774.
(v) Migne's edition of the foregoing. Paris i860.
(The last-named is the Edition used for the translation in this work.)
The MS8. authority for the works of Theodoret is strong. The afore-named editions
are based on MSS. in the libraries of Augsburg, Florence, Rome and Naj^les.
To works on Theodoret mentioned in the notes may be added :
—
S. Kiipper, Ausgew. Schriften des sel. Theodoret aus dem Urtext iibers.
E. Binder, Etudes sur Theodoret. Geneva, 1844.
Specht, Theodor von Mopsuestia, und Theodoret von Cyrus. Munich, 1S71.
THE ANATHEMAS OF CYRIL. 25
THE ANATHEMAS OF CYRIL IN OPPOSITION TO NESTORIUS.
(Mansi T. IV. p, 1067-1082, Migne Cat. 76, col. 391. The anathemas of Nestorius against Cyril are to be
found in Hardouin i. 1297.")
I. If any one refuses to confess that the Emmanuel is in truth God, and therefore that
the holy Virgin is Mother of God (Oeo-oKng), for she gave birth after a fleshly manner to the
Word of God made flesh let him be anathema. ;
II. If any one refuses to confess that the Word of God the Father is united in
hypos-
tasis to flesh, and is one Christ with His own flesh, the same being at once both God and
man, let him be anathema.
If any one in the case of the one Christ divides the hypostases after the union,
III.
conjoining them by the conjunction alone which is according to dignity, independence, or

prerogative, and not rather by the concurrence which is according to natural union, let
him be anatliema.
IV. If any one divides between two persons or hypostases the expressions used in the
writings of evangelists and apostles, whether spoken by the saints of Christ or by Him
about Himself, and applies the one as to a man considered properly apart from the Word
of God, and the others as appropriate to the divine and the Word ot God the Father alone,
let him be anathema.
V. If any one dares to maintain that the Christ is man bearing God, and not rather
that He is God in truth, and one Son, and by nature, according as the Word was made flesh,
and shared blood and flesh in like manner with ourselves, let him be
anathema.
VL any one dares to maintain that the Word of God the Father was God or Lord
If
of the Christ, and does not rather confess that the same was at once both God and man,
the Word being made flesh according to the Scriptures, let him be anathema.
VII. If any one says that Jesus was energized as man by God the Word, and that
He was invested with the glory of the only begotten as being another beside Him, let him
be anathema.
VIII. If any one dares to maintain that the ascended man ought to be worshipped to-
gether with the divine Word, and be glorified with Him, and with "Him be called God as
one with another (in that the continual use of the preposition " with in composition makes
this sense compulsory), and does not rather in one act of worship honour the Emmanuel
and pi'aise Him in one doxology, in that He is the Word made flesh, let him be anathema.
IX. If any one says that the one Lord Jesus Christ is glorified by the Spirit, using
the power that works through Him as a foreign power, and receiving from Him the ability
to operate against unclean spirits, and to complete His miracles among men and does not ;
rather say that the Spirit is His own, whereby also He wrought His miracles, let him be
anathema.
X. Holy Scripture states that Christ is High Priest and Apostle of our confession,^ and
offered Himself on our behalf for a sweet-smelling savour to God and our Father.' If,
then, any one says that He, the Word of God, was not made our High Priest and Apostle
when He was made flesh and man after our manner; but as being another, other than Him-
self, properly man made of a woman or if any one says that He offered the offering on
;
His own behalf, and not rather on our behalf alone for He that knew no sin would not ;
have needed an offering, let him be anathema.

XL If any one confesses not that the Lord's flesh is giver of life,^ and proper to the
Word of God Himself, but (states) that it is of another than Him, united indeed to Him in
dignity, yet as only possessing a divine indwelling; and not rather, as we said, giver
of
life, because it is proper to the Word of Him who hath might to engender
all things alive,
let him be anathema.

XII. any one confesses not that the Word of God suffered in flesh, and was cruci-
If
fied in flesh, and tasted death in flesh, and was made firstborn of the dead, in so far as He
is life and giver of life, as God let him be anathema.;
1 Heb. iii. i, R. V, » cf.

Eph. v. 2. »
ûoiroioi'. cf. to Kvpi.ov to ^wottoiov of the Creed of Constantinople.
26 THEODORET.
COUNTER-STATEMENTS OF THEODORET.
(Opp. Ed, Schulze. V. i.

seq. Migne, Lat. 76. col. 391.)
Against J.
— But we who
follow the words of the cvancêlists state that God the
all
Word was not made flesh l)y nature, nor yet was changed into flesh for the Divine is im- ;
mutable and invariable. Wherefore also the prophet David says, " Thou ai't the same, and
thy years shall not fail."
^
And this the great Paul, the herald of the truth, in his Epistle to
the Hebrews, states to have been spoken of the Son.^ And in another place God says
" I am the Lord: I
through the Prophet, change not."^ If then the Divine is immutable
and invariable, it is incapable of change or alteration. And if the immutable cannot be
changed, then God the Woi'dwas not made flesh by mutation, but took flesh and tabernacled
in us, according to the word of the evangelist. This the divine Paul expresses clearly in his
" Let this mind be in
Epistle to the Philippians in the vvôrds, you which was also in Christ
Jesus who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal
: with God but :
made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant." * Now it is plain
from these words that the form of God was not changed into the form of a servant, but,
remaining what it was, took the form of the servant. So God the Word was not made flesh,
but assumed living and reasonable flesh. He Himself is not naturally conceived of the Vir-
gin, fashioned, formed, and deriving beginning of existence from her He who is before the ;
ages, God, and with God, being with the Father and with the Father both known and wor-
shipped but He fashioned for Himself a temple in the Virgin's wômb, and was with that
;
which was formed and begotten. Wherefore also we style that holy Virgin OcnroKnc, not
because she gave birth in natural manner to God, but to man united to the God that had
fashioned Him. Moi cover if He that was fashioned in the Virgin's womb was not man but
God the Word Who is before the ages, then God the Word is a creature of the Holy
Ghost. For that which was conceived in her, says Gabriel, is of the Holy Ghost.* But if
the only begotten Word of God is uncreate and of one substance and co-eternal with the
Father it is no longer a formation or creation of the Spirit. And if the Holy Ghost did not
fashion God the Word in the Virgin's womb, it follows that we understand the form of the
servant to have been fashioned, formed, conceived, and generated. Bjt since the form was
not stripped of the form of God, but was a Temple containing God the Word dwelling in it,
according to the words of Paul
•'
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness
dwell" " bodily," ^ we call the Virgin not mother of man (arflpw-oroAof) but mother of
God (dsoTUKog), applying the former title to the fashioning and conception, but the latter to
the union. For this cause the child who was born is called Emmanuel, neither God sepa-
rated from human nature nor man stripped of Godhead. For Ennnanuel is interpreted to
mean " God with us", according to the words of the Gospels and the expression " God ;
with us" at once manifests Him Who for our sakes was assumed out of us, and proclaims
God the Word Who assumed. Therefore the child is called Emmanuel on account of God
Who assumed, and the Virgin Ocotuko^ on account of the union of the form of God with
the conceived form of a servant. For God the Word was not changed into flesh, but the
form of Gotl took the form of a servant.
Against II.
—
We, in obedience to the divine teaching of the apostles, confess one
Christ and, on account of the union, we name the same both God and man.
;
But we are
'
wholly ignorant of the union according to hypostasis as being strange and foreign to the
divine Scriptures and the Fathers who have interpreted them. And if the author of these
statements means by the union according to hypostasis that there was a mixture of flesh
and Godhead, we shall oppose his statement with all our might, and shall confute his blas-
phemy, for the mixture is of necessity followed by confusion and the admission of confusion ;
destroys the individuality of each nature. Things that are undergoing mixture do not re-
main what they were, and to assert this in the case of God the Word and of the seed of
Matt. » cf. n. p. 72,
>Ps. ci.2S. 3Mal.iii.6. .
23.
»Heb. i. 13. « Phil, ii.s, 6,7, « Coloss. i. 19, and ii. 9.
COUNTER-STATEMENTS OF THEODORET. 27
David would be most absurd. We must obey the Lord when He exhibits the two natures
and says to the Jews, " Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
^
But if
there had been mixture then God had not remained God, neitlier was the temple recog-
nised as a temple then the temple was God and God was temple.
;
This is involved in
the theory of the mixture. And it was quite superfluous for the Lord to say to the Jews,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." He ought to have said,
Destroy me and in three days I shall be raised, if there had really been any mixture and
confusion. As it is, He exhibits the temple imdergoing destruction and God raising it up.
Therefore the union according to hypostasis, which in my opinion they put before us in-
stead of mixture, is superfluous. It is quite sufficient to mention the union, which both
exhibits the properties of the natures and teaches us to worship the one Christ.
Against III.
—
The sense of the terms used is misty and obscure. Who needs to be
told that there is no diflerence between conjunction and concurrence ? The concurrence is
a concurrence of the separated parts and the conjunction is a conjunction of the distin-
;
guished parts. The very clever authoi of the phrases has laid down things that agree as
though they disagreed. It is wrong, he says, to conjoin the hypostases by conjunction they ;
ought to be conjoined by concurrence, and that a natural concurrence. Possibly he states

this not knowing what he says if he knows, he blasphemes.
;
Nature has a compulsory
force and is involuntary as for instance, if I say we are naturally hungry, we do not feel
;
iiunger of free-will but of necessity; and assuredly paupers would have left ofT begging if
the power of ceasing to be hungry had lain in their own will we are naturally thirsty we ; ;
naturally sleep we naturally breathe

;
and all these actions, I repeat, belong to the category
;
of the involuntary, and he who is no longer capable of them necessarily ceases to exist. If
then the concurrence in union of the form of God and the form of a servant was natural,
then God the Word was united to the form of the servant under the compulsion of neces-
sity, and not because
He put in force His loving kindness, and the Lawgiver of the Uni-
verse will be found to be a follower of the laws of necessity. Not thus have we been
taught by the blessed Paul on the contrary, we have been taught that He took the form of
;
a servant and " emptied Himself;"* and the expression "emptied Himself" indicates the
voluntary act. If then He was united by purpose and will to the nature assumed from
us, the addition of the term natural is superfluous. It suffices to confess the union, and an
union is understood of things distinguished, for if there were no division an union could
never be apprehended. The apprehension then of the union implies previous apprehen-
sion of the division. How then can he say that the hypostases or natures ought not to be
divided.'' He knows all the while that the hypostasis of God the Word was perfect before
the ages and that the form of the servant which was assumed by It was perfect and this
; ;
is the reason why he said hypostases and not hypostasis. If therefore either nature is
per-
fect, and both came together, it is obvious that after tlie form of God had taken the form of
a servant, piety compels us to confess one son and Christ while to speak of the united hypos-
;
tases or natures as two, so far from being absurd, follows the necessity of the case. For if
in the case of the one man we divide the natures, and call the mortal nature body, but the
immortal nature soul, and both man, much more consonant is it with right reason to re-
cognise the properties alike of the God who took and of the man who was taken. We find
the blessed Paul dividing the one man into two where he says in one passage, " Though
^
our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed," and in another *' For I delight
in the law of God after the inward man,"
*
And again " that Christ may dwell in the inner
man,"* Now if the apostle divides the natural conjunction of the synchronous natui'es, with
what reason can the man who describes tlie mixture to us by means of other terms indite
us as impious when we divide the properties of the natures of the everlasting God and of
the man assumed at the end of days }
Against IV.
— These statements, too, are akin to the preceding. On the assumption
that there has been a mixture, he means that there is a distinction of terms as used both in
the holy Gospels and in the apostolic writings. And he uses this language while glorify-
ing himself that he is at war at once with Arius and Eunomius and the rest of the
heresiarchs. Let then this exact professor of theology tells us how he would confute the
blasphemy of the heretics, while applying to God the Woi-d what is uttered humbly and
appropriately by the form of the servant. They indeed while thus doing lay down that
the Son of God is inferior, a creature, made, and a servant. To whom then are we, hold-
ijohnii.ig.
s n. Cor. iv. 16. jjphes, lii. 17, Greek as in A.V, " in your hearts."
* Phil, ii. 7,
* Rom. vii, 33.
2S THEODORET.
ing as we do the opposite opinion to theirs, and confessing tlie Son to lie of one substance
and co-eternal with God the Father, Creator of the Universe, Maker, Beautifier, Ruler, and
Governor, All-vvise, Almighty, or rather Himself, Power, Life and Wisdom, to refer the
"
words "My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me; or " Father if it he possible let
'
" * " " ^

this cup pass from me or Father save me
;
from this hour or "• That hour no man ;
" *
knoweth, not even the Son of Man and all the other passages spoken and written in
;
lowliness by Him and by the holy apostles about Him ? To whom shall we apply the
weariness and the sleep ? To w'hom the ignorance and the fear? Who was it who stood
in need of angelic succour ? If these belong to God the Word, how was wisdom ignorant?
How could it be called wisdom when affected by the sense of ignorance ? How could He
speak the truth in saying that He had all that the Father hath,* when not having the knowl-
edge of the Father ? For He says, "The Father alone knoweth that day."" How could He
be the unchanged image of Him that begat Him if He has not all that the Begetter hath?
If then He speaks the truth when saying that He is ignorant, any one might suppose this of
Him. But if He knoweth the day, but says that He is ignorant with the wish to hide it,
you see in what a blasphemy the conclusion issues. For the truth lies and could not
properly be called truth if it has any quality opposed to truth. But if the truth does not lie,
neither is God the Word ignorant of the day which He Himself made, and which He Him-
self fixed, wherein He purposes to judge the world, but has the knowledge of the Father as
being unchanged image. Not then to God the Word does the ignorance belong, but to the
form of the servant who at that time knew as much as the indwelling Godhead revealed.
The same position may be maintained about other similar cases. How for instance could
it be reasonable for God the Word to to the " Father if it be let this
Father,
say possible
cup pass from me, nevertheless not as but as Thou wilt" ?' The absurdities which
I will
necessarily thence follow are not a few. First it follows that the Father and the Son are
not of the same mind, and that the Father wishes one thing and the Son another, for He
" Nevertheless not as I will but as Thou wilt."
said, Secondly we shall have to contemplate
great ignorance in the Son, for He will be fovmd ignorant whether the cup can or cannot
pass from Him but to say this of God the Word is utter impiety and blasphemy. For
;
exactly did He know the end of the mystery of the occonomy Who for this very reason
came among us. Who of His own accord took our nature. Who emptied Himself. For
this cause too He foretold to the Holy Apostles, " Behold we go up to Jerusalem; and
the Son of Man shall be betrayed . . into the hands of the Gentiles to mock and to
.
scourge and to crucify Him, and the third day He shall rise again." How then can He **
Who foretold these things, and, when Peter deprecated their coming to pass, rebuked him,
Himself deprecate their coming to pass, when He clearly knows all that is to be.'' Is it not
alxsurd that Abraham many generations ago should ha\e seen His day and have been glad,^
and that Isaiah in like manner, and Jeremiah, and Daniel, and Zcchariah, and all the fellow-
ship of the prophets, should have foretold His saving passion, and He Himself be ignorant,
and beg release from and deprecate it, though it was destined to come to pass for the salvation
of the world ? Therefore these words are not the words of God the Word, but of the form
of the servant, afraid of death because death was not yet destroyed.^ Surely God the Word
permitted the utterance of these expressions allowing I'oom for fear, that the nature of
Him that had to be born may be plain, and to prevent our supposing the Son of Abra-
ham and David to be an unreality or appearance. The crew of the impious heretics
has given birth to this blasphemy through entertaining these sentiments. shall there- We
fore apply what is divinely spoken and acted to God the Word on the other hand what is;
said and done in humility we shall connect with the form of a servant, lest we be tanited
with the blasphemy of Arius and Eunomius.
Against V. — We
assert that God the Word shared like ourselves in flesh and blood,
and in immortal soul, on account of the union relating to them l)ut that God the Word was
;
made flesh by any change we not only refuse to say, but accuse of impiety those who do,
and it may be seen that this is contrary to the very terms laid down. For if the Word was
'
Matt, xxvii. 48. 2 Matt. xxvi.
jg. 3johnxii.27.
* Matt. xxiv. 36 and Mk. xiii. 22. There is no niamiscript authority for the variation Son " of Man."
? Matt. xxvi. » Mutt. xx. "
"John XVI. 15. Matt. xxiv. 36.
I'
39. iS, 19. John viii. 26.
'" For the
view that the cup deprecated by the Saviour was death there is no direct Scri|)tural authority, and to adopt the
exegesis of Thcodoret and of many others woidd be to phicc the divine humanity of the Messiali on a lower level than that not
merely of many a martyr and patriot but of many men unconscious of martyr's or patriot's hisj;h callinsr, who have nevertheless
faced death and pain with calm and cheerful fnriitude. The bitterness of the cup which the Saviour prayed might if possi.ble
pass from Him seems rather to have lain 111 tlie culmination of the sin of the race and nation with which His love for men had
identified llim ;the greed, the treacherv, the meanness, the cruelty, the disloyalty, shewn by the Sons of Israel to the Son ol
David, by the sons of men to Uie Son of Man.
changed into flesh He did not share with us in flesh and blood but if He shared in flesh :
and blood He shared as being another besides them and if the flesh is anything other be-
:
sides Him, then He was not changed into flesh. While therefore we use the term sharing'
we worship both Him that took antl that wliich was taken as one Son. But we reckon the
distinction of the natures. We do not object to the term man bearing God, as employed bv
many of the holy Fathers, one of whom is the great Basil, who uses this term in his argu-
ment to Amphilochius about the Holy Ghost, and in his interpretation of the fifty-ninth
psalm. But we call Him man bearing God, not because He received some particular di\inc
all the Godhead of the Son united. For thus says the blessed Paul
grace, but as possessing
" Beware lest any man
in his interpretation, spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the rudime!i!:s of the world, and not after Christ. For in
Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."^
Against VI. —
The blessed Paul calls that which was assumed by God the Word
" form of a servant," ^ but since the assumption was prior to the union, and the blessed Paul
was discoursing about the assumption when he called the nature which was assumed "form
of a servant," after the making of the union the name of
" servitude " has no
longer place.
For seeing that the Apostle when writing to them that believed in Him said, " So thou
art not a servant but a son
" ^
and the Lord said to His disciples, " Henceforth I will not
call you servants but friends ;" much more the first fruits of our nature, through whom
"^
even we were guerdoned with the boon of adoption, would be released from the title of
servant. Wetherefore confess even " the form of the servant" to be God on account of
the form of God imited to it and we bow to the authority of the prophet when he calls
;
the babe also Emmanuel, and the child which was born,
"
Angel of great counsel, won-"
derful Counsellor, mighty God, powerful, Prince of peace, and Father of the age to come."
Yet the same prophet, even after the union, when proclaiming the nature of that which was
" servant" in the words " Thou art
assumed, calls him who is of the seed of Abraham my
servant OIsrael and in thee will I be glorified ;" and again, " Thus says the Lord that
'
formed me from the womb to be his servant

" ®
and a little further on,
;
" Lo I have given
thee for a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my sal-
vation unto the end of the earth."
^
But what was formed from the womb was not God
the Word but the form of the servant. For God the Word was not made flesh by being
but He assumed flesh with a rational soul.
changed,
Against VII.
—
If the nature of man is mortal, and God the Word is life and giver of
life, and raised up the temple which had been destroyed by the Jews, and carried it into
heaven, how is not the form of the servant glorified through the form of God.'' For if
being originally and by nature mortal it was made immortal thi'ough its union with God
the Word, it therefore received what it had not and after receiving what it had not, and
;
being glorified, it is glorified by Him who gave. Wherefore also the Apostle exclaims,
According to the working of His mighty power which he wi"ought in Christ when He
"
raised Him from the dead."^**
Against VIII.
—
As I have often said, the doxology which we offer to the Lord Christ
is one, and we confess the same to be at once God and man, as the method of the union
has taught us but we shall not shrink from speaking of the properties of the natures. For
;
God the Word did not undergo change into flesh, nor yet again did the man lose what he
was and undergo transmutation into the nature of God. Therefore we worship the Lord
Christ, while we maintain the properties of either nature.
Against IX.
—
Here he has plainly had the hardihood to anathematize not only those
who at the present time hold pious opinions, but also those who were in former days
heralds of truth aye even the writers of the divine gospels, the band of the holy Apostles,
;
and, in addition to these, Gabriel the archangel. For he indeed it was who first, even
before the conception, announced the birth of the Christ according to the flesh saying in ;
" How shall this

reply to Mary v^dien she asked, be, seeing I know not a man.?" "The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee " ;
therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the vSon of God."
And to Joseph he said, " Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is con-
ceived in her is of the Floly Ghost."
^^
And the Evangelist says, "When as his mother >>
she was found with child of the Holy Ghost
1
Mary was espousedto Joseph . . .
2 Coloss. ii. S. s Phil. ii. 7. < Gal. iv. 7.

Kou-wvia, in the sense of participation.
I 9.
' ^ Isaiah xlix.
«
John XV. 15. Isaiah vii. 14 and ix. 6. Ixx. Alex.
'' Isaiah xlix. 3. 5.
9 Isaiah xiix. 6 " covenant of the people " being- imported from Ixii, 6. '"
Ephes. 1, ig, 20.
1^ Luke 1. 34, 35.
"Matt. i. 20. i3Matt. i.iS.
30 THEODORET.
And the Lord Himself when He liad come into the synagogue of the Jews and had taken
tlic prophet Isaiah, after reading the passage in which he says, " The spirit of the Lord is
"
upon me because He hath anointed me and so on, added, " This day is this scripture ful-
filled in your ears."^ And the blessed Peter in his sermon to the Jews said, "God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost." ^ And Isaiah many ages before had pre-
dicted, "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow
out of his roots; and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of
" ^
the Lord ;
and again, " Behold my servant whom I uphold, my beloved in whom my soul
(Iclighteth. I will put my spirit upon him he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles."*
;
This testimony the Evangelist too has inserted in his own writings. And the Lord Him-
self in the Gospels says to the Jews, " If I with the spirit of God cast out devils, no doubt
the kingdom of God is come upon you." And John says, " He that sent me to baptize with
"
water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and re-
maining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."
"
So this exact
examiner of the divine decrees has not only anathematized prophets, apostles, and even the
archangel Gabriel, but has sutTered his blasphemy to reach even the Saviour of the world
Himself. For we have shewn that the Lord Himself after reading the passage " The
" This
spirit of the Lord is upon me because He hath anointed me," said to the Jews, day
is this
scripture fulfilled in your cars." And to those who said that He was casting out
devils b}' Beelzebub He replied that He was casting them out by the Spirit of God. But
we maintain that it was not God the Word, of one substance and co-eternal with the
Father, that was formed by the Holy Ghost and anointed, but the human nature which
was assumed by Him
at the end of days. We
shall confess that the S]3irit of the Son
was His own if he spoke of it as of the same nature and proceeding from the Father, and
shall accept the expression as consistent with true piety. But if he speaks of the Spirit as
being of the Son, or as having its origin through the Son we shall reject this statement as
blasphemous and impious. For we believe the Lord when He says, "The spirit which
proceedeth from the Father
" '
and likewise the very divine Paul saying, " VVe have re-
;
ceived not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God." ^
Against X.
—
The unchangeable nature was not changed into nature of flesh, but
assumed human nature and set it over the common high priests, as the blessed Paul teaches
in the words, " For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things
pertaining to God, that he may ofler both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have
compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself also ;
is
encompassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people so also
for himself." ^ And a little further on interpreting this he says, " As was Aaron so also was
the Christ." '" Then pointing out the infirmity of the assumed nature he says, " W'ho in the
days of His flesh, when He had ofl'ered up prayers and su2:)plication with strong crying and
tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard for His
godly fear,
though He was a son yet learned obedience by the things that He suftered : and having been
made perfect He became unto all that obey Him the author of eternal salvation; named of
God a high priest of the order of Melchisedec." ^^ Who then is He who was perfected by
toils of virtue and who was not
perfect by nature? Who is He who learnt obedience by
experience, and before his experience was ignorant of it? Who is it that lived with godly
fear and oflered supplication with strong crying and tears, not able to save Himself but appeal-
ing to Him that is able to save Him and asking for release from death ? Not God the Word,
the impassible, tlie immortal, the incorporeal, whose memory is joy and release from
" For he has
wiped away tears from olV all faces," and again the prophet says,
^'-
tears,
" I remembered God and was " Who
glad,"'* Who crowneth them that live in godly fear,
knoweth all things before they be," " "Who hath all things tliat the Father hath " " Who ;
^^ "
is the
unchangeable image of the Father," Who shcwcth the Father in himself." ^^ It is
on the contrary that which was assumed by Him of the seed of David, mortal, passible,
and afraid of death; although this itself afterwards destroyed the power of death through
union with the God who had assumed it;'*' which walked through all righteousness and
said to John, " Suiler it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." '*
1 I.uke iv. 77, 21. 8

John i.
33.
n Hebrews v. 7, 10. '"Col. i. 15.
«Actsx.3S. 'lolnx. 5, 26. 1= Is:ii:ih xxv. S.
i7Johnxiv.7.
' Isaiali xi. 1,2. »lCnr. ii. 12. 1^ I'siilms
77, 3, Ixx. wileb.ii.14.
* Isaiah xlii. I. » Hebrews v.
1-3.
" 1 list. Susaiiii : 42. l» Matt. iii. 15.
* Matt. xii. 28. "" Hebrews V.
4 iind xvi. 15.
>•'•
5. John
This took the name of the priesthood of Melchisedcc, for it

put on infirmity of nature;
—
not the Ahnighty God the Word. Wherefore also, a little before, the blessed Paul said,
" We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities, but
was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin." It was the nature taken from
'
us for our sakes which experienced our feelings without sin, not He that on account of our
salvation assumed it. And in the beginning of this part of his subject he teaches us in
the words " Consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Jesus, who was faithful
to Him that appointed Him as also Moses was foithful in all His house." ^ But no one
holding the right faith would call the unmade the uncreate, God the \\'ord coeternal with
the Father, a creature but on the contrary. Him of David's seed Who being free from all sin
;
was made our high priest and victim, after Himself oflering Himself on our behalf to God
having in Himself the Word, God of God, united to Himself and inseparably conjoined.
Against XI.
—
In my opinion he appears to give heed to the truth, in order that,
by
concealing his unsound views by it, he may not be detected in asserting tlie same dogmas as
the heretics. But nothing is stronger than truth, which by its own rays luicovers the dark-
ness of falsehood. B\- the aid of its illumination we shall make his heterodox belief plain.
In the first place he has nowhere made mention of intelligent flesh, nor confessed that the
assumed man was perfect, but every where in accoixlance with the teaching of Apollinarius
bespeaks of flesh. Secondly, after introducing the conception of the mixture under other
terms, he brings it into his arguments for there he clearly states the flesh of the Lord to
;
be soulless. For, he says, if any one states that the flesh of the Lord is not proper flesh of
the very Word who is of God the Father, but that it is of another beside Him, let him be
anathema. Hence it is plain that he does not confess God the Word to have assumed a
soul, but only flesh, and that He Himself stands to the flesh in place of soul.
^
on the We
contrary assert that the flesh of the Lord having in it life was life-giving and reasonable,
on account of the life-giving Godhead united to it. And he himself unwillingly confesses
the diflerence between the two natures, speaking of flesh, and " God the Word and call-
"
" His own flesh." Therefoi-e God the Word was not changed into nature of flesh,
ing it
but has His own flesh, the assumed nature, and has made it life-giving by the union.
Against XII.
—
Passion is proper to the passible the impassible is above passions.
;
It was then the form of the servant that suffered, the form of God of course dwelling with
it, and permitting it to suffer on account of the salvation brought forth of the sufferings,
and making the sufferings its own on account of the union. Therefore it was not the
Christ" who suffered, but the man assumed of us by God. Wherefore also the blessed
Isaiah exclaims In his prophecy,
" A
man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." ^ And
the Lord Christ Himself said to the Jews, seek ye to kill me, a man that hath told
"Why
" ®
you the truth ? But what is threatened with death is not the very life, but he that hath
a mortal nature. And giving this lesson in another place the Lord said to the Jews,
" '
Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Therefore what was de-
stroyed was the (temple descended) from David, and, after its destruction, it was raised
up by the only begotten Word of God, impassibly begotten of the Father before the ages.
iHeb. iv. 15. 2Heb. iii. 1-2. 3
eMil/vYOf.
*For " the Christ" we might expect here "the Word," for that the Christ suffered is the plain statement of Scripture
d. Pet. ii. 2i). But Theodoret uses the name Christ of the eternal word, e.g;. de Providentia x. 66i. " When you hear
Christ mentioned, understand the only begotten Son the Word, begotten of His Father before the ages, clad in human nature."
sis.liii.3. ejohn vii. 19. d. viii.40. 'John 11. 9.
32 PEDIGREES.
DYNASTY OF CONSTANTINE.
1
Crispus. Claudius Quintillus.
procd. Imp. 270.
IGothicus.
Imp. 268.
Eutropius = Claudia. Galeria Valeria Eutropia = * Maximianus Hercultus.*
I/iip. with Diocletian, 286.
Helena (i)=CbNSTANTlus l.^(n) Theodora Flavia.

Imp. 303.
I
Minervina (i)
= Constantine I.=(ii) *F austa.* Maxentius
assumed Umpire 306.
>\.!^
*
Crispus.* Constantia = Licinius. *Constantine.* *Dalmatius.* *Constantius* =
I
Hannibalianus. Basilina.
*Licinius.*
r
*Dalmatius Caesar.* '
*A Son.* Callus.
\ I
Constantine II. Constantius II. Constans. Flavia Maxima= Constantia=*Hannibalianus.* Helena= Julian
Imp. 33T. Imp. 33'/. Imp. 33^. Gratian. Imp. 36M
* Put to death.
DYNASTIES OF VALENTINIAN AND THEODOSIUS.
(i) Severa = Valentinianus I. = (ii) Justina. Valens.

Imp. 364. Imp. 364.
r r
Gratianus. Valentinianus II usta. Grata. Galla (ii)
= Theodosius I. = (i) Flaccilla.
Imp. 37S' Imp. or.
I/np. 37S- 37g. .
I 1
Constantius III. (ii)

= Galla Placilia
I
Arcadius = Eudoxia. IIonorius.

I?fip. 421, = (i) Atauljilms. Imp. or. 3g3. Imp. occ.3gs.
I 1 \ 1
Eudocia = Theodosius II. Flaccilla. Arcadia. Pulcheria =

Imp. 408. Imp. 414.
Marcianus.
Valentinianus III. -- Eudo.\ia. imp. 450.
Lnp. 42S'
THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF
THEODORET.
BOOK I.
Licinius, the surge which those destroyers, like

hurricanes, had roused was hushed to sleep
PROLOGUE. the whirlwinds were checked, and the Church
;
henceforward began to enjoy a settled calm.

Design of the History. This was established for her by Constantine,
Whenartists paint on panels and on walls a prince deserving of all praise, whose
calling,
the events of ancient like that of the divine Apostle, was not of
history, they alike delight
the eye, and keep bright for
many a year the men, nor by man, but from heaven. He en-
memory of the past. Historians substitute acted laws prohibiting sacrifices to idols, and
books for panels, bright description for pig- commanding churches
^
to be erected. He
ments, and thus render the memory of past appointed Christians to be governors of the
events both stronger and more permanent, for provinces, ordering honour to be shown to the
the painter's art is ruined by time. For this priests, and threatening with death those
reason I too shall attempt to record in writing who dared to insult them. By some the
events in ecclesiastical history hitherto omitted, clmrches which had been destroyed were re-
built ; others erected new ones still more
deeming it indeed not right to look on without
an effort while oblivion robs noble deeds and spacious and magnificent.
'^
Hence, for us, all

useful stories of their due fame. For this cause was joy and gladness, while our enemies were
too I have been frequently urged by friends to overwhelmed with gloom and despair. The
undertake this work. But when I compare my temples of the idols were closed but frequent ;
own powers with the magnitude of the under- assemblies were held, and festivals celebrated,
taking, I shrink from attempting it. in the churches. But the devil, full of all
Trusting,
however, in the bounty of the Giver of all envy and wickedness, the destroyer of man-
good, I enter upon a task beyond my own kind, unable to bear the sight of the Church
strength. sailing on with favourable winds, stirred up
Eusebius of Palestine ^ has written a history plans of evil counsel, eager to sink the vessel
of the Church from the time of the holy steered by the Creator and Lord of the Uni-
Apostles
to the reign of Constantine, the prince beloved verse. When he began to perceive that the
of God. I shall begin my from the error of the Greeks had been made manifest,
history
that the various tricks of the demons had
period at which his terminates 3.
been detected, and that the greater number
CHAPTER I. of men worshipped the Creator, instead of
adoring, as heretofore, the creature, he did
Origin of the Ariafi Heresy.
not dare to declare open war against our God
After the overthrow of the wicked and and Saviour; but having found some who,
impious tyrants, Maxentius, Maximinus, and though dignified with the name of Christians,
I aukaia,
Cf. 2 Cor. xi. 8. I
€/CK\7)(ria. of the word in i Cor. xi. 18 indicates a
The use
"
Ct. Basil de Spir. Sanct., 29. "o 7raXai(rTti/o9 " means "of transition stage between "Assembly" and "Building." The
" " soon
Caesarea," his see, to distinguish him from his namesake, Bishop brethren met in
assembly they met in a church. Cf. Aug.
:
of Nicomedia. Ep. 190, 5. 19: "lit nomhie ecclesUe, id est popiili qui cont'metur,
3 The event mentioned by Eusebius
last is the defeat of Licinius, significeiniis iocuiii qui contiiiet." Chrysost. Horn. xxix.
in Acta :
who was put to death a.d. 324. oi jrpdyorot Tas e/cKATjerias wKoh6î\<Ta.v .
VOL. III. ]
34 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [I.I.
were yet slaves to ambition and vainglory, he for he heard the law of God loudly declaring,
" and
made them fit execution
instruments for the If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out^ casi
of his designs, and by their means drew others it from theeT.''
back into "their old error, not indeed by the

former method of setting up the worship of the
creature, but by bringing it about that the
CHAPTER II.
Creator and Maker of all should be reduced to List of the principal Bishops.
a level with the creature. I shall now proceed
to relate where and by what means he sowed Of church of Rome at this period
the
these tares. Silvester ^
held the reins. His predecessor in
Alexandria
is an immense and populous the see was Miltiades ^, the successor of that
city,charged with the leadership not only of Marcellinus3 who had so nobly distinguished
Egypt, but also of the adjacent countries, the himself during the persecution.
Thebaid and Libya. After Peter^, the victorious In Antioch, after the death of Tyrannust.
champion of the faith, had, during the sway of when peace began to be restored to the
the aforesaid impious tyrants, obtained the churches, Vitaliss received the chief authority,
" "
crown of martyrdom, the Church in Alexandria and restored the church in the Palaea ^ which
was ruled for a short time by Achillas 3. He was had been destroyed by the tyrants. He was
succeeded by Alexander *, who proved him- succeeded by Philogonius?, who completed all
self a noble defender of the doctrines of the that was wanting in the work of restoration :
gospel. At that time, Arius, who had been he had, during the time of Licinius, signalised
enrolled in the list of the presbytery, and himself by his zeal for religion.
entrusted with the exposition of the Holy Scrip- After the administration of Hermon^, the
prey to the assaults of jealousy, when government of the church in Jerusalem was
tures, fell a
he saw that the helm of the high priesihood committed to Macarius 9, a man whose character
was committed to Alexander. Stung by this was equal to his name, and whose mind was
passion, he sought opportunities for dispute and adorned by every kind of virtue.
contention and, although he perceived that
; At this same period also, Alexander, illus-
Alexander's irreproachable conduct forbade his trious for his apostohcal gifts, governed the
bringing any charges against him, envy would church of Constantinople '°.
not allow him to rest. In him the enemy of It was at this time that Alexander, bishop of
the truth found an instrument whereby to Alexandria, perceiving that Arius, enslaved
stir and agitate the angry waters of the by the lust of power, was assembling those who
Church, and persuaded him to oppose the had been taken captive by his blasphemous doc-
apostolical doctrine of Alexander. While the trines, and was holding private meetings, com-
Patriarch, in obedience to the Holy Scriptures, municated an account of his heresy by letter to
taught that the Son is of equal dignity with the rulers of the jDrincipal churches. That the
the Father, and of the same substance with authenticity of my history may not be suspected,
God who begat Him, Arius, in direct opposi- I shall now insert in my narrative the letter
tion to the truth, affirmed that the Son of God whicli he wrote to his namesake, containing, as
is merely a creature or created being, adding it does, a clear account of all the facts I have
the famous dictum, " There once was a time mentioned. I shall also subjoin the letter of
when He was not s ; " with other opinions which Arius, together with the other letters which are
may be learned from his own writings. He necessary to the completeness of this narra-
taught these false doctrines perseveringly, not tive, that they may at once testify to the truth
only in the church, but also in general meet- of my work, and make the course of events
ings and assemblies ; and he even went from more clear.
house to house, endeavouring to make men The following letter was written by Alexander
the slaves of his error. Alexander, who was of Alexandria, to the bishop of the same name
strongly attached to the doctrines of the as himself
Apostles, at first tried by exhortations and
counsels to convince him of his error; but
when he saw him inlaying the madman ^ and 7 iav . . .
(TKoi'SaAifj),
St. Matt. v. 29 and xviii. 9 ; et . .
(7Kav6aAifet, cf. Mark ix. 43.

making public dcclai alien of his impiety, he '
Up. of Rome, from Jan. 31, A.l). 314, to Dec. 31, A.D. 335.
2 Otherwise Melchiadcs.
July 2, a.d. 310, to Jan. 10, A.D. 314.
deposed him from the order of the presbytery. 3 Jan. 30, A.D. 296, to Oct. 25, A.D.
304. Accused of apostasy,
under Diocletian.
of Andoch during the persecution of
4_Bisliop Diocletian, KaO'
hv fiKiiaatv 1/ tuiv eKK\rj<Tiit>v noKtopKia. Eus. H.E. vii. 3a.
' Succeeded Thconas as Archbishop of Alexandria, a.d. 300. 5 2ist Bp. of Antioch, a.d. 312 — a.d. 318.
Beheaded by order ol' Maximhius, a.d. 311. Eu.seb. vii. 32. 6 The ancient
part of the city of Antioch.
3 Patriarch of —
Alexandria, A.D. 311 312. Promoted Arius to the 7 A.l). 319—323. 8 A.D.
302—311.
priesthood. Soz._ 15. i. 4 Patriarch, a.d. 312—326. 9 Macarius = Blessed, a.d. 311— ? 334. Vide Chapters iv. and
5 ^v TTOTe ore ovK fiv.
6
Kopvfia.vTi.S)V7a.. xvii. «o —
Circa ? A.D. 313 or 317 340.
I. 3-] OF THEODORET. 35
in US they officiously practise. They daily ex-

CHAPTER HI. cite persecutions and seditions against us.
On the one hand they bring accusations
The Epistle of Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria,
against us before the courts, suboruing as
to Alexander, Bishop of Constantinople.
witnesses certain unprincipled women whom
" To his most revered and likeminded
they have seduced into error. On the other
brother Alexander, Alexander sendeth greeting they dishonour Christianity by permitting
in the Lord. their young women to ramble about the
"
Impelled by avarice and ambition, evil- streets. Nay, they have had the audacity to
minded persons have ever plotted against the rend the seamless garment of Christ, which the
wellbeing of the most important dioceses. soldiers dared not divide.
"
Under various pretexts, they attack the religion When these actions, in keeping with their
of the Church and, being maddened by the
; course of life, and the impious enterprise
devil, who works them, they start aside from which had been long concealed, became
in
all piety according to their own pleasure, and tardily known to us, we
unanimously ejected
trample under foot the fear of the judgment of them from the Church which worships the
God. Suffering as I do from them myself, I divinity of Christ. They then ran hither
''deem it necessary to inform your piety, that you and thither to form cabals against us, even
may be on your guard against them, lest they or addressing themselves to our fellow-ministers,
any of their party should presume to enter your who were of one mind with us, under the pre-
diocese (for these cheats are skilful in de- tence of seeking peace and unity with them,
ception), or should circulate false and specious but in truth endeavouring by means of fair
letters, calculated to delude one who has devoted words, to sweep some among them away into
himself to the simple and undefiled faith. their own disease. They ask them to write
"
Arius and Achillas have lately formed a wordy letter, and then read the contents to
a conspiracy, and, emulating the ambition of those whom they have deceived, in order that
Colluthus, have gone far beyond him ^ He they may not retract, but be confirmed in their
indeed sought to find a pretext for his own impiety, by finding that bishops agree with and
pernicious line of action in the charges he support their views. They make no acknow-
brought against them. But they, beholding his ledgment of the evil doctrines and practices
making a trade of Christ for lucre ^, refused to for which they have been expelled by us, but
remain any longer in subjection to the Church ; they either impart them without comment, or
but built for themselves caves, like robbers, carry on the deception by fallacies and
and now constantly assemble in them, and forgeries. Thus concealing their destructive
day and night ply slanders there against doctrine by persuasive and meanly truckling
Christ and against us. They revile every godly language, they catch the unwary, and lose
apostolical doctrine, and in Jewish fashion no opportunity of calumniating our religion.
have organized a gang to fight against Christ, Hence it arises that several have been led to
denying His divinity, and declaring Him to be and to receive them into com-
sign their letter,
on a level with other men. They pick out every munion, a proceeding on the part of our fellow-
V passage which refers to the dispensation of ministers which I consider highly reprehensible;
salvation, and to His humiliation for our sake ; for they thus not only disobey the apostolical
they endeavour to collect from them their own rule, but even help to inflame their diabolical
impious assertion, while they evade all those action against Christ. It is on this account,
which declare His eternal divinity, and the beloved brethren, that without delay I have
unceasing 3 glory which He possesses with stirred myself up to inform you of the unbelief
"
the Father. They maintain the ungodly of certain persons who say that There was a
doctrine entertained by the Greeks and the when the Son of God was not-*;" and
time
"
Jews concerning Jesus Christ ; and thus, by He who previously had no existence subse-
every means in their power, hunt for their quently came into existence ; and when at some
applause. Everything which outsiders ridicule time He came into existence He became such as
every other man is." God, they say, created
' Alexander's words seem to imply that Colluthus began his
schismatical proceedings in assuming to exercise episcopal func-

all things out of that which was non-existent,
tions before the separation of Arius from the Church, and that and they include in the number of creatures,
one cause of his wrong action was impatience at the mild course at
first adopted by Alexander towards Arius. The Council of Alex- both rational and irrational, even the Son ol
andria held in a.d. 324 under Hosius, decided that he was only God. Consistently with this doctrine they,
a Presbyter.
2
;)(pt(TTeju.7ropia. The word xP"'"''^'i"-'''opo5 is applied in the as a necessary consequence, affirm that He
"Didache " to lazy consumers of alms. Cf. Ps. Ignat_. ad Trail. :
ov xpto-Tiaj/ol aAAd xpicrefiTropot, Ps. Ignat. ad Mag. ix., and Bp.

4 ''Hi' TTore ore ov< yv vibs Toi) 6eov. koX Teyovev v<rTepov
Lightfoot's note.
3 Readings vary between aAeKTOs = indescribable, and oAtjktos n-poTspov p-r] vnapxiav toioCtos yevop.fvo'; ore Kai jrore ye'yocei' oios
= ceaseless. Cf. 'AAijkto), the Fury. Ka.1 TTas ne^vKev ai/Opunroi.
D 2
36 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [1.3.
is by nature and capable liable to change, Him, how is it that He who thus bestowed
both of and thus, by
virtue nnd of vice, existence on all, could at any period have
their hypothesis of his having been created had no existence himself? The Word, the
out of that which was non-existent, they creating power, can in no way be defined as
overthrow the testimony of the Divine Scrip- of the same nature as the things created, if
tures, which declare the immutability of the indeed He was in the beginning, and all things
Word and the Divinity of the Wisdom of were made by Him, and were called by Him
the Word, which Word and Wisdom is Christ. That 7vhich '
out of the non-existent into being.
I
*
We are also able,' say these accursed wretches, is^^' must be of an opposite nature to, and es-
to become like Him, the sons of God ; for it is
*
sentially different from, things created out of the
written,
—
/ have flourished and broui^ht up non-existent. This shows, likewise, that there
children 5.' When the continuation of this text is no separation between the Father and the
is brought before them, which is, 'and they Son, and that the idea of separation cannot
have rebelled mâinst Me^ and it is
objected even be conceived by the mind ; while the
that these words are inconsistent with the fact that the world was created out of the non-
Saviour's nature, which is immutable, they existent involves a later and fresh genesis of
throw aside all reverence, and affirm that God its essential nature '3^ all things having been
foreknew and foresaw that His Son would not endowed with such an origin of existence by
rebel against Him, and that He therefore chose the Father through the Son. John, the most
Him
in preference to all others. They like- pious apostle, perceiving that the word was
* '
wise assert that was not chosen because He applied to the Word of God '4 was far
beyond
He had by nature any thing superior to the and above the intelligence of created beings,
other sons of God for no man, say they, is ;
did not presume to speak of His generation
soil of God by nature, nor has any peculiar or creation, nor yet dared to name the Maker
relation to Him. He was chosen, they allege, and the creature in equivalent syllables. Not
because, though mutable by nature, His pains- Ithat the Son of God is unbegotten, for the
taking character suffered no deterioration. As Father alone is unbegotten ; but that the in-
though, forsooth, even if a Paul and a Peter effable personality of the only-begotten God
made like endeavours, their sonship would in
no respects differ from His. "
TO ov, the self-existent of philosophy.
" '3 The history of the word vTroo-rao-i? is of crucial value in the study
To
establish this insane doctrine they inof the Arian controversy. Its various usages may be classified as
sult the Scriptures, and bring forward what (\) Classical ; iyi) S criptural ; [\\\) Ecclesiastical. The correlative
substantive of the verb ir</)icrTr)ju.i, I make to stand under, [from
is said in the Psalms of Christ,
'
Thou hast VIVO =sub. under, and icrTrj/ai,
Jsta] it means primarily « standing ;
loved righteousness and hated iniquity^ there- under. Hence, materially, it means in (i) Classical Greek, sedi-
anointed thee with the oil ment, prop, foundation substances as opposed to their reflexions,
fore thy God hath
:
nature, substantial
[Theoph. 5.as of timber
4]. C. P. 16. So
of gladness above thy felloivs^' Now that naturally grew the signification of ground of hope, actual existence;
and, in the later philosophy, it had come to be employed instead of
the Son of God was not created out of the ovtria. for the noetic substratum " underlying " the pha;nomena.
non-existent 7, and that there never was a (ii) Scriptural. In the N.T. it is found five times, twice in 2 Cor.
and thrice in Heb. (a) 2 Cor. ix. 4, and O) xi. 17. " Confidence "
time in which He was not, is expressly taught of boasting, (y) Heb. 3, 6 X"-?"-""^? '"'I' vn-ocTTdtretos, A.V. the i.
express image of His "person." R.V., the very image of llis

by John the Evangelist, who speaks of Him "substance." Heb. iii. "
Confidence." Heb. xi. A.V. (5)
14, (e) i,
' " substance" of
as the only begotteji Son which is in the things hoped for. R.V. Assurance of things hoped
for. Ecclesiastical.
(iii) The earlier ecclesiastical use, like the
bosom of the Father^.'' This divine teacher later philosophical, identified it with ovaia, and so the Nicene Con-
desired to show that the Father and the Son fession anathematized those who maintained the Son to be of a
different substance or essence from the Father (iiTrocTTao-co)? ^
are inseparable; and, therefore, he said, 'tliat oiio-ias). In the version of Hilary of Poictiers {de Synodis, § 84 ;
the Son is in the bosom of the Father.' Op. ii. 5io)ovcri'a is translated by "substantia," the etymological
" sub-
equivalent of uTroCTTacris,
" except in the phrase quoted, when
Moreover, the same John affirms that the stantia aut essentia
" essentia." represents
oixTta by its own etymological
equivalent Thus in a.d. 325 to have contended for
Word of God is not classed among things Tpeis uTToa-Totrets would have been heretical. But as the subtilty
of controversy required greater nicety of phrase, it was laid down
created out of the non-existent, for, he says that
(Basil the Great, Ep. 38J that while oucrta is an univeisal denoting
all things were made by Him 9,' and he also
'
that which is common to the individuals of a species, UTrdo-Tao-is
makes an individual that which it is, and constitutes personal exist-
declares His individual personality '^° in the fol ence. Hence /iit'a iiTrdcTTao-is became Sabellian, and rpeis oiia-iai
lowing words
'
/« the beginning was the Word,
: Arian, while rpets iiffoo-Taa-eis was orthodox, cf. Theod. Dial. i. 7.
"
Er.anistes loq. Is there any distinction between ovcria and
and the Word was with God, and the Word iin-otrracrts S
"
was God. All things were made by Him,

. . .
Orthodoxus. "In extra-Christian philosophy there is not; for
ovcria signifies to oc, that which and uTrdcTTaa-is that which sub-
and without Hint was not any thing made that sists.
is^
But according to the doctrine of the Fathers there is the
same difi'erence between ouo-i'a and vnoa-Taari,'! as between the com-
was made^^.^ If, theft, all things were made by mon and the particular the race, and tlie species or individual."
; . .
''
The Divine ouo-t'a (substance) means the Holy Trinity but the ;
iiffdoTao-is indicates any (person) as of the Father, the

7rpda-<U7roi'
5 Isai. i. 2. vioi/s
eyeVfrjcra koX vtl/toira, as in Sept. Vulg., filios Son, or of the Holy Ghost. For we who follow the definitions 01
eniitrivi ct exallavi. Rcvd., marg., '' made great and exalted." the Fathers assert VTrdo-rao-is, irpoo'oiiTOv and iSidrr)! (subst.Tiitinl
6 Ps. .\lv.
7, as in Sept., except that aSiiciai/ is siibîiliiled for natuie. person, or individuality) to mean the same thing." Vide
a.vo\i.i.o.v. 7 Oiire ef oiiK oviutv
ytyti'ijrac. also Newman's ^na«j 0/ i/i^ Foitrth Century, Appendix, Note iv.
8 9 John 1.3. «o UTrooToo-ii'.
John i. i8. fourth Edition.
" John '4 " In the
beginning was the word." John i. i.
i. I, 3,
1.3-] OF THEODORET. 37
is beyond the keenest conception of the evan- They thus contradict the Scripture which de-
and perhaps even of angels. There- clares Him to be the firstborn of every crea
'
gelists
fore, I do not think men ouglit to be con-
ture^^.^ In consonance with this doctrine, Paul
sidered pious who presume to investigate this with his usual mighty voice cries concerning
subject, in disobedience to the injunction, Him ;
'
whom He hath appointed heir of all
'
Seek not what is too difficult for thee, neither- things, by whom also He made the ^vorlds"^^.'
enquire into what For For by Him were all things created that are in
is too high for thee''^.^
'
if the knowledge many other things in- heaven, and that are in earth, visible and in-
of
comparably inferior is beyond the capacity visible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
of the human mind, and cannot therefore be p)-incipalities, or powers : all things were created
Eye by Him and for Him : and He is before all
^
attained, as has been said by Paul,

hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have things'^^' Since the hypothesis implied in the
entered into the heart of man, the things which phrase out of the non-existent is manifestly
' '
God hath preparedfor them that love Him '^,' and impious, it follows that the Father is always
as God also said to Abraham, that the stars Father. And He is Father from the continual
could not be numbered by him '7 ^ and it is presence of the Son, on account of whom He
likewise said,
'
Who shall number the grains of is called ^s Father. And the Son being ever
sand by the sea-shore, or the drops of rain ^^? how present with Him, the Father is ever perfect,
'
then can any one but a madman presume to wanting in no good thing, for He did not beget
enquire into the nature of the Word of God ? His only Son in time, or in any interval of
It isby the Spirit of prophecy,
said Who '
time, nor out of that which had no previous

'
shall declareHis generation '9 1 And, therefore, existence.
our Saviour in His kindness to those men who " Is it
not then impious to say that there
were the pillars of the whole world, desiring to was a time when the wisdom of God was not ?
reheve them of the burden of striving after this Who saith, / was by Him as one brought up
'
knowledge, told them that it was beyond their with Him : I was daily His delight ^^ ? Or that '
natural comprehension, and that the Father once the power of God was not, or His Word,
alone could discern this most divine mystery ; or anything else by which the Son is known,
or the Father designated, defective ? To assert
^
JVo man^ said He, knoweth the Son but the
^
Father, and no man k7ioweth the Father save that the brightness of the Father's glory once
'
the Son^°.' It was, I think, concerning this did not exist,' destroys also the original light of
same subject that the Father said, My secret which it is the brightness^?; and if there ever was
^
is for Me and for Mine 2^' a time in which the image of God was not, it is
" But
the insane folly of imagining that the plain that He Whose image He is, is not always :
Son of God came into being out of that which nay, by the non-existence of the express image
had no being, and that His sending forth took of God's Person, He also is taken away of whom
place in time, is plain from the words which this is ever the express image. Hence it may
'
had no being,' although the foolish are incap- be seen, that the Sonship of our Saviour has not
able of perceiving the folly of their own utter- even anything in common with the sonship ot
ances. For the phrase He was not' must either men. For just as it has been shown that the
'
have reference to time, or to some interval nature of His existence cannot be expressed by ^
'
If then it be true that all things

in the ages.
language, and infinitely surpasses in excellence
were made by Him, it is evident that every age, all things to which He has given being, so His
time, all intervals of time, and that when in Sonship, naturally partaking in His paternal
' '
which was not has its place, were made by Divinity, is unspeakably different from the son-
' '
Him. And is it not absurd to say that there ship of those who, by His appointment, have
was a time when He who created all time, been adopted as sons. He is by nature im-
and ages, and seasons, with which the was mutable, perfect, and all-sufficient, whereas
'
not is confused, was not ? For it would be the men are liable to change, and need His help.
'
height of ignorance, and contrary indeed to all What further advance can be made by the
reason, to affirm that the cause of any created
thing can be posterior to that caused by it. a2 Col. i.
„
during which they say the Son
15.
The interval 23 Heb. i. 2. Vide Alford. proleg. to Ep. to
,
Heb.,
,
Nowhere
,
have existed
was still unbegotten of the Father was, ac- except in the Alexandrian Church does there seem to
any idea that the Epistle was St. Paul's." "At Alexandna
the
cording to their opinion, prior to the wisdom conventional habit ot quoting the Epistle as St. Paul's gradually
and tradition."
of God, by whom all things were created. prevailed over
24 Col.
critical suspicion early
i. 16, 17. J u •
25
xpiJfiaTi'ô)
= (i) to have dealings with ; (ii)
,
to deal with
15 Ecclus. iii. 21. i6 I Cor. ii. an oracle or divine power (iii) to get a name
;
for dealing, and so
g.
'7 Gen. XV. 5. '8 Ecclus. i. 2. to ie called. Cf. Matt. ii. 12 ; Acts xi. 26.
-» isai.
'9 *° Matt. xi. 27.
26 Prov. viii. 30.
Isai. liii.
1111. 8.
o. , , , ,
21 Is. xxiv. 16:

"My leanness, my woe unto me." 27 Heb. i. 3. itv anavyoia-iiaTiii ^6^71^ Koi xiipiiKTyip ti^s jnôo-ja-
leanness,
A.V. '^
Secntum vteum mihi." Vule. creuii aiiToO.
wisdom of God ^^ ? What can the Very Truth, or God, speaking by Isaiah, said,
'
/ have nour-
God the Word, add to itself? How can the ished and brought up children, and they have
Life or the True Light in any way be bettered ? rebelled against Me 3^.'
"
And is it not still more contrary to nature to have many things to say, beloved, but
I
suppose that wisdom can be susceptible of because I fear that I shall cause weariness by
folly ? that the power of God can be united further admonishing teachers who are of one
with weakness ? that reason itself can be dim- mind with myself, I pass them by. You, having
med by unreasonableness, or that darkness can been taught of God, are not ignorant that the
be mixed with the true light ? Does not the teaching at variance with the religion of the
Apostle say,
'
W/ial comiinmion hath light with Church which has just arisen, is the same as
dark7iess ? and what concord hath Christ 7vith that propagated by Ebion39 and Artemas*^,
Belial^^V and Solomon, that the way of a ser- ^
and of Paul of Samosata, bishop
rivals that
of Antioch, who was excommunicated by a
^
pent upon a rock^°' was too woiiderfuP for

the human mind to comprehend, winch rock/ '
council of all the bishops. Lucianus^^ his sue
according to St. Paul, is Christ 3'. Men and cessor, withdrew communion
himself from
angels, however, who are His creatures, have with these bishops during a period of many
received His blessing, enabling them to exer- years.
"
cise themselves in virtue and in obedience And now amongst us there have sprung up,
out of the non-existent men who have greedily
'
to His commands, that thus they may avoid
'
sin. And it is on this account that our Lord, sucked down the dregs of this impiety, offsets
being by nature the Son of the Father, is of the same stock I mean Arius and Achillas,
:
worshipped by all and they who have put off

\
and all their gang of rogues. Three bishops 4^
the spirit of bondage, and by brave deeds and of Syria, appointed no one knows how, by
advance in virtue have received the spirit of consenting to them, fire them to more fatal
adoption through the kindness of Him Who is heat. I refer their sentence to your decision.
the Son of God by nature, by adoption also Retaining in their memory all that they can
become sons. collect concerning the suffering, humiliation,
"His true, peculiar, natural, and special emptying of Himself ^3, and so-called poverty,
Sonship was declared by Paul, who, speaking and everything of which the Saviour for our
of God, says, that He spared 7iot His own
'
sake accepted the acquired name, they bring
Son, but delivered Him up for us 3^,' who are not forward those passages to disprove His eternal
by nature His sons. It was to distinguish existence and divinity, while they forget all
Him from those who are not His own^ that he '
those which declare His glory and nobility and
called Him His own son.'' It is also written in
'
abiding with the Father ; as for instance, 1

'
the Gospel, ' This is beloved Son in whom I

My a7id My Father are one^*.' In these words the
am wellpleased 'i^;' and in the Psalms the Saviour Lord does not proclaim Himself to be the
The Lord said unto Me, Thou art Father, neither does He represent two natures
'
says, My
Son^*.' By proclaiming natural sonship He as one ; but that the essence of the Son of the
shows that there are no other natural sons Father preserves accurately the likeness of the
besides Himself. Father, His nature taking oif the impress of
"
And do not these words, I begot thee ' from likeness to Him in all things, being the exact
the womb before the morning 35^' plainly show image of the Father and the express stamp of
the natural sonship of the paternal birth 36 of the prototype. When, therefore, Philip, de-
One whose lot it is, not from diligence of sirous of seeing the Father, said to
^
Him, Lord,
conduct, or exercise in moral progress, but by shoia us the Father,' the Lord with abundant
individuality of nature ? Hence it ensues that plainness said to him, He that hath seen
'
Me
the filiation of the only-begotten Son of the hath seen the Father '•^^ as though the Father
Father is incapable of fall ; while the adoption
38 Is.i.
of reasonable beings who are not His sons by 39 The
i. 2.
imaginary name for the founder of Ebionism, firststarted

nature, but merely on account of fitness of
by Tertullian. "JI'^SS
= poor.
character, and by the bounty of God, may 40 Artemas, or Aitcmon, a philosophizing denier of Christ's
fall away, as it is written in the wortl, 2he •
divinity, excommunicated by Pope Zephyrinus (.\.D. 202 21). —

sons of God saw the daughters of men, and
41 Lucianus, the presbyter of Antiocli, who became the head
of the tlieological school of that city in which the leaders of the
took them as wives^ and so forth 37, And Arian heresy were trained, after the deposition of Paulus refused
to hold conununion with his three successors in the patriarchate,
Domnus, Tima;us, and Cyril. During the episcopate of the last
28 named he once more entered into communion with the church
Contrast the advance of the manhood. Luke ii. 52, "n-pou-
KOjTTe," the word used
in the text. of Antioch. On the importance of Lucianus as founder of the
^ 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15, 3" I'rov. xxx. 19. 3' i Cor. x. 4. Arians, Vide Newman's Arians of the Fourth Century, Chap. 1
32 Rom. viii. 32. 33 M.-jtt. iii. 17. 34 Ps. ii. 7. Sec. i. and cf. the letter of Arius post. Chap. iv.
35 Ps. ex. 3. Sept. CK yacTTpos Trpo 'Etu<T<ôpou iîvvr\aa. ere. 42 Eusebi\is of Ca;sarea, Theodotus of Laodicea, and Paulinus o(
36 The readings vary between
yei'i/^crcajs, yiveanui, and /xatev- Tyre. See Arius' letter to Eusebius of Nicomedia, ch. iv.
o-eios (cf. Phit. Theact. 150 B), which is adopted by Valesius. 43 KcVu)(7i9, cf. Phil. ii. 7.
37 Gen. vi. 2. 44 John X. 30. 45 John xiv. 9.
1. 3.] OF THEODORET. 39
were beheld in the spotless and living mirror begotten of the self-existent Father, as the
of His, image. The same idea is conveyed in Lord Himself testified when He said, Every ^
the Psalms, where the saints say, 'In Thy light one that lovefh the Father, loveth also the Son
we shall see light ^'^! It is on this account that that is begotten of Him 4^.' -m.
" We
'
he who honoiireth the Son, honoureth the believe, as is taught by the apostolical
Father '^7.'' And rightly, for every impious word Church, in an only unbegotten Father, Who of
which men dare to utter against the Son is His being hath no cause, immutable and
spoken also against the Father. invariable, and Who subsists always in one
"
After this no one can wonder at the false state of being, admitting neither of progres-
calumnies which I am about to detail, my be- sion nor of diminution ; Who gave the law,
loved brethren, propagated by them against and the prophets, and the gospel ; of patriarchs
me, and against our most religious people. and apostles, and of all saints. Lord and in :
They not only set their battle in array against one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son
the divinity of Christ, but ungratefully insult of God, begotten not out of that which is not,
us. Ihey think it beneath them to be but of the Father, Who is ; yet not after the
compared with any of those of old time, nor manner of material bodies, by severance or
do they endure to be put on a par with the emanation, as Sabellius 49 and Valentinus 5°
teachers we have been conversant with from taught; but in an inexpressible and inexplic-
childhood. They will not admit that any able manner, according to the saying which
of our fellow-ministers anywhere possess even we quoted above,
'
Who shall declare His
since no mortal intellect can
'
s^
mediocrity of intelligence. They say that they generation .?
themselves alone are the wise and the poor, comprehend the nature of His Person, as
and discoverers of doctrines, and to them alone the Father Himself cannot be comprehended,
have been revealed those truths which, say because the nature of reasonable beings is
they, have never entered the mind of any other unable to grasp the manner in which He was
individuals under the sun. O what wicked ar- begotten of the Father s^.
O what excessive folly What false " But those who are led
rogance ! !
by the Spirit of truth
boasting, joined with madness and Satanic have no need to learn these things of me, for
pride, has hardened their impious hearts !
the words long since spoken by the Saviour
yet sound in our ears, No one knoweth who the
'
They are not ashamed to oppose the godly

clearness of the ancient scriptures, nor yet Father is but the Son, and no one knoweth who
does the unanimous piety of all our fellow- the Son is but the Father 53.' We
have learnt that
ministers concerning Christ blunt their au- the Son is immutable and unchangeable, all-suffi-
dacity. Even devils will not suffer impiety cient and perfect, like the Father, lacking only
like this for even they refrain from speaking His "unbegotten."
;
He is the exact and pre-
blasphemy against the Son of God. ciselv similar image of His Father. For it is clear
" These
then are the questions I have to raise, that the image fully contains everything by which
according to the ability I possess, with those the greater likeness exists, as the Lord taught us
who from their rude resources throw dust on when He said, My
FatJier is greater than /54.'
'
the Christ, and try to slander our reverence And in accordance with this we believe that
for Him. These inventors of assert the Son always existed of the Father for he is
silly tales ;
that we, who reject their impious and unscrip- the bright7iess of His glory, and the express image
tural blasphemy concerning the creation of of His Father's Person ^^.' But let no one be 1
'
Christ from the non-existent, teach that there led by the word ahvays to imagine that the
'
are two unbegotten Beings. For these ill- Son is unbegotten, as is thought by some
instructed men contend that one of these alter- who have their intellects blinded for to say :
natives must hold either He must be believed that He was, that He has always been, and
;
,
to have come out of the non-existent, or that before all ages, is not to say that He is
|
there are two unbegotten Beings. In their unbegotten.

"
ignorance and want of practice in theology The mind of man could not possibly invent
they do not realize how vast must be the distance a term expressive of what is meant by being
between the Father who is uncreate, and the unbegotten. I believe that you are of this
creatures, whether rational or irrational, which opinion ; and, indeed, I feel confident
in your
He created out of the non-existent and that ; orthodox view that none of these terms in any
the only-begotten nature of Him Who is the
way signify the unbegotten. For all the terms
Word of God, by Whom the Father created the
universe out of the non-existent, standing, as 48 I John V. I.
49 Condemned A.D. 261 by Council held at Alexandria.
it were, in the middle between the two, was 50 Taught in Rome in a.d. 140, and died in Cyprus in
A.D. 160.
S» Isa. liii. 8. S^ ^ naTpinr) Beoyovia. S3 Matt. xi. 27 :
46 Ps. xxxvi. 9. 7 observe the slight variation. 54 John xiv. 28. 55 Heb. i. 3.
John V. 23.
40 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [1-3.
appear to signify merely the extension of time, wearisome to dwell minutely on each article,
and are not adequate to express the divinity since they are well known to your pious
and, as it were, the primgeval being of the only- diligence. things we teach, these
These
begotten Son. They were used by the holy things we preach these are the dogmas of
;
men who earnestly endeavoured to clear up the the apostolic Church, for which we are ready
to die, caring little for those who would force
mystery, and who asked pardon
from tliose
who heard them, with a reasonable excuse for us to forswear them for we will never re-
;
their failure, by saying as far as our com-

'
linquish our hope in them, though they

should
prehension has reached.' But if those who try to compel us by tortures.
allege that what was known in parV

has been '
Arius and Achillas, together with their fel- '^
'
done away s^' for them, expect from human lips low foes, have been expelled from the Church,
anything beyond human powers, it is plain that because they
have become aliens from our
the terms was,' and ever,' and before all ages,' pious doctrine according to the blessed Paul,
' ' '
:
fall far short of this expectation. But whatever who said, ^ If any of you preach any other gospel
the unbe- than that which yon have received, let him be ac-
they may mean, it is not the same as
'
gotten.' Therefore His own individual dignity cursed, even though he should pretend to be an
must be reserved to the Father as theUnbegotten angel from heaven ^, and But if any man teach
'
One, no one being called the cause of His exist- otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even
ence to the Son likewise must be given the the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the
:
honour which befits Him, there being to Him doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud,
a generation from the Father which has no begin- knowing 7iothi?ig^'^^ and so forth. Since, then,
ning ; we must render Him worship, as we have they have been condemned by the brotherhood,
already said, only piously and religiously ascrib- let none of you receive them, nor attend to
ing to Him the was and the ever,' and the what they say or write.
' ' '
They are deceivers,

not however rejecting His di- and propagate lies, and they never adhere to
' '
before all ages ;
vinity, but ascribing to Him a perfect

hkeness the truth. They go about to different cities
in all things to His Father, while at the same with no other intent than to deliver letters
time we ascribe to the Father alone His own under the pretext of friendship and in the name
proper glory of the unbegotten,' even as the of peace, and by hypocrisy and flattery to
'
Saviour Himself says,

'
My
FatJicr is greater obtain other letters in return, in order to
than /S7.' deceive a few
^
silly women who are laden
" And in addition to this
pious belief re- with sins^''.'' I beseech you, beloved brethren,
specting the Father and the Son, we confess, to avoid those who have thus dared to act
as the Sacred Scriptures teach us, one Holy against Christ, who have publicly held up the
Ghost, who moved the saints of the Old Tes- Christian reUgion to ridicule, and have eagerly
tament, and the divine teachers of that which sought to make a display before judicial tri-
is called the New. We believe in one only bunals, who have endeavoured to excite a per-
Catholic Church, the apostolical, which cannot secution against us at a period of the most
be destroyed even though all the world were entire peace, and who have enervated the un-
to take counsel to fight against it, and which
speakable mystery of the generation of Christ.
gains the victory over all the impious attacks Unite unanimously in opposition to them, as
of the heterodox ; for we are emboldened by some of our fellow-ministers have already done,
the words of its Master, Be of good cheer, who, being filled with indignation, wrote to me
'
I have overcome the world ^^.' After this, we against them, and signed our formulary ^3.
receive the doctrine of the resurrection from "
I have sent you these letters by my son
the dead, of which Jesus Christ our Lord be-
Apion, the deacon ; being those of (the min-
came the first-fruits Who bore a Body, in isters in) all Egypt and the Thebaid, also of
;
truth, not in semblance, derived from Mary those of Libya, and the Pentapohs, of Syria,
the mother of God 59 ; in the fulness of time
Lycia, Pamphylia, Asia, Cappadocia, and in
sojourning among the race, for the remis- the other adjoining countries. Whose ex-
sion of sins who was crucified and died, yet ample you likewise, I trust, will follow. Many
:
for all this suffered no diminution of His

kindly attempts have been made by me to
Godhead. He rose from the dead, was taken
gain back those who have been led astray,
into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of but no
remedy has proved more efficacious
the Majesty on high. in restoring the laity who have been deceived
"
In this epistle I have only mentioned these
by them and leading them to repentance, than
things in part, deeming it, as I have said,
60 Gal. i.
6' I Tim. vi. 3, 4. 6a 2 Tim. iii. 6.
9.
S6 I Cor. xiii. lo. 57 John xiv. 28. 63 T6ô9. (i) a cut or slice ; (ii) a portion of a roll, volume,
" tome."
ii'^
John xvi. 33. 59 fK rrii ©eoTOKOu Mapi'as. or
I. 4.] OF THEODORET. 41
the manifestation of the union of our fellow- your brother bishop of Ca;sarea, Theodotus,
ministers. Salute one another, with the bro- Paulinus, Athanasius, Gregorius, Aetius, and all
therhood that is with you. 1 pray that you the bishops of the East, have been condemned
may be strong in the Lord, my beloved, and because they say that God had an existence
that I may receive the fruit of your love to prior to that of His Son
except Philogonius, ;
Christ. Hellanicus, and Macarius, who are unlearned

" The
following are the name of those who men, and who have embraced heretical opi-
have been anathematized as heretics among nions. Some of them say that the Son is an
:
the presbyters, Arius ; among the deacons, eructation, others that He is a production,
Achillas, Euzoius, Aithales, Lucius, Sarmates, others that He is also unbegotten. These
Julius, Menas, another Arius, and Helladius." are impieties to which we cannot listen,
even though the heretics threaten us with
Alexander wrote in the same strain to Philo- a thousand deaths. But we say and believe,
gonius^4, bishop of Antioch, to Eustathius ^s^ and have taught, and do teach, that the Son
who then ruled the church of the Beroeans, and is not unbegotten, nor in any way part of the
to all those who defended the doctrines of the unbegotten; and that He does not derive His
Apostles. But Arius could not endure to keep subsistence from any matter; but that by His
quiet, but wrote to all those whom he believed own will and counsel He has subsisted before
to agree with him in opinion. His letter to time, and before ages, as perfect God, only
Eusebius, bishop of Nicomedia, is a clear begotten and unchangeable, and that before He
proof that the divine Alexander wrote nothing was begotten, or created, or purposed, or esta-
that was false concerning him, I shall here blished. He was not. For He was not unbe-
insert his letter, in order that the names of those gotten. We are persecuted, because we say that
who were implicated in his impiety may be- the Son has a beginning, but that God is without
come generally known. beginning. This is the cause of our persecu-
tion, and likewise, because we say that He is of
CHAPTER IV. the non-existent 3. And this we say, because
He is neither part of God, nor of any es-
The Letter of Anus to Eusebius, Bishop
sential being! For this are we persecuted;
of Nicomedia. the rest you know. I bid thee farewell in
" To his
very dear lord, the man of God, the the Lord, remembering our afflictions, my
faithful and orthodox Eusebius, Arius, un- fellow-Lucianist 5, and true Eusebius^."
justly persecuted by Alexander the Pope ', on
account of that all-conquering truth of which Of those whose names are mentioned in this
you also are a champion, sendeth greeting letter, Eusebius was bishop of Csesarea ?, Theo-
in the Lord.
"
Ammonius, my father, being about to de- 3 ef ovK ovT(av eOTiv.
Arlstotle, Metaph. vi. 3, i, defines
part for Nicomedia, I considered myself bound TO UTTOKei'/iecoj/
4 €^ vTTOKeiîfVou Ttvos.
as that Ka6' ov to. aWa Aeyerat. fiaAiCTTa 6e . . .
to salute you by him, and withal to inform fioKet eti'at ovaia. to vTvoKeiixûov TrpcoTor.
5 Arius and Eusebius had been fellow disciples of Lucianus the
that natural affection which you bear towards Priest of Antioch
martyred under Maximinus in a.d. 311 or 312.
the brethren for the sake of God and His Vide note on page 38.
6 Arius
plays on the name Eusebius, 6V(re/3^s, pious.
Christ, that the bishop greatly wastes and 7 From the phrase,
"o
a.5eXi|>6s o-ou 6 ec Kattrapeia,"
it has been
^ some the two Eusebii were actually brothers.
persecutes us, and leaves no stone unturned
inferred by that
Eusebius of Nicomedia, in the letter of Chapter V., calls the
against us. He has driven us out of the Palestinian Sco-ttott)? but this alone would not be fatal to the
;
brotherhood, for Seneca (EJ> Mor. 104), calls his brother Gallio
city as atheists, because we do not concur in doiniuus. The phrase of Arius is not worth much agauist the
what he publicly preaches, namely, God always, silence of every one else. Vid. Diet. Christ. Biog. Article, Eu-
sebius.
the Son always as the Father so the Son ; the
; Tneodotus, bishop of Laodicea, in Syria, (not the Phrygian
•
Son co-exists unbegotten with God ; He is as Laodicea of the Apocalypse), was a Physician of the body as well
of the soul {Euseb. H.E. vii. 32).
everlasting ; neither by thought nor by any Paulinus, bishop first of Tyre, and then ot Antioch for
six
died in a.d. 329. {PJtiiost. H.E. iii. 15, cf. Bishop Light-
interval does God precede the Son months,
always loot in Diet. Christian Biog. Article, Eusebius of Caesarea).
;
God, always Son ; he is begotten of the unbe- Athanasius, bishop of Anazarbus, an important town of Cilicia
his great name-
Campestris, is accused of dangerous Arianism by
gotten ; the Son is of God Himself. Eusebius, sake. {Atkan. de Syttod, 584).
Gregorius succeeded Eusebius of Nicomedia
at Berytus (Bey
rout), on the translation of the latter to Nicomedia.
*4 Vide supra. Aetius, Bishop of Lydda, (the Lydda of the Acts, on the plain
65 Bp. first of Beroea in Syria and then of Antioch, c. 324—331. of Sharon, now Ludd, the city of El-Khudr, who is identified with
soon the Arian Synod of Antioch, a.d. 330
Beroea, the Helbon" of Ezekiel (xxvii. 18) is now Aleppo or Haleb. St. George), died after
from the arch-
' On the name
Pope," vide Diet. Christ. Ant., s.v. 1st, it was {Phiiosi. H.E. iii. 12), and is to be distinguished
applied to the teachers of converts, andly, to liishops and Abbots, Arian Aetius, Julian's friend, who survived till A.D. 367 (Plnl.
and was, srdly, confined to the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, H.E. ix. 6). , ,., „
like bt.
Jerusalem, Constantinople, and to the Bp. of Rome ; 4thly, it was Philogonius was raised to the episcopate per saltum,
claimed by the Bp. of Rome exclusively. Ambrose (Chrysost. Orat. 71, tom. v. p. 507), he preceded the
2 no.vTO. Kakiav KLvel.
was wdvTa iÛvai kolKuv, to let out every reef.

Med. 278, &c.
w
om mon pro'
Cf. Luc. Scyth. ii. The commoii
Ar.^^^^
proverb
Eur,
Arian Paulinus.
Hellanicus was present at Nicaa, but was driven from the bee ot
Tripolis, in Phoenicia, by the Arians (/4 <Aan.
,
//iV^ /I r. rti^ VI/<>«. § 5)-

42
THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [I-4-
but as having deduced them from

dotus of Laodicea, Paulinus of Tyre, x\tha- gination,
Scripture, whence we learn that the Son
was
nasius of Anazarbus, Gregorius of Berytus, and
Aetius of Lydda. Lydda is now called Dios- created, established, and begotten in the same
Arius himself on having these substance and in the same immutable and
polis. prided
men of one mind with himself He names inexpressible nature as the Maker; and
so
as his adversaries, Philogonius, bishop of An- the Lord says, God created me in the begin-
'
tioch, Hellanicus, of Tripolis, and Macarius, ning of His way ; 1 7uas set up from everlasting;
of Jerusalem. He spread calumnies against before the hills was I brotight forth '.'
" If
been from Him or of Him, as a
He
had
them because they said that the Son is eternal,
honour and or by an emanation of His sub-
portion of Him,
existing before all ages, of equal
of the same substance with the Father. stance, it could not be said that He was created
When Eusebius received the epistle, he too or established and of this you, my lord, are ;
vomited forth his own impiety, and wrote to certainly not ignorant. For that which is of
^ the unbegotten could not be said to have been
Paulinus, chief of the Tyrians, in the follow-
created or founded, either by Him or by
ing words.
another, since it is unbegotten from the begin-
ning. But if the fact of His being called/
CHAPTER V. the begotten gives any ground for the belief
that, having come into being of the
Father's "".
The Letter of Eusehius, Bishop of Nico media, He also has from the Father likeness
substance,
.
to Paulinus, Bishop of Tyre.

of nature, we reply that it is not of Him alone ,
"To my lord Paulinus, Eusebius sendeth that the Scriptures have spoken as begotten,^'
greeting in the Lord. but that they also thus speak of those who
"
The zeal of my lord Eusebius in the are entirely dissimilar to Him by nature. For
cause of the truth, and likewise your silence of men it is said,
'
/ have begotten and brought
concerning it, have not failed to reach our ears. up sons, and they have rebelled against me^;'
Accordingly, if, on the one hand, we rejoiced and in another place, Thou hast forsaken God '
on account of the zeal of my lord Eusebius ; who begat thee^;' and again it is said, ^Who
'
on the other we are grieved at you, because begat the drops of dew
4 This expression does .?
even the silence of such a man appears like not imply that the dew partakes of the nature
a defeat of our cause. Hence, as it behoves of God, but simply that all things were formed
not a wise man to be of a different opinion according to His will. There is, indeed, nothing
from others, and to be silent concerning the which is of His substance, yet every thing
truth, stir up, I exhort you, within yourself which exists has been called into being by His
the spirit of wisdom to write, and at length will. He is God; and all things were made
begin what may beprofitable to yourself and in His likeness, and in the future likeness of
to others, specially if you consent to write His Word, being created of His free will.
in accordance with Scripture, and tread in All things were made by His means by God.
the tracks of its words and will. All things are of God.
" We have never heard two un-
that there are "When )ôu have received my letter, and
begotten beings, nor that one has been divided have revised it according to the knowledge
into two, nor have we learned or believed that and grace given you by God, I beg you will
it has ever
undergone any change of a corporeal write as soon as possible to my lord Alexander.
nature ; but we affirm that the unbegotten is one, I feel confident that if you would write to him,
and one also that which exists in truth by Him, you would succeed in bringing him over to your
yet was not made out of His substance, and opinion. Salute all the brethren in the Lord.
does not at all participate in the nature or May you, my lord, be preserved by the grace
substance of the unbegotten, entirely distinct of God, and be led to pray for us."
in nature and in power, and made after perfect
likeness both of character and power to the It is thus that they wrote to each other,
maker. We believe that the mode .of His in order to furnish one another with weapons
^beginning
not only cannot be expressed by against the truth s. And so when the blas-
'words but even in thought, and is incompre- phemous doctrine had been disseminated in the
Ihensible not only to man, but also to all beings cliurches of Egypt and of the East, disputes and
j
superior to man. These opinions we advance, contentions arose in every city, and in every
not as having derived them from our own ima- village, concerning theological dogmas. The
common people looked on, and became judges
Macarius is praised by Atlianasius {0?ai. I. adv. Arian. p. 291).
On a possible "passage of arms" between him and Eusebius of
Caesaicj at Nica;a, vide Stanley, Eastern Church, Lett, V. Cf. » Prov. viii. 22 — 26 Sept. * Isa. i 2.
tost, cap. xvii. 3 Deut. xxxii. 18. 4 Job xxxviii. aS.
S Arius first published his heresy, a.d. 319.
of what was said on either side, and some

Neo-Caesarea, a fortress situated on the banks
applauded one party, and some the other. of the Euphrates, had suffered from the frantic
These were, indeed, scenes fit for the tragic rage of Licinius. He had been
I
deprived of
/
stage, over which tears might have been shed. the use of both hands by the application of a
For it was not, as in bygone days, when the red-hot iron, by which the nerves which
t
give
church was attacked by strangers and by ene- motion to the muscles had been contracted
mies, but now natives of the same country, and rendered dead. Some had had the right
who dwelt under one roof, and sat down at eye dug out, others had lost the right arm.
one table, fought against each other not with Among these was Paphnutius of In
Egypt.
spears, but with their tongues. And what was short, the Council looked like an assembled
still more
sad, they who thus took up arms army of martyrs. Yet this holy and celebrated
against one another were members of one gathering was not entirely free from the ele-
another, and belonged to one body. ment of opposition for there were some, ;
though so few as easily to be reckoned, of fair

CHAPTER VI. dangerous shallows, who really,
surface, like
though not openly, supported the blasphemy
General Council of Niccsa. of Arius.
Theemperor, who possessed the most pro- When they were all assembled ^, the emperor
found wisdom, having heard of these things, ordered a great hall to be prepared for their ac-
endeavoured, as a first step, to stop up their commodation in the palace, in which a sufficient
fountain-head. He therefore despatched a number of benches and seats were placed ;
messenger renowned for his ready wit to and having thus arranged that they should
Alexandria with letters, in the endeavour to be treated with becoming dignity, he desired
extinguish the dispute, and expecting to re- the bishops to enter in, and discuss the sub-
concile the disputants. But his hopes having jects proposed. The emperor, with a few
been frustrated, he proceeded to summon the attendants, was the last to enter the room ;
celebrated council of Nicsea'; and pledged his remarkable for his lofty stature, and worthy of
word that the bishops and their officials should admiration for personal beauty, and for the still
be furnished with asses, mules, and horses for more marvellous modesty which dwelt on his
their journey at the public expense. When countenance. A low stool was placed for him
all those who were capable of enduring the in the middle of the assembly, upon which,
fatigue of the journey had arrived at Nicsea, however, he did not seat himself until he had
he went thither himself, with both the wish of asked the permission of the bishops. Then
seeing the multitude of bishops, and the all the sacred assembly sat down around him.
yearning desire of maintaining unanimity Then forthwith rose first the great Eustathius,
amongst them. He at once arranged that all bishop of Antioch, who, upon the translation
wants should be liberally supphed. Three
their of Philogonius, already referred to, to a better
hundred and eighteen bishops were assembled. life, had been compelled reluctantly to become
The bishop of Rome'', on account of his very his successor by the unanimous suffrages of
advanced age, was absent, but he sent two the bishops, priests, and of the Christ-
presbyters
3 to the
council, with authority to loving laity. He crowned the emperor's head
agree to what was done. with the flowers of panegyric, and commended
At this period many individualswere richly en- the diligent attention he had manifested in the
dowed with apostolical gifts ; and many, like the regulation of ecclesiastical affairs.
holy apostle, bore in their bodies the marks of The excellent emperor next exhorted the
the Lord Jesus Christ*. James, bishop of An- Bishops to unanimity and concord ; he recalled
tioch, a city of Mygdonia, which is called Nisibis to their remembrance the cruelty of the late
by the Syrians and Assyrians, raised the dead tyrants,and reminded them of the honourable
and restored them to life, and performed many peace which God had, in his reign and by his
other wonders which it would be superfluous means, accorded them. He pointed out how
to mention again in detail in this history, as dreadful it was, aye, very dreadful, that at
I have already given an account of them in my the very time when their enemies were de-
"
work, entitled Philotheus s." Paul, bishop of stroyed, and when no one
dared to oppose
them, they should fall upon one another,
Originally named Antigonea, after its founder; then Nicsea
and make their amused adversaries laugh,
now Isnik.
especially as they were debating about holy
after the Queen of Lysimachus ;
2
Sylvester. 3 Vitus and Vincentius.
4 Cf. Gal. vi. 17. The "stigmata" here meant are the marks
of persecution.
5 i.e. The $iA69eos laropCa, or "Religions History" a work Apologia pro Vita sua, on his own acceptance of the marvellous,
lives of celebrated ascetics, composed before the
containmg the Appendix, p. 57.
For Dr. Newman's explanation ot its 6 On the circumstances and scene of the
Ecclesiastical History. opening of the Council
apparent credulity, Nidit Hist. Sketches, iii. 314, and compare his consult Stanley's Eastern Church, Lecture IV.
44 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [I. 6.
things, concerning which they had the written appearance. This was afterwards shewn by
" For the
teaching of the Holy Spirit. gos- their plotting against those who were fore-
" " the
pels (continued he), apostolical writ- most in zeal for religion, as well as by what
ings, and the oracles of the ancient pro- these latter have written about them. For
phets, clearly teach us what we ought to believeinstance, Eustathius, the famous bisliop of
concerning the divine nature. Antioch, who has been already mentioned,
Let, then, all
contentious disputation be discarded ; and let when explaining the text in the Proverbs,
us seek in the divinely-inspired word the solu- The Lord created me in the beginning of Ifis
*
tion of the questions at issue." These and 7uay, before His ivorks of old ^,' wrote against
them, and refuted their blasphemy.
similar exhortations he, like an affectionate son,
^ "
addressed to the bishops as to fathers, labour- I WILL now proceed to relate how these
ing to bring about their unanimity in the apo- different events occurred. A general council
stolical doctrines. Most members of the
synod, was summoned at Nicaea, and about two
won over by his arguments, established con- hundred and seventy bishops were convened.
cord among themselves, and embraced sound There were, however, so many assembled that
doctrine. There were, however, a few, of whom I cannot state their exact number, neither,
mention has been already made, who opposed indeed, have I taken any great trouble to
these doctrines, and sided with Arius ; and ascertain this point. When they began to in-
amongst them were Menophantus, bishop of quire into the nature of the faith, the formulary
Ephesus, Patrophilus, bishop of Scythopolis, of Eusebius was brought forward, which con-
Theognis, bishop of Nicasa, and Narcissus, tained undisguised evidence of his blasphemy.
bisho]) of Neronias, which is a town of the The reading of it before all occasioned great grief
second Cilicia, and is now called Irenopolis; to the audience, on account of its departure
also Theonas, bishop of Marmarica, and Se- from the iaith, while it inflicted irremediable
cundus, bishop of Ptolemais in Egypt ?. They shame on the writer. After the Eusebian
drew up a formulary of their faith, and pre- gang had been clearly convicted, and the im-
sented it to the council. As soon as it was pious writing had been torn up in the sight of
read it was torn to pieces, and was declared to all, some amongst them by concert, under the
be spurious and false. So great was the uproar pretence of preserving peace, imposed silence
raised against them, and so many were the on all the ablest speakers. The Ariomaniacs,
reproaches cast on them for having betrayed fearing lest they should be ejected from the
religion, that they all, with the exception of Church by so numerous a council of bishops,
Secundus and Theonas, stood up and took the sprang forward to anathematize and condemn
lead in publicly renouncing Arius. This im- the doctrines condemned, and unanimously
pious man, having thus been expelled from the signed the confession of faith. Thus having
Church, a confession of faith which is received retained possession of their episcopal seats
to this day was drawn up by unanimous con- through the most shameful deception, although
sent ; and, as soon as it was signed, the council they ought rather to have been degraded, they
was dissolved. continue, sometimes secretly, and sometimes
openly, to patronize the condemned doctrines,
plotting against the truth by various argu-
CHAPTER VII. ments. Wholly bent upon establishing these
plantations of tares, they shrink from the
Confutation of Arianism deduced from the
scrutiny of the intelligent, avoid the observant,
Writings of Eiistathius and Athanasius. and attack the preachers of godliness. But
The above-named bishops, however, did we do not believe that these atheists can ever
not consent to it in sincerity, but only in thus overcome the Deity. For though they
^ ' '
gird t/tenI selves they shall be broken in pieces,'
7^
Menophantus was one of the disciples of Lucianus {Philos. according to the solemn prophecy of Isaiah 3."
H.E. ii. 14). He accepted the Nicene decision, but \v.-»s excom-
miinicaled by thi; Sardican Kathcrs. Cf. Uook ll. Cliap. 6. These are the words of the great Eustathius.
Patrophilus, bishop of Scythopolis, the Bethshan of Scripture, his fellow combatant, the cham-
was an ardent and persistent Arian. Theodorct mentions liis share Athanasius,
in the deposition ot Eustathius (I. 20).
Theoj;nis was sentenced lo pion of the truth, who succeeded the celebrated
banishment on account of the Arian sympathies he displayed at
Nicica, but escaped by a feigned acceptance.
Alexander in the episcopate, added the follow-
Narcissus of Irenopolis, a town of Cilicia Secunda, took an active in a letter addressed to the Africans.
ing,
part in the Arian movement Athanasius says that he was thrice
:
" The
degraded by diflerent synods, and is the worst of the Euscbiuiis bishops convened in council being
{Aih. Ap. de/us;a, sec. 2S).
Marmarica is not a town, but a district. It lay west of Egypt,
about the modern Harca. Prov. viii. 22, Ixx. eKTto-e fte ap)(^v bSiov aiirov tit
_' Kvpcos ipya
There were two cities in Egypt named Ptolemais, one in Upper avToi.
Egypt below Abydos one a port of the Red Sea.
;
= At according to Valesius, a quotation from the
this point,
After the time of Constautine, Cihcia was divided into three
homily ot Eustathius on the above text fioni Proverbs viii. 22,
districts Cilicia Prima, with Tarsus for chief town
;
Secunda,
; begins. On Eustathius, see notes on Chapters IIL and XX.
wiih Anazarbus Tertia, with Seleuceia.
; 3 Is, viii. 9, Ixx. iav yap ttoAii' i<7-xv<ri)Te ndkiv T]TTT)&ij<rt(r8s ,
I.;.] OF THEODORE!. 45
desirous of refuting the impious assertions and the locust are said to he a great poiver'^^.^ '
invented by the Arians, that the Son was And elsewhere it is written, The God of '
created out of that which was non-existent powers is with us, the God of Jacob is our
•*,
that He is a creature and created being s, that hclper'^T.'' To which may be added that we
there was a period in which He was not^, are God's own not simply, but because the Son
/and that He is mutable by nature, and being all called us brethren '8.' The declaration that '
agreed in propounding the following declara- Christ is the true God

' '
does not distress
tions, which are in accordance with the holy us, for, having come into being, He is true,
"
Scriptures namely, that the Son is by nature
; Such was the corrupt opinion of the Arians ;
only-begotten of God, Word, Power, and sole but on this the bishops, having detected their
Wisdom of the Father ; that He is, as John deceitfulness in this matter, collected from
said, 'the true God 7,' and, as Paul has writ- Scripture those passages which say of Christ
ten, 'the brightness of the glory, and the that He is the glory, the fountain, the stream,
express image of the person of the Father ^,' and the express image of the person ; and
the followers of Eusebius, drawn aside by their they quoted the following words In thy :
'
own vile doctrine, then began to say one to light we shall see light =^9; and likewise, ''I and '
another, Let iis agree, for we are also of God the Father are one'^°.' They then, with still
;
'
There is but one God, by %vhom are all greater clearness, briefly declared that the
things'^;' 'Old things are passed away ; behold, Son is of one substance with the Father;
all things are become new, and all things are of for this, indeed, is the signification of the
God''°.^ They also dwelt particularly upon passages which have been quoted. The com-
what is contained in 'The Shepherd":' 'Be- plaint of the Arians, that these precise words
lieve above all that there is one God, who are not to be found in Scripture, is proved
created and fashioned all things, and making groundless by their own practice, for their own
them to be out of that which is not.' impious assertions are not taken from Scrip-
"But the bishops saw through their evil design ture ; for it is not written that the Son is of the
ind impious artifice, and gave a clearer elucida- non-existent, and that there was a time when
tion of the words of God,' and wrote, that the He was not: and yet they complain of having
'
Son is of the substance of God ; in order that been condemned by expressions which, though
while the creatures, which do not in any way not actually in Scripture, are in accordance
derive their existence of or from themselves, with true religion. They themselves, on the
are said to be of God, the Son alone is said other hand, as though they had found their
to be of the substance of the Father ; this words on a dunghill, uttered things verily
being peculiar to the only-begotten Son, the of earth. The bishops, on the contrary, did
true Word of the Father. This is the reason not find their expressions for themselves ; but,
why the bishops wrote, that He is of the sub- received their testimony from the fathers,
stance of the Father. and wrote accordingly. Indeed, there were
"
But when the Arians, who seemed few bishops of old time, nearly one hundred and
in number, were again interrogated by the thirty years ago, both of the great city of Rome
that and of our own city^', who condemned those
'
Bishops as to whether they admitted

the Son is not a creature, but Power, and who asserted that the Son is a creature, and that
sole Wisdom, and eternal unchangeable" Im- He is not of one substance with the Father.
age of the Father; and that He is very pAisebius, the bishop of Csesarea, was ac
God,' the Eusebians were noticed making quainted with these facts; he, at one time,
signs to one another to shew that these de- favoured the Arian heresy, but he afterwards
clarations were equally applicable to us. For signed the confession of faith of the Council of
it is said, that we are
'
the image and glory Nicaea. He wrote to the people of his diocese,
of God^'i;'' and 'for always we who live'^^:^ maintaining that the word consubstantial'" was '
used by illustrious bishops and learned writers

'
there are, also, they said, many powers ; for it
is written —
Ali the power of God went out as a term for expressing the divinity of the
'
"
of the land of Egypt ^^.^ The canker-worm Father and of the Son ".'
So these men concealed their unsoundness
4 'Ef ovK ovTutv. through fear of the majority, and gave their
5 KTitTiia Kal Troirifia.
' HoTt ore ovk ^v. 7 i Joh.v. 20.
8 Heb. i. 3. Cf. p. 37, note xxvii.
i6
Joel ii. 25, "My great army," A.V.
9 Cor.
T viii. 6. «o 2 Cor. v.
17, 18. 17 "The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our
" Ilerm. Pastor. Vis. v. Mand. i. refuge," Ps. xlvi. 7.
Ps. xxxvi. 9. «>
aTrapaAAaKTOs, cf. James i. 17, Hap' m oiiK evt napaWayij.
'2 IB Heb. ii. 11. '9 Joh. x. 30.
'3 I Cor. .xi. 7. 21 Alexandria. The allusion, according to Valesius, is to
'+ 2 Cor. iv. II. del yap i^ftet! ot ûfTes. The aei of St. Paul Dionysius, Bishop of Rome, 259—269, and to Dionysius, Bishop
qualifies not "ot ^Civre^" but the jrapa6i56/u.e0a which follows, of Alexandria. The Letter of Athanasius to the Africans was
" For we who live are ever So Tpiiav may suit the
being delivered to death." written, according to Baronius, in 369.
" than
IS Exod. xii. 41, The Hosts of the Lord," A.V. e^rjXffe iraa-a chronology better Tpio-Kovra.
q Svvaim Kvpi'ov, Sept.
22 Ath.
Ep. ad Afros 5 and 6.
assent to the decisions of the council, thus which he had propounded, alleging that the
Son of God was out of what was not, that
drawing upon themselves the condemnation
of the prophet, for the God of all cries unto before He was begotten He was not, that
there was a period in which He was not,
people honour Me with
" 'I'his their lips,
them,
but in their hearts they are far from Me ^3." and that He can, according to His own free-
will, be capable either of virtue or of
vice.
Theonas and Secundus, however, did not hke
and were excommunicated
to take this course, The holy council anathematized all these as-
sertions, and even refused so much as to
by common consent as men who esteemed
the
Arian blasphemy above evangelical doctrine. listen to such impious and foolish opinions,
The bishops then returned to the council, and and such blasphemous expressions. The final
drew up twenty laws to regulate the discipline decision concerning him you already know, or
of the Church. will soon hear but we will not mention it now,
;
lest we should appear to trample upon a man

who has already received the recompense due
CHAPTER VIII. to his sins. Such influence has his impiety
obtained as to involve Theonas, bishop of
Facts relating to Meletius the Egyptian, from
Marniarica, and Secundus, bishop of Ptolemais,
whom originated the Meletian schism, which in his ruin, and they have shared his punish-
remains to this day. —
Synodical Epistle re- ment.
specting hiin. "But afterEgypt had, by the grace of God,
AfterMeletius' had been ordained bishop, been delivered from these false and blas-
which was not long before the Arian contro- phemous opinions, and from persons who dared
versy, he was convicted of certain crimes by to raise discord and division among a hitherto
the most holy Peter, bishop of Alexandria, peaceable people, there yet remained the ques-
who also received the crown of martyrdom. tion of the temerity of Meletius, and of those
After being deposed by Peter he did not ordained by him. We now inform you, be-
acquiesce in his deposition, but filled the loved brethren, of the decrees of the council
Thebaid and the adjacent part of Egypt with on this subject. It was decided by the holy
tumult and disturbance, and rebelled against council, that Meletius should be treated witli
the primacy of Alexandria. A letter was written clemency, though, strictly speaking, he was not
by the council to the Church of Alexandria, worthy of even the least concession. He was
stating what had been decreed against his permitted to remain in his own city, but was
revolutionary practices. It was as follows :
— divested of all power, whether of nomination
or of ordination, neither was he to shew him-
self in any province or city for these purposes :
Synodical Epistle. but only to retain the bare name of his office.
"To the Cliurch of Alexandria which, by Those who had received ordination at his hands
the grace of God, is great and holy, and to were to submit to a more religious re-ordina-
the beloved brethren in Egypt, Libya, and tion ; and were to be admitted to communion
Pentapolis, the bishops who have been con- on the terms of retaining their ministry, but
vened to the great and holy council of Nicsea, of ranking in every diocese and church below
send greeting in the Lord. those who had been ordained before them by
" The
great and holy council of Nicaea having Alexander, our much-honoured fellow-minister
been convened by the grace of God, and by Thus they would have no power of choosing or
the most religious emperor, Constantine, who nominating others to the ministry, according to
summoned us from different provinces and their pleasure, or indeed of doing anything with-
cities, we judge it requisite that a letter be outthe consent of the bishops ofthe Catholic and
sent from the whole Holy Synod to inform Apostolic Church, who are under Alexander.
you also what questions have been mooted and But they who, by the grace of God, and in
debated, and what has been decreed and answer to your prayers, have been detected
established. in no schism, and have continued spotless
*'
In the first place, the impious doctrines in the Catholic and Apostolic Church, are to
of Arius were investigated before our most have the power of electing, and of nominating
religious emperor Constantine ;
and his im- men worthy of the clerical office, and are
piety was unanimously anathematized, as permitted to do whatsoever is in accordance
well as the blasphemous language and views with law and the authority of the Church. If
it should happen, that any of those now holding
^3 Isai. xxix. 13.
'
Meleiiiis (MeAe'rios), Bishop of Lycopolis, in Upper Egyp'>
an office in the Church should die, then let
was accused ot apostasy. During the Patriarch Peter's with- those recently admitted be advanced to the
drawal under persecution he intruded into the see of Alexandria.
He was deposed in 306, honours of the deceased, provided only that
k9.] OF THEODORET. 4)r
they appear worthy, and that the people choose

I consider it worth while to insert this epistle
them, and that the election be confirmed and in my work, as it clearly evidences the
piety
ratified by the catholic bishop of Alexandria. of the writer.
The same privilege has been conceded to all
the others. With respect to Meletius, however,
"
CoNSTANTiNus AUGUSTUS to the Churches.
an exception has been made, both on account "
Viewing the common public prosperity en-
of his former insubordination, and of the rash- joyed at this moment, as the result of the great
ness and impetuosity of his disposition ;
for it power of divine grace, I am desirous above all
the least authority were accorded to him, he members of the Catholic
things that the blessed
might abuse it by again exciting confusion. Church should be preserved in one faith, in
These are the chief points which relate to sincere love, and in one form of religion,
Egypt, and to the holy Church of Alexandria. towards Almighty God. But, since no firmer
Whatever other canons were made, or dogmas or more effective measure could be adopted to
decreed, you will hear of them from Alexander, secure this end, than that of submitting every-
our most-honoured fellow-minister and brother, thing relating to our most holy religion to the
who will give you still more accurate informa- examination of all, or most of all, the bishops,
tion, because he himself directed, as well as I convened as many of them as possible, and
participated in, every thing that took place. took my seat among them as one of yourselves ;
"We also give you the good news that, accord- for I would not deny that truth which is the
the most source of my greatest joy, namely, that I am your
ing to your prayers, the celebration of
holy paschal feast was unanimously rectified, so fellow-servant. Every point obtained its due
that our brethren of the East, who did not pre- investigation, until the doctrine pleasing to the
as those all-seeing God, and conducive to unity, was
viously keep the festival at the same time
of Rome, and as yourselves, and, indeed, all have made clear, so that no room should remain for
done from the beginning, will henceforth cele- division or controversy concerning the faith.
" The commemoration of the most sacred
brate it with you. Rejoice, then, in the success
of our undertakings, and in the general peace paschal feast being then debated, it was unani-
and concord, and in the extirpation of every mously decided, that it would be well that it
heresy, and receive with still greater
honour should be everywhere celebrated upon the same
and more fervent love, Alexander, our fellow- day. What can be more fair, or more seemly,
minister and your bishop, who imparted joy to than that that festival by which we have received
us by his presence, and who, at a very ad- the hope of immortality should be carefully
vanced age, has undergone so much fatigue for celebrated by all, on plain grounds, with the
the purpose of restoring peace among you. same order and exactitude? It was, in the first
Pray for us all, that what has been rightly place, declared improper to follow the custom
» decreed may remain steadfast, through our of the Jews in the celebration of this holy
Lord Jesus Christ, being done, as we trust, festival, because, their hands having been
according to the good pleasure of God and the stained with crime, the minds of these
Father in the Holy Ghost, to whom be glory wretched men are necessarily blinded. By re-
for ever and ever. Amen." jecting their custom, we establish and hand
Notwithstanding the endeavours of that down to succeeding ages one which is more
divine assembly of bishops to apply this reasonable, and which has been observed ever
medicine to the Meletian disease, vestiges of since the day of our Lord's sufterings. Let us,
— his infatuation remain even to this day ; for then, have nothing in common with the Jews,
there are in some districts bodies of monks who are our adversaries. For we have received
who refuse to follow sound doctrine, and ob- from our Saviour another way. A better and
serve certain vain points of discipline, agreeing more lawful line of conduct is inculcated by our
with the infatuated views of the Jews and the holy religion. Let us with one accord walk
Samaritans. therein, my much-honoured brethren, studiously
avoiding all contact with that evil way. They
boast that without their instructions we should
CHAPTER IX. be unable to commemorate the festival pro-
perly. This is the highest pitch of absurdity.
The Epistle of the Emperor Constantine, con- For how can
they entertain right views on any
cerning the matters transacted at the Coimcii, who, after having compassed the death
point
addressed to those Bishops who were not
of the Lord, being out of their minds, are guided
j
present. not by sound reason, but by an unrestrained

I
The great emperor also wrote an account passion, wherever their innate madness carries
of the transactions of the council to those them. Hence it follows that they have so far
bishops who were unable to attend. And lost sight of truth, wandering as far as possible
I
from the correct revisal, that they celebrate a being the case, receive with gladness the heavenly
second Passover in the same year. What gift and the plainly divine command ; for all that
motive can we have for following those who is transacted in the holy councils of the bishops
are thus confessedly unsound and in dire is to be referred to the Divine will. Therefore,
error? For we could never tolerate celebra- when you have made known to all our beloved
ting the Passover twice in one year. But, brethren the subject of this epistle, regard
even if all these facts did not exist, your own yourselves bound to accept what has gone
sagacity would prompt you to watch with dili- before,
and to arrange for the regular observance
gence and with prayer, lest your pure minds of this holy day, so that when, according to my
should appear to share in the customs of a long-cherished desire, I shall see you face to
people so utterly depraved. It must also be face, I may be able to celebrate with you this
borne in mind, that upon so important a point holy festival upon one and the same day ; and
as the celebration of a feast of such sanctity, may rejoice with you all in witnessing the
discord is wrong. One day has our Saviour cruelty of the devil destroyed by our efforts,
set apart for a commemoration of our deliver- through Divine grace, while our faith and peace
ance, namely, of His most holy Passion. One and concord flourish throughout the world.
hath He wished His Catholic Church to be, May God preserve you, beloved brethren."
whereof the members, though dispersed through-
out the most various parts of the world, are
yet nourished by one spirit, that is, by the
CHAPTER X.
divine will. Let your pious sagacity reflect
The daily 7vants of the Church supplied by the
how evil and improper it is, that days de-
Emperor, and an account of his other virtues.
voted by some to fasting, should be spent
by others in convivial feasting ; and that after Thus did the emperor write to the absent.
the paschal feast, some are rejoicing in fes- To those who attended the council, three hun-
tivals and relaxations, while others give them- dred and eighteeninnumber.he manifested great
selves up That this kindness, addressing them with much gentleness,
to the appointed fasts.
impropriety should be rectified, and that all and presenting them with gifts. He ordered nu-
these diversities of commemoration should be merous couches to be prepared for their accom-
resolved into one form, is the will of divine modation and entertained them all at one
Providence, as I am convinced you will all banquet. Those who were most worthy he
received at his own table, distributing the
perceive. Therefore, this irregularity must be
corrected, in order that we may no more have
rest at the others. Observing that some
any thing in common with those parricides and among them had had the right eye torn
the murderers of our Lord. An orderly and out, and learning that this mutilation had
excellent form of commemoration is observed been undergone for the sake of religion, he
in all the churches of the western, of the placed his lips upon the wounds, believing that
southern, and of the northern parts of the
he would extract a blessing from the kiss.
world, and by some of the eastern this form After the conclusion of the feast, he again
;
being universally commended, I engaged that presented other gifts to them. He then wrote
to the governors of the provinces, directing
you would be ready to adopt it likewise, and
thus gladly accept the rule that provision-money should be given in
unanimously adopted every
in the city of Rome,
throughout Italy, in all city to virgins and widows, and to those who
Africa, in
were consecrated to the divine service ; and he
Egypt, the Spains, the Gauls, the
Britains, Libya, Greece, in the dioceses of
measured the amount of their annual allowance
Asia, and of Pontus, and in Cilicia, taking into
more by the impulse of his own generosity
your consideration not only that the churches
than by their need. The third part of the
of the places above-mentioned are greater in sum is distributed to this day. Julian im-
[)oint of number, but also that it is most piously withheld the whole. His successor '
conferred the sum which is now dispensed,
pious that all should unanimously agree in
that course which accurate reasoning seems the famine which then prevailed les-
having
to demand, and which has no sened the resources of the state. If the pen-
single point in
common with the perjury of the Jews. sions were formerly triple in amount to what
" they are at present, the generosity of the em-
Briefly to summarize the whole of the pre-
ceding, the judgment of all is, that the holy Pas- peror can by this fact be easily seen.
I do not account it
chal feast should be held on one and the same right to pass over the
day for, in so holy a matter, it is not becoming
; following circumstance in silence. Some quar-
that any difference of custom should relsome individuals wrote accusations against
exist, and
it is better to follow the
opinion which has not
the least association with error and sin. This Jovian.
I. II.] OF THEODORET. 49
certain bishops, and presented their indict- as we have learnt from the Holy Scriptures,
ments to the emperor. This occurring before and, alike as presbyters, and as bishops, were
the estabhshment of concord, he received the wont to believe and teach so we now believe ;
lists, formed them into a packet which he sealed

and thus declare our faith. It is as fol-
with his ring, and ordered them to be kept lows ;
—
"
safely. After the reconciliation had been
'
We believe in one God, Father Al-
effected, he brought out these writings, and mighty, the Maker of all things, visible and
burnt them in their presence, at the same time invisible;
and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the
declaring upon oath that he had not read a Word of God, God of God, Light of Light,
word of them. He said that the crimes of Life of Life, Only-begotten Son, First-born
priests ought not to be made known to the of every creature, begotten of the Father be- •
multitude, lest they should become an occasion fore all worlds ; by all
things were Whom
of offence, and lead them to sin without fear. made; Who for our salvation was incarnate,
It is reported also that he added that if he and lived among men *. He suffered and
were to detect a bishop in the very act of com- rose again the third day, and ascended to the
mitting adultery, he would throw his imperial Father; and He will come again in glory to
robe over the unlawful deed, any should judge the quick and the dead. We also be-
lest
witness the scene, and be thereby injured. lieve in one Holy Ghost.
" We believe in the
being and continual
'
Thus did he admonish all the priests, as well
as confer honours upon them, and then ex- existence of each of these ; that the Father is
horted them to return each to his own flock. in truth the Father the Son in truth the Son ; ;
the Holy Ghost in truth the Holy Ghost as ;
our Lord, when sending out His disciples to

CHAPTER XI.
preach the Gospel, said, Go forth
and teach '
I shall here insert the letter respecting the all nations, baptizing them into the name of
faith, written by Eusebius, bishopof Caesarea, the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
as it describes the effrontery of the Arians, Ghost "^.^ We positively affirm that we hold this
who not only that we have always held it, and that we
despise our fathers, but reject faith,
their own it : contains a convincing proof adhere to it even unto death, condemning
of their madness. They honour all ungodly heresy.
certainly testify, as before God We
the Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ, that
Eusebius, because he adopted their sentiments,
but yet they openly contradict his writings. we have thought thus from the heart, and from
He wrote this epistle to some of the Arians, the soul, ever since we have known ourselves ;
who were accusing him, it seems, of treachery. and we have the means of showing, and, in-
The letter itself explains the writer's object deed, of convincing you, that we have always
during the past thus believed and preached.'
" When this
formulary had been set forth by us,
Epistle of Eusebius, Bishop of Ccesarea, which there was no room to gainsay it but our beloved ;
he wrote from NiccBa when the great Council
emperor himself was the first to testify that it
was assembled. was most orthodox, and that he coincided in
" You
will have probably learnt from other opinion with it ; and he exhorted the others to
sources what was decided respecting the faith sign it, and to receive all the doctrine it con-
of the church at the general council of Nicaea, tained, with the single addition of the one
for the fame of great transactions generally word —
consubstantial.' He explained that this
*
outruns the accurate account of them but lest : term implied no bodily condition or change 3,
rumours not in strict accordance with the truth for that the Son did not derive His existence
should reach you, I think it necessary to send from the Father either by means of division^
or of abscission, since an immaterial, intellectual,
'
to you, first, the formulary of faith originally

proposed by us, and, next, the second, pub- and incorporeal nature could not be subject;
lished with additions made to our terms. The to any bodily condition or changes. These
a divine
following is our formulary, which was read things must be understood as bearing
in the presence of our most pious emperor, and mysterious signification. Thus reasoned
and declared to be couched in right and proper our wisest and most religious emperor. The
language. addition of the word consubstantial has given
occasion for the composition of the following
formulary :
—
77ie Faith put forth by us.
"*As in our first catechetical instruction,

and at the time of our baptism, we
received I
"n-oXtrevcraêvoi'," Cf. Phil, i, 27, and ill. ao, and Acts
xxiii. I.
from the bishops who were before us and * Matt, xxviii.
19. 3 iraflij, irados.
VOL. Ill, ^
'5b
THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [I. II.
substance with the

Father,' investigated, when
The Creed puhlished by the Council.
"
was accepted not in accordance with bodily
We believe in one God, Father Almighty, relations or similarity to mortal beings. For
*
Maker of all things visil)le and invisible. And it was also shown that it does not either imply
in one I>ord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, be- division of substance, nor abscission, nor
modification or change or diminution in
gotten of the Father only-begotten, that is, any
;
of the Father, all of which are alien

of the substance of the God of God, the power
Father,
from the nature of the unbegotten Father.
Light of Very God of very God, It was concluded that the expression bci//g
Light,
'
begotten not made, being of one substance of one substance witJi the Father^ implies that
with the Father: by Whom all things were the Son of God does not resemble, in any
which He has made
made both in heaven and on earth Who for one respect, the creatures
:
;
but that to the Father alone, who begat Him, He

us men, and for our salvation, came down from
,
is in all points perfectly like for He is of the :
heaven, and was incarnate, and was made essence and of the substance 4 of none save of i
man ;
He suffered, and rose again
the third the Father. This interpretation having been
is coming given of the doctrine, it appeared right to us
He ascended into heaven, and
day ;
to judge both quick and dead. And we to assent to it, especially as we were aware
that of the ancients some learned and cele-
believe in the Holy Ghost. The holy Catholic
brated bishops and writers have used the term
and Apostolic Church anathematizes all who 'consubstantial' with respect to the divinit)'
say that there was a time when the Son of God of the Father and of the Son.
" These are the circumstances which I had
was not; that before He was begotten He
to communicate respecting the published formu
was not ; that He was made out of the non-
lary of the f;xith. To it we all agreed, not with
existent ; or that He is of a difterent essence
out investigation, but, after having subjected
and of a different substance * from the Father; the views submitted to us to thorough ex-
and that He is susceptible of variation or amination in the presence of our most beloved
change.' emperor, for the above reasons we all ac-
" When
they had set forth this formulary, we quiesced
in it. We
also allowed that the
did not leave without examination that passage anathema appended by them to their formulary
in which it is said that the Son is of the of faith should be accepted,
because it pro-
substance of the Father, and consubstantial hibits the use of words which are not scrip-
with the Father. Questions and arguments
tural through which almost all the disorder
;
thence arose, and the meaning of the terms and troubles of the Church have arisen. And
since no passage of the inspired Scripture
was exactly tested. Accordingly they were '
led to confess that the word consubstantial uses the terms out of the non-existent,' or
that there was a time when He was not,'
'
signifies that the Son is of the Father, but

not as being a part of the Father. We
nor indeed any of the other phrases of the
deemed it right to receive this opinion ; same class, it did not appear reasonable to
for that is sound doctrine which teaches assert or to teach such things. In this opinion,
that the Son is of the Father, but not therefore, we judged it right to agree, since,
From the love of we had never, at any former period,
part of His substance. indeed,
been accustomed to use such terms s. More-
peace, and lest we should fall from the true
belief, we also accept this view, neither do we
condemnation of the assertion that
over, the
before He was begotten He was not, did not
reject the term consubstantial.' For the same
'
reason we admitted the expression, 'begotten, appear to involve any incongruity, because all
but not made ;' for they alleged that the assent to the fact that He was the Son of God
word 'made' applies generally to all things before He was begotten according to the flesh.
which were created by the Son, to which the And here our emperor, most beloved by God,
Son is in no respect similar ; and lliat con-
sequently He is not a created tiling, like S The genuineness of the following sentence is doubted. It is
the things made by Him, but is of a sub- not found in Socrates ot in Epiphanius. But it is not unreasonably
held by Viilesius that Socrates, who seems to have undertaken to
stance superior to all created objects. The clear the character of Eusebius of all heretical taint, purposely
Holy Scri])tures teach Him to be begotten suppressed tlie passage as inconsistent witli orthodoxy. Soc. i. 8.
Dr. Newman writes of this passage, "It is remarkable as shewing
of the Father, by a mode of generation which his (Conslanline's) utter ignorajice of doctrines which were never
iultndtd for discussion among the unbapti7cd heatlien, or the
is incomprehensible and inexplicable to all seculaiized Chtiitian, that, in spiie of bold avowal of the orthodox
created beings. So also the term 'of one ,
faith ill detail" (i.e. in his letiei to Anus), "yet shortly after he
e.xplained to Eusebius one ot tlie Nicene declarations in a sense
which even Arius would scaicely have allowed, expressed as it is
"
4 vn'oo'Tao'Cut and ovaia.%. almost after the manner of Paukis. Ariaiis," 3rd ed., p. 256.
I.
13.] OF THEODORET, 51
began to reason concerning His divine origin, ment, others he put to the blush he com- ;
and His existence before all ages. He was mended those who had spoken well, and ex-
virtually in the Father without generation ^, cited all to unanimity; until, at length, he
even before He was actually begotten, the reduced them all to oneness of mind and
Father having always been the Father, just as opinion on all the disputed points, so that they
He has always been a King and a Saviour, allagreed to hold the same faith, and to cele-
and, virtually, all things, and has never known brate the festival of Salvation upon the same
any change of being or action, day. What had been decided was committed
" We
have thought it requisite, beloved to writing, and was signed by all the bishops."
brethren, to transmit you an account of these Soon after the author thus continues the
circumstances, in order to show you what ex- narrative
"
:
—
amination and investigation we bestowed on When matters had been thus arranged, the
all the questions which we had to decide; and emperor gave them permission to return to
also to prove how at one time we resisted firmly, their own dioceses. They returned with great
even to the last hour, when doctrines im- joy, and have ever since continued to be of
properly expressed offended us, and, at another the one opinion, agreed upon in the presence
time, we, without contention, accepted the of the emperor, and, though once widely
articles which contained nothing objectionable, separated, now united together, as it were, in
when after a thorough and candid investi- one body. Constantine, rejoicing in the success
gation of their signification, they appeared of his efforts, made known these happy results
perfectly comformable with what had been by letter to those who were at a distance.
He
confessed by us in the formulary of faith which ordered large sums of money to be liberally
we had published." distributed both a.mong the inhabitants of the
country and of the cities, in order that the
CHAPTER XII. twentieth anniversary of lais reign might be
celebrated with public festivities."
ConfutaUoJi of the blasphemies of the Avians of Although the Arians impiously gainsay the
our time^frojn the writings of Eiisebius, Bishop statements of the other
fathers, yet they ought
of Casarea. to believe what has been written by this father,
EusEBius clearly testifies that the aforesaid whom they have been accustomed to admire.
"
term " consubstantial is not a new one, nor
They ought, therefore, to receive his testimony
the invention of the fathers assembled at the to the unanimity with which the confession of
*
council ; but that, from the very first it has faith was
signed by all. But, since they im-
been handed down from father to son. He pugn the opinions of their own leaders, they
states that all those then assembled unanimously ought to become acquainted with the most
received the creed then published ; and he foul and terrible manner of the death of Arius
again bears testimony to the same fact in and with all their powers to flee from the
another work, in which he highly extols the impious doctrine of which he was the parent.
conduct of the great Constantine. He writes As it is likely that the mode of his death is not
as follows 2
:
— known by all, I shall here relate it.
**
The emperor having delivered this discourse
in Latin, it was translated into Greek by an CHAPTER XIII.
interpreter, and then he gave liberty of speech
Some at once Extract from the Letter of Athanasius on the
to the leaders of the council.
Death of Arius ^
began to bring forward complaints against
their neighbours, while others had recourse to After Arius had remained a long time in
recriminations and reproaches. Each party Alexandria, he endeavoured riotously to ob-
had much to urge, and at the beginning the trude himself again into the assemblies of the
debate waxed very violent. The emperor Church, professing to renounce his impiety,
patiently and attentively listened to all that was
and promising to receive the confession of faith
advanced, and gave full attention to what was drawn up by the fathers. But not succeeding
urged by each party in turn. He calmly en- in obtaining the confidence of the divine
^
deavoured to reconcile the conflicting parties ;Alexander, nor of Athanasius, who followed
addressing them mildly in Greek, of which Alexander alike
in the patriarchate and m
language he was not ignorant, in a sweet and
gentle manner. Some he convinced by argu- 1 The letter was written to Serapion, P>ishop of Thmuis, no'
Tmi elEiiidid, in Egypt. St. Anthony left one of his sheepskit
6 Here it has been proposed to read for ayen/i^ra)?, without to Serapion, tlie otiier to Athanasius. Cf. Jer. de Vir. iUust. 99.
2 Aihanasius, chosen alike by the designation of the dying Alc;(
generation, which does not admit of an orthodox uiterpretation,
o€CY6i'i'»JTios, i.e. by
eternal generation. ander, by popular acclamation, and by the election of the Bishop
I aviadev. Cf. St. Luke i. 3. Plat. Pliil. 44 D. &c. of the Province, was, in spite of his reluctance and reiiremer.t
« Euseb. Vit, Constant, lib. iii. c. 13. consecrated, a.d. 326.
$: 2
<2 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [I- 13-
piety, he, helped and encouraged by Eusebius, I know that Thou dost spare her, look upon the
bishop of Nicomedia, betook himself to Con- words of the followers of Eusebius, and give not
stantinople. The intrigues upon which he then over Thy heritage to destruction and to shame.
entered, and their punishment by the righteous Remove Arius, lest if he come into the Church,
Judge are all best narrated by the excellent heresy seem to come in with him, and impiety be
Athanasius, in his letter to Apion3, I shall hereafter deemed piety.' Having thus prayed,
therefore now insert this passage in my work. the bishop left the church deeply anxious, and
He writes :
— then a horrible and extraordinary catastrophe
" I was not at The followers of Eusebius had
Constantinople when he died ensued. :
but Macarius, the presbyter, was there, and from launched out into threats, while the bishop
him I learnt all the circumstances. The em- had recourse to prayer. Arius, emboldened
peror Constantine was induced by Eusebius and by the protection of his party, delivered many
his party to send for Arius. Upon his arrival, trifling and foolish speeches, when he was
the emperor asked him whether he held the suddenly compelled by a call of nature to
faith of the Catholic church. Arius then swore retire, and immediately, as it is written,
that his faith was orthodox, and presented 'falling headlong, he burst astmder in the tnidst^,'
a written summary of his belief; concealing, and gave up the ghost, being deprived at
nowever, the reasons of his ejection from the once both of communion and of life. This,
Church by the bishop Alexander, and making then, was the end of Arius 7. The followers of
a dishonest use of the language of Holy Eusebius were covered with shame, and buried
Scripture. When, therefore, he had declared him whose belief they shared. The blessed
upon oath that he did not hold the errors for Alexander completed the celebration, rejoicing
which he had been expelled from the Church with the Cnurch in piety and orthodoxy, pray-
by Alexander, Constantine dismissed him, saying with all the brethren and greatly glorify-
'
ing, If thy faith is orthodox, thou hast well ing God. This was not because he rejoiced at
sworn ; but if thy faith is impious and yet the death of Arius God forbid for // is — ;
'
thou hast sworn, let God from heaven judge appointed unto all men once to die^ ;' but be-
thee.' When he quitted the emperor, the parti- cause the event plainly transcended any human
zans of Eusebius, with their usual violence, condemnation. For the Lord Himself passing
desired to conduct him into the church but judgment upon the menaces of the followers
;
Alexander, of blessed memory, bishop of Con- of Eusebius, and the prayer of Alexander,
stantinople, refused his permission, alleging condemned the Arian heresy, and shewed that
that the inventor of the heresy ought not to be it was unworthy of being received into the
admitted into communion. Then at last the communion of the Church ; thus manifesting
partizans of Eusebius pronounced the threat: to all that, even if it received the countenance
'As, against your will, we succeeded in prevail and support of the emperor, and of all men,
ing on the emperor to send for Arius, so now, yet by truth itself it stood condemned."
even if you forbid it, shall Arius join in com- These were the first fruits, reaped by Arius,
munion 4 with us in this church to-morrow.' It of those pernicious seeds which he had himself
was on Saturday that they said this. The bishop sown, and formed the prelude to the punish-
Alexander, deeply grieved at what he had ments that awaited him hereafter. His impiety
heard, went into the church and poured forth was condemned by his punishment.
his lamentations, raising his hands in I shall now turn my narrative to the
supplica- piety
tion to God, and throwing himself on his of the emperor. He addressed a letter to all
face on the pavement in the sanctuary s, prayed. the subjects of the Roman empire,
exhorting
Macarius went in with him, prayed with him, them to renounce their former errors, and to
and heard his prayers. He asked one of two embrace the doctrines of our Saviour, and
things.
*
If Arius,' said he, 'is to be joined to trying to guide them to this truth. He stirred
the Church to morrow, let me Thy servant up the bishops in every city to build churches,
depart, and do not destroy the pious with the and encouraged them not only by his letter,
impious. If Thou wilt spare Thy Church, and but also by presenting them with large sums of
money, and defraying all the expenses of build-
ing. This his own letter sets forth, which was
3 The name does not vary in the MSS. of Theodoretus, but after this manner :
—
Schuize would alter it to Serapion on the authority of the MSS. of
Athanasius.
*
o-i)i'axS>jtr«Tai. The word (TVfofts, originally equivalent to
and little used before the Christian era, means some-
(Twayuiyiq,
times the gathering of the congregation, sometimes the Holy « Acts i. i8.
Communion. Vide Suiccr s.v. Here the meaning is determined 7 We are not necessarily impaled on Gibbon's dilemma of
poison
by parallel authority. (Cf. Soc. I. 38.) or miracle. There are curious instances of sudden death undei
5 KpdTtiov. The sacraiium or chancel, called also to ayiof. similar circumstances, e.g. that ol George Valla of Piacenza, at
Cf. Book
y. cap. 17, where Ambrgsius rebukes Theodosius for Venice, circa 1500. Vide Bayle's Diet. s,v,
intering within the tails. 8 Heb. ix. 27.
CHAPTER XIV. CHAPTER XV.

Letter written by the Etnperor Constantine re- The Epistle of Constantine concerning the pre
specting the building of Churches '. paration oj copies of the Holy Scriptures.
" CoNSTANTiNus "
AUGUSTUS, the great and CoNSTANTiNus AUGUSTUS, the great and
the victorious, to Eiisebiiis. the victorious, to Eusebius.
" I am well " In
aware, and am thoroughly con- the city ' which bears our name, a great
vinced, my beloved brother, that as the ser- number of persons have, through the providen-
vants of our Saviour Christ have been suffering tial care of God the Saviour, united themselves
up to the present time from nefarious machina- to the holy Church. As all things there are in
tions and tyrannical persecutions, the fabrics of a state of rapid improvement, we deemed it most
all the churches must have either fallen into that an additional number of churches
important
utter ruin from neglect, or, through apprehen- should be built. Adopt joyfully the mode of
sion of the impending iniquity, have been procedure determined upon by us, which we
reduced below their proper dignity. But now have thought expedient to make known to
that freedom is restored, and that dragon =, your prudence, namely, that you should get
through the providence of God, and by our written, on fine parchment, fifty volumes^,
instrumentality, thrust out from the govern- easily legible and handy for use ; these you
ment of the Empire, I think that the divine must have transcribed by skilled callig rap hers,
power has become known to all, and that accurately acquainted with their art. I aêan,
those who hitherto, from fear or from inof course, copies of the Holy Scriptures, which,
credulity or from depravity, have lived in error, as you know, it is most necessary that the con-
will now, upon becoming accjuainted with gregation of the Church should both have
Him who truly is, be led into the true and use. A letter has been sent from our
and correct manner of life. Exert yourself,
clemency to the catholicus of the diocese, in
3
therefore, diligently in the reparation of the order that he may be careful that everything
churches under your own jurisdiction, and ad- necessary for the undertaking is supplied. The
monish the principal bishops, priests, and duty devolving upon you is to take measures to
deacons of other places to engage zealously in ensure the completion of these manuscripts
the same work; in order that all the churches within a short space of time. When they are
which still exist may be repaired or enlarged, finished, you are authorised by this letter to
and that new ones may be built wherever order two public carriages for the purpose of
they are required. You, and others through transmitting them to us and thus the fair ;
3
your intervention, can apply to magistrates manuscripts will be easily submitted to our
and to provincial governments *, for all inspection. Appoint one of the deacons of
that may be necessary for thij purpose; your church to take charge of this part of the
for they have received written injunctions to business; when he comes to us, he shall re-
render zealous obedience to whatever your ceive proofs of our benevolence. May God
holiness may command. May God preserve preserve you, beloved brother."
you, beloved brother." What has been already said is enough to
shew, nay to clearly prove, how great zeal the
emperor manifested on the matters of religion.
Thus the emperor wrote to the bishops I add his noble acts with regard
\vill, however,
in each province respecting the building of to the For having
Sepulchre of our Saviour.
churches. From his letter to Eusebius of learnt that the idolaters, in their frantic rage,
Palestine, it is easily learnt what measures had heaped earth over the Lord's tomb, eager
he adopted to obtain copies of the Holy thus to all remembrance of His Salva- destroy
Bible 5,
and had a temple to the
built over it
tion,
goddess of unbridled mockery of the
lust, in
» This letter, according to Du Pin, was written a.d. 324 or 325.
ordered the foul
2 Either Maxenlius or Licmius. Virgin's birth, the emperor
3 riyîiovfvui, used in Luke ii. 2, of Quirinus, and iii. i, ol shrine to be demolished, and the soil polluted
Pontius Pilate, but Theodoretus employs it and its correlatives
of both civil and ecclesiastical authorities. with abominable sacrifices to be carried away
4 cTTopxiKi) Tofi5 eVapxia occurs Acts xxiii. 34, of Cilicia, and
;
in XXV. I, of Judaea, the province of the Procurator Fesius, but in 1 was dedicated a.d. 330 ou the site of the
Constantinople
the time of Con-tantme the eVopxoi were civil pra;fects, without any
ancient Hyzanliuin. _ . .^ ^ i
military command, governmg four great tn-apxiai,
viz. (1) Tlnace,
2 The Codex Sinaiticus has been thought to be ouo
East, (ii) lUyricum, Macedonia, and Greece,
cru)/xaT4a.
Egypt, and the
(iii; Italy and Africa,
and (iv) Gaul, Spain, and Britain. (Zos.
"Comes fisci," or officer managing the revenues of
"^'sTe' the
ii. 33.) On the accurate use of titles in the N.T. vide Bp. Light- the Province. Dioecesis is used
in civil sense by Ciceio, Ep. Fara.
foot in Appendix to Essays on Supeniatuial Religion.
Ammianus (17, 7. 6). mentions
the compliment paid uy
" the holy books "
The Books, par excel- .
8 4 and
5 Ta upa J3i/3.\ia, or, :
a "Diocese
The Book, whence Biblia Conslantius U. to his empress Eusebia, by naming
lence, weie about this time becoming after her.
of the Empire
Sacra as a singular.
and thrown out far from the city, and a new functions of the most illustrious prefect of
temple of great size and beauty to be erected the province, with the superintendence of the
on the site. All this is clearly set forth in the work of the erection and decoration of the
letter which he wrote to the president * of the walls. He has received our orders to engage
church of Jerusalem, Macarius, whom we workmen and artisans, and to provide all
have already mentioned as a member of the that you may deem requisite for the building.
c^reat Nicene Council, and united wiih his Let us know, by letter, when you have in-
brethren in withstanding the blasphemies of spected the work, wliat columns or marbles
Arius. The following is the letter. you consider would be most ornamental,
in order that wdiatever you may inform us
is necessary for the work
CHAPTER
XVI. may be conveyed
thitlier from all quarters of the world. For
Letter from the Eviberor to Macarius, Bishop of
that which is of all places the most wonderful,
Jerusalem, concerning the building of the Holy ought to be decorated in accordance with its
Church. I wish to learn from you whether
dignity.
"
CoNSTANTiNUS, the victorious and the you think that the vaulted roof of the basilica
great, to Macarius. ought to be panelled 2, or to be adorned in some
*'
The grace of our Saviour is so wonderful, other way for if it is to be panelled it may ;
that no words are adequate to express the pre- also be gilt. Your holiness must signify to the
sent marvel. The fact that tlie monument of aforesaid officers, as soon as possible, what
His most holy sufferings should have remained workmen and artificers, and what sums of
concealed beneath the earth, during so long money, are requisite ; and let me know
a course of years, until the time when, on promptly not only about the marbles and
the death of the common enemy of all, it columns, but also about the panelled ceiling,
was destined to shine forth on His liberated if you decide that this will be the most
servants, surpasses every other subject of beautiful mode of construction. May God
admiration. If all the wise men through- preserve you, beloved brother 3."
out the world were collected into one place,
and were to endeavour to express themselves
worthily of it, they could not approach within XVII. CHAPTER
an infinite distance of it; for this miracle is
as much beyond all human power of belief, Helena'^,
Mother of the Emperor Coustantine. —
as heavenly things by their nature are mightier
Her zeal in the Erection of the Holy Church.
than human. Hence it is my first and only The bearer of these letters was no less illus-
object that, as by new miracles the faith in trious a personage than the mother of the
the truth is daily confirmed, so the minds of emperor, even she who was glorious in her
us all may be more earnestly devoted to the offspring, whose piety was celebrated by all ;
holy law, wisely, zealously, and with one she who brought forth that great luminary and
accord. As my design is, I think, now nurtured him in piety. She did not shrink
generally known, I desire that you, above all, from the fatigue of the journey on account of
should be assured that my most intense anxiety her extreme old age, but undertook it a little
is to decorate with beautiful edifices that before her death, which occurred in her
consecrated spot, which by God's command eightieth year *.
I have relieved from the burden of the foul
idol which encumbered it. For from the begin-
ning He declared it holy, and has rendered it KaKwvapia, fr. Lat. lacunar, (lacuna lacus Jlak) = fretted
2
Cf. Hor. Od. II. xviii. 2.

still more holy from the time that He brought
ceiling.
3 On the tiaditional site of the Holy Sepulchre, and ihe build-
and
to light the proof and memorial of the sufferings on it, vide Stanley's "Sinai and Palestine," pp. 457 "
seqq., and Canon Bright in Diet. Christ. Ant., article Holy
ings of our Lord. Sepulchre."
Flavia Julia Helena, the first wife of Constantius Chlorus,
•
I trust, then, to your sagacity to take every born of obscure " Stabulariam
parents in Bithynia, tA.D. 328.
not that the basilica itself banc primo fuisse adserunt, sic cogiiitam Constantio seniori."
necessary care, only
(Ambr. de obitu Theod. § 42, p. 295 ) The story of her being the
surpass all others but that all its arrangements (laughter ol a British Piince, and born at York or Colchester, is
;
be such that this building may be incomparably part of the belief current since N\ illiam of Malmesbury concerning
Constaniine's British Ougin, which is probably due to two passages
superior to the most beautiful structures in every of uncertaiii ijitcrpretation in the Panegyrici (a) Max. et Const, iv., :
"liberavit illc (L onstantius) Britannias servitute, tu etiani nobiles,

city throughout the world. We have entrusted lUic oriciido, fecisti." (b) Kum. Pan. Const, ix., "O lortunata et
our friend Dracilianus', who discharges the nunc omnibus beatior terris Britannia, quae Constantir.um Csesarera
prima vidisti." But is this said of birth or accession ? Cf. Gibbon,
chap xiv.
Crispus and Fausta were put to death in 326. "If it was
2
4 jrpdeSpo!. Cf. Thuc. iii.23. The n-puTartis in office in tlie not in order to seek expiation for her son's crimes, and consolation
Athenian tKK\i\<j\.a. were so called. In our .lUlhur a common syno- for lurown sorrows, tliat Helen made her famous journey to the
nym for Ijisiiop. TTooeiipia
=^ sedes = see. Holy Land, it was immediately consequent upon them." Stanleyi
» Vide note 4 on chap. xiv. Eastern Church, p. an.
I.
i8.] OF THEODORET. S5
When the empress beheld the place It is

unnecessary to describe their beauty and
where the Saviour suffered, she immediately grandeur; for all the pious, if I may so speak,
ordered the idolatrous temple, which had been hasten thither and behold the
magnificence of
there erected 3, to be destroyed, and the very the buildings ^.
earth on which it stood to be removed. This celebrated and admirable empress
per-
When the tomb, which had been so long formed another action wordiy of being remem-
concealed, was discovered, three crosses were bered. She assembled all the women who had
seen buried near the Lord's sepulchre. vowed perpetual virginity, and placing them on
All
held as certain that one of these crosses
it couches, she herself fulfilled the duties of a
was that of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that the
handmaid, serving them with food and hand-
other two were those of the thieves who were ing them cups and pouring out wine, and
crucified with Him. Yet they could not discernbringing a basin and pitcher, and pouring out
to which of the three the Body of the Lord hadwater to wash their hands.
been brought nigh, and which had received the After performing these and other laudable
outpouring of His precious Blood. But the wiseactions, the empress returned to her son, and
and holy Macarius, the president of the city, not long after, she joyfully entered upon the
other and a better life, after having given her
resolved this question in the following manner.
He caused a lady of rank, who had been long son much pious advice and her fervent parting
suffering from disease, to be touched by each blessing. After her death, those honours were
of the crosses, with earnest prayer, and thus rendered to her memory which her stedfast and
discerned the virtue residing in that of the zealous service to God deserved 9.
Saviour. For the instant this cross was
brought near the lady, it expelled the sore CHAPTER XVIII.
disease, and made her whole.
The mother of the emperor, on learning the The unlawful Translation of Eusebius, Bishop
accomplishment of her desire, gave orders that of Kicomcdia.
a portion of the nails should be inserted in the The Arian party did not desist from their
royal helmet, in order that the head of her evil machinations. They had only signed the
son might be preserved from the darts of his confession of faith for the purpose of disguising
enemies'*. The other portion of the nails she themselves in sheeps'-skins, while they were
ordered to be formed into the bridle of his
acting the part of wolves. The holy Alexander,
horse, not only to ensure the safety of the em- of Byzantium, for the city was not yet called
peror, but also to fulfil an ancient prophecy; for Constantinople, who by his prayer had pierced
long before Zechariah, the prophet, had pre- Arius to the heart, had, at the period to which
dicted that " There shall be upon the bridles of the we are referring, been translated to a belter
horses Holiness unto the Lord Almighty s." Ufe. Eusebius, the propagator of impiety, little
She had part of the cross of our Saviour
regarding the definition which, only a short
conveyed to the palace^. The rest was enclosed time previously, he with the other bishops had
in a covering of silver, and committed to the
agreetl upon, without delay quitted Nicomedia
care of the bishop of the city, whom she ex- and seized upon the see of Constantinople, in
horted to preserve it carefully, in order that it direct violation of that canon which prohibits
^
might be transmitted uninjured to posterity?. bishops and presbyters from being translated
She then sent everywhere for workmen and from one city to another. But that those who
for materials, and caused the most spacious
carry their infatuation so far as to deny the
and most magnificent churches to be erected.
divinity of the only-begotten Son of God,
should likewise violate the other laws, cannot
3 i.e. of Venus, said to have been erected by Hadrian to
pollute
a spot hallowed by Christians. excite surprise. Nor was this the first occasion
4 The tradition which identifies the n.nil in Constantine's helmet
with the iron band in the I'amous crown ol' Queen Theodolinda at
Monza dales from the sixteenth century. 8
May 3rd "has been kept since the end of the eighth century in
5 Zech. xiv. 20. ecrraL to ctti iov \o.Kivqv tou Ittitou 'Aytoc Tw honour of the Invention of the Cross," and the Commemoration
" Ellinmas" was retained in the reformed
Kvpca> ToJ Trai'TOKparopi. Ixx. of the ancient Anglican
^ This portion Socrates says(i. 17) was enclosed by Constantine Calendar.
in a statue placed on a column of porphyry in his iorum at Con- 9 Tillemont puts her death in 32S. Eusebius (V. Const, iii. 47),
stantinople. says she was carried eni tv/i/ âcnAtiioucrai/ v6\i.v, by which he
7 Carried away from Jerusalem by Chosroes 11. in 614, it was
generally means Rome, but Socrates (i. 17) writes, tis tjji/ âîAiv-
recovered, says the legend, Heraclius in 628. The ieast of the ovuau viav Pu/ixtji/, i.e. Con.'>tantinople. There is a chapel in her
" Exaltation ot the " by
Cross on Sept. 14th, combines the Commemo- honour in the church of the Ara Ca;li at Rome, but her traditional
ration of the Vision of Constantine, the exaltation ot the relic burial-place is a mile and a liall beyond the Porta Maggi^re, on the
at J erusaleni, and its triumphal entry after its exile under Chosroes. Via Labicaiia, and thence came ilie porphyry sarcophagus called
In later years it was, as is well known, supposed to have a miracu- St. Helena's, whicli was placed by Pius VI. in the Hall of the Greek
lous power of self-multiplication, and such names as St. Cross Cross in the Vatican.
at Winchester, Santa Croce at Florence, and Vera Cruz in I i.e.
Apost. Can. xiv., which forbids translation without an
"
Mexico illustrate its cultus. Paulinus of Nola, at the beginning evKoyo^ airia, or prospect of more spiritual gain in saving souls ;
of the filth ceutury, sending a piece toSulpicius Severus, says that and guards the application of the rule by the proviso that neither
though bits were frequently taken from it, it grew no smaller the b.shop himself, nor the n-apoiKta desiring him, but many bishops,
(£p. xxxi.). shall decide the point.'' Diet. Christ. Ant. i. 226.
56 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [L i8.
that he made having been before all else of proving and dispelling the
this innovation ; for,
originally entrusted with the see of Bcrytus, hemischief which originated from the infatuation
leapt from thence to Nicomedia. Whence he of Arius of Alexandria, and was
straightway
was expelled by the synod, on account of his strengthened by the absurd and pernicious
manifest impiety, as was likewise Theognis, machinations of Eusebius. But, beloved and
bishop of Nicaea. This is related a second much-honoured brethren, you know not how
time in the letters of the emperor Constantine earnestly and how disgracefully Eusebius,
;
and I shall here insert the close of the letter although convicted by the testimony of his
which he wrote to the Nicomedians. own conscience, persevered in the support of
the false doctrines which had been universally
CHAPTER XIX. condemned. He
secretly sent persons to
me petition on his behalf, and person-
to
Epistle of the Emperor Constaniine against
ally intreated my assistance in preventing his
Eusebius a?id Theognis^ addressed to the
Nicomedians. being ejected from his bishopric, altliough his
crimes had been fully detected. God, who,
"Who has taught these doctrines to the I trust, will continue His
goodness you towards
innocent multitude? It is manifestly Eusebius, and towards
me, is witness to the truth of what
the co-operator in the cruelty of the tyrants. I say. I was then myself deluded and de-
For that he was the creature ' of the tyrant has ceived by Eusebius, as you shall well know. In
been clearly shown and, indeed, is proved by everything he acted
;
according to his own desire,
the slaughter of the bishops, and by the fact his mind
being full of every kind of secret evil.
that these victims were true The " the
bishops. Omitting relation of the rest of his mis-
relentless persecution of the Christians pro- deeds, it is well that you should be informed of
claims this fact aloud. the crime which he lately perpetrated in concert
" I shall not here
say anything of the with Theognis, the accomplice of his
folly.
insults directed against me, by which the I had sent orders for the
apprehension of certain
conspiracies of the opposite faction were individuals in Alexandria who had deserted our
mainly carried out. But he went so far as to faith,and by whose means the firebrand of dissen-
send spies to watch me, and scarcely refrained sion was kindled. But these good gentlemen,
from raising troops in aid of the tyrant. Let
forsooth, bishops, whom, by the clemency of the
not any one imagine that I allege what I am
council, I had reserved for penitence, not only
not prepared to prove. I am in possession of received them under their protection, but also
clear evidence; for I have caused the bishops Hence I came
participated in their evil deeds.
and presbyters belonging to his following to be to the determination to punish these
ungrateful
seized. But I pass over all tliese facts. I only men, by apprehending and banishing them to
mention them for the purpose of making these some far-distant region.
persons ashamed of their conduct, and not from " It is now your duty
to look unto God with
any feeling of resentment. that same which it is clear that you
faith
" There
is one thing I fear, one
thing which have ever held, and in which it is fitting
causes me anxiety, and that is to see
you you should abide. So let us have cause of
charged as accomplices ; for you are influenced rejoicing in the appointment of pure, ortho-
the doctrines of Eusebius, and have thus
by dox, and beneficent bishops. If any one should
been led away from the truth. But your cure make mention of those destroyers, or presume
will be speedy, if, after
obtaining a bishojj to speak in their praise, let him know that his
who holds pure and faithful doctrines, you
audacity will be repressed by the authority
will but look unto God. This depends upon which has been committed to me as the servant
you alone; and you would, no doubt, have of God. May God preserve you, beloved
thus acted long ago, had not the aforesaid "
brethren !
Eusebius come here, strongly supported by The above-mentioned bishops were then de-
those then in power, and overturned all disci-
posed and banished. Amphion = was entrusted
pline. with the church of Nicomedia, and Chrestus3
**
As necessary to say something more with that of Nicaea.
it is
But the exiled bishops,
about Eusebius,your patience will remember that
employing their customary artifices, abused the
a council was held in the city of Nicsea, at which, benevolence of the
emperor, renewed the
in obedience to
my conscience, I was i)resent,
being actuated by no other motive than the =
Athanasius, Disp prima Cont. Ar., mentions an Amphion,
desire of producing unanimity
among all, and oriliodox bishop of Kpiphania in Cilicia Secunda. That he is the
same as the Amphion of the text is asserted
by Baronius and
doubted by Tillemont. Diet. Christ. Biog. s.v.
3 In 328, Chrestus and on
» Amphion retired the recantation
77p6o-(fruf, originally a protected "runaway," then protege or of Theognis and Eusebius, whose î/SAi'oi'
tueravoiat, or act of
client.
retractation, is given in Soc. i. xiv.
previous contests, and regained their former woman had again declared upon
oath that
Eustathius was the father of the babe, these
power.
truth loving judges condemned him as an
CHAPTER
XX. adulterer. When the other bishops, who up-
held the apostolical doctrines, being ignorant of
The artful Machinations of Eusebius and his all these
intrigues, openly opposed the sentence,
followers against the Holy Eustathius, Bishop and advised Eustathius not to submit to it, the
of Antioch. originators of the plot promptly repaired to the
Eusebius, as I have already stated, seized emperor, and endeavoured to persuade him that
the diocese of Constantinople by force. And the accusation was true, and the sentence of
thus having acquired great power in that city, deposition just ; and they succeeded in obtaining
frequently visiting and holding familiar inter- the banishment of this champion of piety and
course with the emperor, he gained confidence chastity, as an adulterer and a tyrant. He was
and formed plots against those who were fore- conducted across Thrace to a city of Illyricum3.
most in the support of the truth. He at first
feigned a desire of going to Jerusalem, to see XXI. CHAPTER
the celebrated edifices there erected and the :
Heretical opinions ordained in Antioch

emperor, who was deceived by his flattery, al- Bishops of
lowed him to set out with the utmost honour, after the Banishment of St. Eustathius \
providing him with carriages, and the rest of EuLALius was first consecrated in place of
his equipage and retinue.
Theognis, bishop Eustathius. But Eulalius surviving his eleva-
of Nicsea, who, as before said, was tion only a short period, it was intended
we have
his accomplice in his evil designs, travelled that Eusebius of Palestine should be trans-
with him. When they arrived at Antioch, lated to this bishopric. Eusebius, however,
they put on the mask of friendship, and were refused the appointment, and the emperor for-
received with the utmost deference. Eu- bade its being conferred on him. Next Euphro-
stathius, the great champion of the faith, nius was put forward, who also dying, after a lapse
treated them with fraternal kindness. When of only one year and a few months, the see was
they arrived at the holy places, they had an inter- conferred on FlacciUus ^ All these bishops se-
view with those who were of the same opinions cretly clung to the Arian heresy. Hence it was
as themselves, namely, Eusebius, bishop of that most of those individuals, whether of the
Csesarea, Patrophilus, bishop of Scythopolis, clergy or of the laity, who valued the true
Aetius, bishop of Lydda, Theodotus, bishop religion, left the churches and formed assemblies
of Laodicea, and others who had imbibed the among themselves. They were called Eusta-
Arian sentiments; they made known the plot thians, since it was after the banishment of
they had hatched to them, and went with them Eustathius that they began to hold their meet-
to Antioch. The pretext for their journey was, ings. The wretched woman above-mentioned
that due honour might be rendered to Eusebius ; was soon after attacked by a severe and pro-
but their real motive was their war against retracted illness, and then avowed the im-
ligion. They bribed a low woman, who made posture in which she had been engaged, and
a traffic of her beauty, to sell them her tongue, made known the whole plot, not only to two or
and then repaired to the council, and when all three, but to a very large number of priests.
the spectators had been ordered to retire, they She confessed that she had been bribed to bring
introduced the wretched woman. She held this false and impudent charge, but yet that her
a babe in her arms, of which she loudly and
3 Jerome says Trajanopolis, but Eustathius died at Philippi,
impudently affirmed that Eustathius was the circa 337. Athanasius, who calls Eustathius "a contessor and
"
father. Eustathius, conscious of his innocence, sound 111 the faith (Hist. Ar. { 4), says the false charge which had
most weight with Constantine was that the bishop of Antioch had
asked her whether she could bring forward any sL-iiiderccl the Empress Helena. Sozomen (II. 19) records the
witness to prove what she had advanced. She patience with which Eustathius suffered, and sums up his character
as tliatuf "a good and true man, specially remarkable for eloquence,
replied that she could not yet these equitable
:
to which his extant writings testify, admirable as they are alike for
the dignity of their style ol ancient cast, the sound wisdom of their
judges admitted "her to oath, although it is said sentiments, the beauty of their language, and grace of expression.
"
in the law, that at the mouth of two or three The sole survivor of his works is an attack on Origen's inter-
" pretation of Scripture.
witnesses shall the matter be established ' / 1 H E. i. 24, says that on the deposition of Eustathius
Socrates,
against an
''^
and the apostle says, elder receive "6(/)e|t)S ini en) oktuj Ae'-j/erai. toi' ef 'Ai'Tioxe'? ^poi'Ov"
Trj^ exxAr)-
Cf. Soz. H.E.
cri'as <TXo\a.<7aL 6i//6 Se
, .
xetpOTOi'etTai. Eii(/)poi'ios.
.
not any accusation but before two or three ii. 19. There is much confusion about this succession of bishops.
wit?iesses^'' But they despised these divine Jerome (Chron. ii. p. 92) gives the names of the Arian bishops
thrust in succession into the place ot Eustathius, as Eulalius,
"
laws, and admitted the accusation against this Eusebius, Eufronius, PlaciUus. Perhaps Eulalius was put
forward for the vacant see, like Eusebius, but never actually ap-
great man without any witnesses. When the pointed." Bp. Lightioot, JJict. Christ. Biog.
ii. 315.
2 This name is variously given as PlaciUus (Jerome), Placitus
(Soz.), Flacillus (Ath. and Eus.), and in different version.s

of
I Deut. xix. 15.
' I Tim. V. xg. Theodoret are found *XdKiT09, nAaKtVrios, and 4>aAictos.
!;8 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [I. 21.
oath was not altogether false, as a certain whose religious zeal was
but Frumentius,
FAistathius, a coppersmith, was the father of the greater than the
natural feeling of aftection
babe. Such were some of the crimes pcri)etrated for his relatives, proceeded to Alexandria, and
in Antioch by this most excellent faction. informed the bishop of that city that the
Indians were deeply anxious to obtain spiritual
CHAPTER
XXn. light. Athanasius then held the rudder of that
Conversion of the Itidians'*. church ; he heard the story, and then "Who,"
At this period, the light of the knowledge of said he, " better than you yourself can scatter
God was for the first time shed upon India. the mists of ignorance, and introduce among
The courage and the piety of the emperor had people the light of Divine preaching?"
this
become celebrated throughout the world and After having said this, he conferred upon him
;
the barbarians, having learnt by experience to the episcopal dignity, and sent him to the
choose peace rather than war, were able to enjoy spiritual culture of that nation. The newly-
intercourse with one another without fear. Many ordained bisliop left this country, caring nothing
persons, therefore, set out on long journeys ; for the mighty ocean, and returned to the un-
some for the desire of making discoveries, tilled ground of his work. There, having the
others from a spirit of commercial enterprise. grace of God to labour with him, he cheer-
About this period a native of Tyre ^, acquainted fully and successfully playetl the husbandman,
with Greek philosophy, desiring to penetrate catching those who sought to gainsay his
into the interior of India, set off for this pur- words by works of apostolic wonder, and
pose with his two young nephews. When he thus, by these marvels, confirming his teaching,
had accomplished the object of his wishes, he he continued each day to take many souls
embarked for his own country. The ship being alive*.
compelled to put in to land in order to obtain CHAPTER XXIII.
a fresh supply of water, the barbarians fell upon
drowned some of the crew, and took the Conversion of the Iberians'^.
her,
others prisoners. The uncle was among the Frumentius thus led the Indians to the
number of those who were killed, and the lads knowledge of God. Iberia, about the same
were conducted to the king. The name of the time, was guided into the way of truth by
one was Êdesius, and of the other Frumentius. a captive woman ^. She continued instant in
The king of the country, in course of time, per- prayer, allowing herself no softer bed than
ceiving their intelligence, promoted them to the a sack spread upon the ground, and ac-
superintendence of his household. If any one counted fasting her highest luxury. This
should doubt the truth of this account, let him austerity was rewarded by gifts similar to those
recal to mind the history of Joseph in the king- of the Apostles. The barbarians, who were
dom of Egypt, and also the history of Daniel, ignorant of medicine, were accustomed, when
and of the three champions of the truth, who, attacked by disease, to go to one another's
from being captives, became princes of Babylon. houses, in order to ask those who had suffered
The king died but these young men re- in a similar way, and had got well, by what
;
mained with his son, and were advanced to still means they had been cured. In accordance
greater power. As they had been brought up with this custom, a mother who had a
in the true religion, they exhorted the mer- sick child, repaired to this admirable woman,
chants who visited the country to assemble, to enquire if she knew of any cure for the
according to the custom of Romans 3, to take disease. The latter took the child, placed it
part in the divine liturgy. After a consuler-
able time they solicited the king to reward 4 "The king, if we identify the narrative with the Ethiopian
version of the story, must have been the father of the Abreha
" '
their services by permitting them to return to and Atzbeha of the Ethiopian annals
"
Friunentius received
the title of Abbana, or Abba Salama (cf. Absalom),
" the
Father
their own country. They obtained his per- "
of Peace." "The bishopric of Auxume (Axum, about 100 miles
and reached Roman S. W. of Massowah) "assumed a metropolitan character." (Diet,
mission, safely territory, of Christ. Biog., Ait. Ethiopian Church). Constantius afterwards
.^desius directed his course towards Tyre, wrote to the Ethiopian Prince to ask him to replace Frumentius
by Theophilua, an Arian, but without success (Ath. Ap. ad
Const. 31).
'
Ilepi T^s 'Ii/Jwi/ nicTeioi. The term " India" is used v.-»guely,
• This
story, like the preceding, is copied or varied by Sozo-
partly from the old belief that Asia and Africa joined somewhere men, Socrates, and our author, Irom the version found also in
south of the Indian Ocean. Here the Indians are Abyssinians. Rufinus. Iberia, the modern Cjeorgia, was conquered by Pompey,
2 The version
adopted by Rufinus, the earliest extant authority ;uid ceded by Jovian.
for this story, is followed, in the main, by Socrates, Sozomen, and - The is honoured on Dec. 15th (Guerin
Evaiigelizer of Georgia
"
Theodoret. The Tyrian traveller is named iMeropius. Pel. Holland, xiv. 306) as Sainte Chrctiennc," and it is doubtful
3 The words of Sozonien whetlier the name Nina, in which slie appears in the Armem)-
(ii. 24) corresponding with the passage
in which Rufinus (i. 9) speaks of meeting " romano ritu or.itionis gregorian Calendar for June 11 (Nealc, Eastern Church, ii. 799),
caiissa," are J7 pu/xaiois e'flo? eKKAi)(Ticic,Vii', i.e. to assemble tu may not be a title. "Nina" is inubably a name of rank, and
worship after the manner of civilized citizens of the Empire, and perhaps is connected with our nun (Neale, i. 61). Moses of Chorene
not like savages. The expression has nothing to do «iili the (ii. 83) gives the name "Nunia." Riihnus (i. 10) states that he
customs of the Church of Rome, in the later sense of the word, .ts gives the stury as he heard it Irom King Dacurius at Jerusalem.
has sometimes been represented. Cf. Soc. I. 19, ras Xiii<jriat'iKai On the various legends of St. Nina and her work, vide
S. C. Malan, Hist, of Georgian Church pp.17 — 33.
upon her bed, and prayed to the Creator of emperor Constantine, who was warmly attached
the world to be propitious to it, and cure the to the cause of religion, when informed of the
disease. He heard her prayer, and made purport of the embassy, gladly welcomed the
it whole. This extraordinary woman hence ambassadors, and selected a bishop endowed
obtained great celebrity ; and the queen, who with great faith, wisdom, and virtue, and pre-
was suffering from a severe disease, hearing senting him with many gifts, sent him to the
of her by report, sent for her. The captive Iberians, that he might make known to them
held herself in very low estimation, and the true God. Not content with having granted
would not accept the invitation of the queen. the requests of the Iberians, he of his own
But the queen, forced by her sore need, accord undertook the protection of the
and careless of her royal dignity, herself ran Christians in Persia for, learning that they
;
to the captive. The latter made the queen were persecuted by the heathens, and that their
lie down upon her mean bed, and once again king himself, a slave to error, was contriving
applied to her disease the efficacious remedy various cunning plots for their destruction, he
of prayer. The queen was healed, and offered wrote to him, entreating him to embrace the
as rewards for her cure, gold, silver, tunics, Christian religion himself, as well as to honour
and mantles, and such gifts as she thought its professors. Plis own letter will render his
worthy of possession, and such as royal muni- earnestness in the cause the plainer.
ficence should bestow. The holy woman told
her that she did not want any of these, but CHAPTER XXIV.
that she would deem her greatest reward to
Letter written by the Emperor Constantine to
be the queen's knowledge of true religion.
Sapor'', the King of Persia, respecting
the
She then, as far as in her lay, explained the
Christians.
Divine doctrines, and exhorted her to erect a
" In
church in honour of Christ who had made her protecting the holy faith I enjoy the
light of truth, and by following
whole. The queen then returned to the palace, the light of
and excited the admiration of her consort, by truth I attain to fuller knowlege of the faith.
the suddenness of her cure she then made
;
Therefore, as facts prove, I recognize that most
known to him the power of that God whom holy worship as teaching the knowledge of
the captive adored, and besought him to ac- the most holy God. This service I profess.
the one God, and to erect With the Power of this God for my ally,
knowledge only
a church to Him, and to lead all the nation to beginning at the furthest boundaries of the
I have, one after another, quickened
worship Him. The king was greatly delighted ocean,
with the miracle which had been performed every part of the world with hope. Now
once enslaved by many tyrants,
upon the queen, but he would not consent to all the peoples
erect a church. Ashort time after he went worn by their daily miseries, and almost ex-
out hunting, and the loving Lord made a prey of tinct,
have been kindled to fresh life by re-
him as He did of Paul ; for a sudden darkness ceiving the protection of the State.
enveloped him and forbade him to move from
"The God I reverence is He whose emblem
the spot; while those who were hunting with my dedicated troops bear on their shoulders,
him enjoyed the customary sunlight, and he marching whithersoever the cause of justice
alone was bound with the fetters of blindness. leads them, and rewarding me by their splendid
In his perplexity he found a way of escape, for victories, I confess that I reverence this God
to mind his former unbelief, he implored with eternal remembrance. Him, who dwelleth
calling
the help of the God of the captive woman, and in the highest heavens, I contemplate with pure
immediately the darkness was dispelled. He and unpolluted
mind. On Him I call on
then went to the marvellous captive, and asked bended knees, shunning all abominable blood,
her to shew him how a church ought to be all unseemly and iliomened odours, all fire
built. He who once filled Bezaleel with of incantation ^, and all pollution by which un-
architectural skill, enabled this lawful and shameful error has destroyed whole
graciously
woman to devise the plan of a church. The nations and hurled them down to hell.
" does not permit those gifts which, in
woman set about the plan, and men began God
to dig and build. When the edifice was His beneficent Providence, He has bestowed
completed, the roof put on, and every thing
admirable son of Hormisdas 11.,
supplied except the priests, this 1
Sapor II. (Shapur) Postumus, the
was one of the greatest of the Sassanida. He reigned trom
woman found means to obtain these also.
A.D. sio 'o 381. and fought with success against Coustantius
II.
"
For she persuaded the king to send an and juhaii, augendi regni cupiditate supra homines flagrans."
Amm. Marc, xviii. 4.
embassy to the Roman emperor asking for
, r.- r- j
• •
i-
2 The reading 01 Basil. Cr. and Lat., and Pini Codex, eTrufiTj
for yeaJST), is approved by Schulze, and may indicate

a side-hit at
teachers of religion. The king accordingly the Magian fire-worship. But the adjectival form in-wSrjs fur
despatched an embassy for the purpose. The intoSo's is doubtful.
6o THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [I. 24.
" I am
upon men for the supply of iheir wants to he led to expect future happiness and
perverted according to every man's desire. security whenever God in His goodness unites
He only requires of men a pure mind and all men in the exercise of the one pure
a spotless soul, and by these He weiglis their and true religion. You may therefore well
deeds of virtue and piety. He is pleased with understand how
exceedingly I rejoice to hear
gentleness3 and modesty; He loves the meelc*, that the finest provinces of Persia are adorned
and hates those who excite contentions He ; abundantly with men of this class ; I mean
loves faith, chastises unbelief; He breaks all Christians ; for it is of them I am speaking.
power of boasting 5, and punishes the insolence All then is well with you and with them, for
of the proud ^. Men exalted with pride He will have the Lord of all merciful and
you
utterly overthrows, and rewards the humble beneficent to you. Since then you are so
7
and the patient ^ according to their deserts. mighty and so pious, I commend the Chris-
Of a just sovereignty He maketh much, tians to your care, and leave them in your
strengthens it by His aid, and guards the protection. Treat them, I beseech you, with
counsels of Princes with the blessing of peace. the affection that befits your goodness. Your
" I know that I am not in
error, my brother, fidelity in this respect will confer on yourself
when I confess that this God is the Ruler and on us inexpressible benefits."
and the Father of all men, a truth which This excellent emperor felt so much solici-
many who preceded me upon the imperial tude for all who had embraced the true re-
throne were so deluded by error as to attempt ligion, that he not only watched over those
to deny. But their eud was so drerul!'ul tliat who were his own subjects, but also over
they have become a fearful warning to all the subjects of other sovereigns. For this
mankind, to deter others from similar iniquity 9. reason he was blessed with the special protec-
Of tlicse I count that man one whom the tion of God, so that although he held the reins
wrath of God, like a thunderbolt, drove hence of the whole of Europe and of Africa, ar,d the
into your country, and who made notorious greater part of Asia, his subjects were all well
the memorial of his shame which exists in disposed to his rule, and obedient to his
your own land '°. Indeed it appears to have government. Foreign nations submitted to his
been well ordered that the age in which sway, some by voluntary submission, others
we live should be distinguished by the open overcome in war. I'rophies were everywhere
and manifest punisliments inflicted on such erected, and the emperor was styled Victo-
persons. I myself have witnessed the end rious.
of those who have persecuted the people The praises of Constantine have, however,
of God by unlawful edicts. Hence it is that been proclaimed by many other writers. We
I more especially thank God
having now, must resume the thread of our history. This
for
by His special Providence, restored peace to emperor, who deserves the highest fame,
those who observe His law, in which they devoted his whtle mind to matters worthy of
exalt and rejoice. the apostles, while men who had been ad-
mitted to the sacerdotal dignity not only
3 Cf. 2 Cor. X. L 4 Cf. Matt. xi. 29. S Cf. Jas. iv. 16. neglected to edify the church, but endeavoured
6 Ci. Luke 7 Cf. Luke 8 Cf. 2 Tim. ii. to uproot it from the very foundations.
i.
51. i.
52.
9 The imperial writer may iiave had in his mind Tiberius,
24. They
whose miserable old age was probably ended by murder Caius, invented all manner of false accusations against
;
slabbed by his own guard ;Claudius, poisoned by his wife Ncio, those who governed the church in accordance
;
driven to shameful suicide Vitellius, beaten to death by a brutal

;
mob Domitian, assassinated by his wile and freedmen Cuinmodus, with the doctrines taught by the apostles, and
; ;
murdered by his courtiers, and Pertinax ljy his guards Caracalla,

;
did their best to depose and banish them.
murdered ; Heliogabalus, murdered Alexander Severus, ftLaxi-
;
minus, Gordiainis, murdered; Decius, killed in war; Gallus, Their envy was not satisfied by the infamous
.'Emilianus, Gallienus, all murdeied; Aurclianus, Probus, Carus,
murdered. On the otijer hand Trajan, iM.ircus Aurelius, and flilsehood which
they had mvented against
Diocletian, who persecuted the Church with less or more severity,
died peaceful deaths.
Eustathius, but they had recourse to every
»o
Valerianus, proclaimed Emperor in Rhoetia, a.d. 254, was artifice to effect the overthrow of another great
defeated in his campaign against the Persian^, and treated with
After being made to croucii as .1 foot-
bulwark of rehgion. These tragic occurrences
indignity alive and dead.
stool for his conqueror to tread on when mnunting on horseback, I shall now relate as concisely as possible.
he was flayed alive, a.d. 260, and his tanned skin nailed in a
Persian temple as a "memorial of his shame." Cf. Ci>nst. Orat.
xxiv. Gibbon's catholic scepticism includes the humiliation of
"
Valerianus. The tale," he says, "is moral and pathetic, but the
truth of it may very fairly be called in question." (Dctliue and
But the passage m the text, in which the al-
CHAPTER XXV.
Fall, Chap. X.).
lusion has not always been perceived, and llie p.irallel refeicnce
in the Emperor's oration, indicate the belief of a time little more An account of the plot formed against the Holy
than half a century after the event. Lactanlius (de Moite Per- At/ianasius.
secutorum V.), was probably about ten years old when Valeriamis
was defeated, and, if so, gives the testimony of a contemporary.
Orosius [vn. 22) and Agathias (iv. p. 133) would only copy earlier Alexander, that admirable bishop, who had
writers, but the latter states that for the fact ol Sapi r's thus successfully withstood the blasphemies of Arius,
treating Valerianus there is "abundant historical testimony."
Cf. Tillemont, Hist. Enip. iii. pp. 314, 315. died five months after the council of Nicsea,
and was sncceed-ed in the episcopate of the him as with one whom I know to be a man of
church of Alexandria by Athanasius. Trained God."
from his youth in sacred studies, Athanasius
had attracted general admiration in each eccle- XXVI. CHAPTER
siastical oiifice that he filled. He had, at the Another plot against Athanasius.
general council, so defended the doctrines of
the apostles, that while he won the approbation The calumniators of Athanasius, however, did
of all the champions of the truth, its opponents not desist from their attempts. On the contrary,
learned to look on their antagonist as a per they devised so bold a fiction against liim, that
sonal foe and public enemy. He had attended it surpassed every invention of the ancient
the council as one of the retinue of Alexander, writers of the tragic or comic stage. They
then a very young man, although he was the again bribed individuals of the same party,
deacon \ and brought them before the emperor, vocifer-
principal
When those who had denied the only-begotten ously accusing that champion of virtue of many
Son of God heard that the helm of the Church abominable crimes. The leaders of the party
of Alexandria had been entrusted to his hands, were Eusebius, Theognis, and Theodorus,
knowing as they did by experience his zeal for bishop of Perinthiis, a city now called Heraclea'.
the truth, they thought that his rule would prove After having accused Athanasius of crimes
the destruction of their authority. which they described as too shocking to be
They, there-
fore, resorted to the following machinations tolerated, or even listened to, they persuaded
the emperor to convene a council at Csesarea
against him. In order to avert suspicion, they
bribed some of the adherents of Meletius, who, in Palestine, where Athanasius had many
although deposed by the council of Nicaea, had enemies, and to command that his cause should
be there tried. The emperor, utterly ignorant
persevered in exciting commotions in the The-
baid and in the adjacent part of Egypt, and of the plot that had been devised, was per-
suaded by them to give the required order.
persuaded them to go to the emperor, and to
accuse Athanasius of levying a tax upon Egypt^, But the holy Athanasius, well aware of the
and giving the gold collected to a certain malevolence of those who were to try him,
man who was preparing to usurp the imperial refused to appear at the council. This served
as a pretext to those who opposed the truth
power 3. The emperor being deceived by this
to criminate him still further ; and they
story, Athanasius was brought to Constantinople.
Upon his arrival he
proved that the accusation accused him before the emperor of contumacy
was and had the charge given him by God and arrogance. Nor were their hopes alto-
false,
This is shown by a letter gether frustrated for the emperor, although
restored to him. ;
from the emperor to the Church of Alexandria, exceedingly forbearing, became exasperated by
their representations, and wrote to him in an
of which I shall transcribe only the concluding
angry manner, commanding him to repair to
paragraph.
Tyre. Here the council was ordered to assemble,
from the suspicion, as I think, that Athanasius
A Portion the Letter
of the from Con- had an apprehension of Csesarea on account of
Emperor
stajitine to the Akxa/idrians. its bishop. The emperor wrote also to the
council in a style consistent with his devoted
"Believe me, my brethren, the wicked men His letter is as follows.
were unable to effect piety.
anything against your
bishop. They surely could have had no other
design than to waste our time, and to leave CHAPTER XXVII.
themselves no place for repentance in this life.
Do you, therefore, help yourselves, and love Epistle of the Emperor Constatitine to the
that which wins your love ^ ; and exert all your Council of Tyre ^
power in the expulsion of those who wish to *'
CoNSTANTiNus AUGUSTUS to the holy coun-
destroy your concord. Look unto God, and cil assembled in Tyre.
love one another. I joyfully welcomed Atha- " In the
general prosperity which distin-
nasius your bishop ; and I have conversed with
guishes the present time, it seems right that the
Catholic Church should likewise be exempt
xopo'' TMV tioKovuiv riyoviievoi." The youth of Atha-
' "tou
nasius indicates a variety in the qualifications for the archi- I the Propontis, also knov/n as Heraclea, and
Perinthus, on
diaconale, (or he can hardly have been the senior deacon. Cf. was once a flourishing town. Theodorus was deposed
now Erekli,
Diet. Christian Ant., Art. "Archdeacon.' at Sardica.On his genuine writings, vide Jer. de Vir. III. c. 90,
2 In order to
provide o-rixapia or variegated vestments. Ath. and on a Commentary on the Psalter, published in 1643, and
Apol. cont. Ar. V. ? 60. The possibility of such charges indicates attributed to him, vide Diet. Christ. Biog. iv. 934.
the importance of the Patriarchate. 1 The Council of
Tyre met a.d. 335, on the date, vide
" The scenes at Bp.
3 Phikimenus. Ath. Ap. cont. Ar. V. \ 60. Lightfoot in Diet. Christ. Biog. iii. 316, note. the
4 TO (fiiXrpov TO vfieVepof. Athanasius (Apol. cont. Ar. V. 5 62) Council of Tyre form the most picturesque and the most shameful
quotes the phrase as rifieTepov, "our love." chapter in the Arian controversy." Id.
from trouble, and that the servants of Christ The bishops accordingly repaired to the
should be freed from every reproach. council of Tyre. Amongst them were those
" But certain
individuals instigated by the who were accused of holding heterodox doc-
mad desire of contention, not to say leading trines; of whom Asclepas, bishop of Gaza, was
a life unworthy of their profession, are en- one. The admirable Athanasius also attended.
deavouring to throw all into disorder. This I shall first dwell on the tragedy of the accusa-
appears to me to be the greatest of all possible tion, and shall then relate the proceedings of
calamities. I beseech you, therefore, in i)ost this celebrated tribunal.
haste, as the phrase goes, to assemble together,

without any delay, in formal synod so that you ; XXVIII.CHAPTER
may support those who require your assistance,
heal the brethren who are in danger, restore TJie Council of Tyre.
unanimity to the divided members, and rectify Arsenius was a bishop of the Meletian fac-
the disorders of the Church while time permits tion. The men of his party put him in a
; place of
and thus restore to those great provinces tlie concealment, and charged him to remain there
harmony which, alas the arrogance of a few as long as possible. They then cut off" the right
!
men has destroyed. I believe

every one hand of a corpse, embalmed it, placed it in
would admit that you could not perform any- a wooden case, and carried it about everywhere,
thing so pleasing in the sight of God, so sur- declaring that it was the hand of Arsenius, who
passing all my prayers as well as your own, or had been murdered by Athanasius. But the
so conducive to your own reputation, as to all-seeing eye did not permit Arsenius to
restore peace. remain long in concealment. He was first
"
Do not ye therefore delay, but when you seen alive in Egypt then in the Thebaid ; ;
have come together with all that sincerity afterwards he was led by Divine Providence to
and fidelity which our Saviour demands of all Tyre, where the hand of tragic fame was
His servants, almost in words that we can hear, brought before the council. The friends of
endeavour with redoubled eagerness to put Athanasius hunted him up, and brought him
a fitting end to these dissensions. to an inn, where they compelled him to lie hid
"
Nothing shall be omitted on my part to fur- for a time. Early in the morning the great
ther the interests of our religion. I have done all Athanasius came to the council.
that you recommended in your letters. I have First of all a woman of lewd life was brought
sent to those bishops whom you specified, direct- in, who deposed in a loud and impudent manner
ing them to repair to the council for the pur- that she had vowed perpetual virginity, but that
pose of deliberating with you upon ecclesiastical Athanasius, who had lodged in her house, had
matters. I have also sent Dionysius % a man of violated her chastity. After she had made her
consular rank, to counsel those who are to sit charge, the accused came forward, and with
in synod with you, and to be himself an eye wit- him a presbyter worthy of all praise, by name
ness of your proceedings, and
particularly of the
Timotheus. The court ordered Athanasius to
order and regularity that is maintained. If any reply to the indictment but he was silent, as
;
one should dare on the present occasion also to he had not been Athanasius.
if
Timotheus,
" Have
disobey our command, and refuse to come to however, addressed her thus I, O :
the council, which, however, I do not ever conversed with you, or have I
anticipate, woman,
an officer will be despatched
immediately to entered your house?" She replied with still
send him into banishment by imperial
order, greater effrontery, screaming aloud in her dis-
that he may learn not to
oppose the decrees pute with Timotheus, and, pointing at him with
enacted by the emperor for the " It was
" All that support of truth. her finger, exclaimed, you who robbed
now devolves upon your holinesses me of my virginity; it was you who stripped
is to decide with unanimous
judgment, without me of my chastity;" adding other indelicate
partiahty or prejudice, in accordance with the expressions which are used by shameless women.
ecclesiastical and apostolical rule, and to devise The devisers of this calumny were
put to
may shame, and all the bishops who were privy to
suitable remedies for the offences which
have resulted from error; in order that the it, blushed.
Church may be freed from all reproach, that
my The woman was now being led out of the
anxiety may be diminished, that peace may be Court, but the great Athanasius protested
restored to those now at variance, and that your that instead of sending her away they ought
renown may be increased. May God to examine her, and learn the name of the
preserve
you, beloved brethren." hatcher of the plot. Hereupon his accusers
yelled and shouted that he had perpetrated
=
Athanasius (Apol. cent Ar. VI. other viler crimes, of which it was utterly
572) describes him as acting
with gross partiality.
impossible that he could by any art or ingenuity
I.
30.| ÔF THEODORET. 63
be cleared ; and that eyes, not ears, would
decide on the evidence. Having said this, CHAPTER XXIX.
they exhibited the famous box and exposed
the embalmed hand to view. At this sight
Consecration of the CJntrch ofJerusalem. —
Banishment of St. Athanasius.
all the spectators uttered a loud
cry. Some
believed the accusation to be true the
All the bishops who were present at the
;
others had no doubt of the falsehood, and council of Tyre, with all others from every
were commanded by the emperor to
thought that Arsenius was lurking somewhere quarter,
or other in concealment. When at length, after proceed to ^lia' to consecrate the churches
some difficulty, a little silence was obtained, the which he had there erected. The emperor
accused asked his judges whether any of them despatched also a number of officials of the
knew Arsenius. Several of them replying that most kindly disposition, remarkable for piety
and fideHty, whom he ordered to furnish
tliey knew him well, Athanasius gave orders
tliat he should be abundant supplies of provisions, not only to
brought before them. Then
he again asked them, " Is this the riglit the bishops and their followers, but to the
Arsenius? Is this the man I murdered? Is vast multitudes who flocked from all parts
this the man those people mutilated after to Jerusalem. The holy altar was decorated
his murder by cutting off his with imperial hangings and with golden vessels
right hand?"
When they had confessed that it was the same set with gems. When the splendid festival was
individual, Athanasius pulled off his cloak, and concluded,
each bishop returned to his own
exhibited two hands, both the right and the diocese. The emperor was highly gratified
left, and said, "Let no one seek for a third
when informed of the splendour and mag-
for man has received two hands from the nificence of the function, and blessed the
hand,
Creator and no more." Author of all good for having thus granted
Even after this plain his petition.
proof the calumniators
and the judges who were privy to the crime, Athanasius having complained of his unjust
instead of hiding themselves, or praying that condemnation, the emperor commanded the
the earth might open and swallow them
up,
bishops against whom this complaint was
raised an uproar and commotion in the assem- directed to present themselves at court. Upon
their arrival, they desisted from
bl)^, and declared that Athanasius was a sorcerer, urging any
and that he had by his magical incantations of their former calumnies, because they knew
bewitched the eyes of men. The very men how clearly they could be refuted; but they
who a moment before had accused him of made it appear that Athanasius had threatened
murder now strove to tear him in pieces and to to prevent the exportation of corn. The
murder him. But those whom the emperor had emperor believed what they said, and banished
entrusted with the preservation of order saved him to a city of Gaul called Treves 2. This
the life of Athanasius by dragging him occurred in the tliirtieth year of the emperor's
away,
and hurrying him on board a ship \ reign 3.
When he appeared before the emperor, he
described all the dramatic plot which had been XXX. CHAPTER
got up to ruin him. The calumniators sent bi- Will of the blessed Emperor Constantine.
shops attached to their faction into Mareotis,
viz., Theognis, bishop of Nicaea, Theodorus,
A YEAR and a few months afterwards^
bishop of Perinthus, Maris, bishop of Chal- the emperor was taken ill at Nicomedia, a city
cedon, Narcissus of Cilicia^, with others of the of Bithynia, and, knowing the uncertainty of
same sentiments. Mareotis is a district near human life, he received the holy rite of baptism 2,
Alexandria, and derives its name from the lake which he had intended to have deferred until
Maria 3. Here they invented other he could be baptized in the river Jordan.
falsehoods,
^
and, forging the reports of the trial, mixed up the He left as heirs of the imperial throne his
charges which had been shown to be false with three sons, Constantine, Constantius, and Con-
fresh accusations, as if they had been stans 3, the youngest.
true, and
despatched them to the emperor. He ordered that the great Athanasius should
1 iEIia Capitolina, the name given to Jerusalem on its restoration
' Here comes in the famous scene of the sudden
of Athanasius belore Constantine.
apparition by (/Elius) Hadrianus.
"The Emperor is enterin.' 2
Augusta Treverorum, Treveri, Trier, or Treves, on the
Constaraiiiople in state. A small figure darts across his path in
Moselle, was now the official Capital of Gaul.
tlie middle of the square, and
stops his horse. The Emperor, 3 i.e. A.D. 336.
tliunderstruck, tries to pass on he cannot guess who the petitioner
; » A.D. 337.
can be. It is Athanasius, who comes to insist ou 2
justice, when At the hand of Eusebius of Nicomedia.
thought to be leagues away at the Council of Tyre." Stanley 3 Vide Pedigree, in the Prolegomena. Constantine II. received
Eastern Church, Lect. VII.
2 Gaul, Britain, Spain, and a part of Africa: Constantius the East,
Bishop of Neronias, or Irenopolis. Of. p. 44, note. and Constans Illyricum, Italy, and the rest of Africa. In 340 Coii-
3 Mare.i or Maria, a town and lake of
Lower Egypt, giving its stans defeated his brother, who was slainnear Aquileia, and becam
name to the district now lake Marrout.
:
master of the West.
64 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF THEODORET. [I. 30.
return to Alexandria, and expressed this de-

cision in the presence of Eusebius, who did CHAPTER XXXII.
all he could to dissuade him.
The end of the Holy Emperor Constantine.
The emperor was now translated from his
CHAPTER XXXI. earthly dominions to a better kingdom '.
Thk body of the emperor was enclosed in
Constantine. a golden coffin, and was carried to Constan-
Apology for
tinople by the governors of the provinces,
It ousht not to excite astonishment that the military commanders, and the other officers
Constantine was so far deceived as to send of state, preceded and followed by the whole
so many great men into exile for he believed;
army, all bitterly deploring their loss; for Con-
the assertions of bishops of high fame and stantine had been as an affectionate father
reputation, who skilfully concealed their malice. to them all. The body of the emperor was
Those who are acquainted with the Sacred allowed to remain in the palace until the
Scriptures know that the holy David, although arrival of his sons, and high honours were
he was a prophet, was deceived and that too ; rendered to it. But these details require no
not by a priest, but by one who was a menial, description here, as a full account has been
a slave, and a rascal. I mean Ziba, who From their works,
given by other writers.
deluded the king by lies against Mephiboshetli, which are easy of access, may be learnt how
and thus obtained his land '. It is not to con- greatly the Ruler of all honours His faithful
demn the prophet that I thus speak ; but that servants. If any one should be tempted to
I may defend the emperor, by showing the unbelief, let him look at what occurs now near
weakness of human nature, and to teach that the tomb and the statue of Constantine ^ and
credit should not be given only to those who then he must admit the truth of what God
advance accusations, even though they may has said in the Scriptures, " Them that honour
appear worthy of credit but that the other Me I will hofioiir, and they that despise Me
;
also to be heard, and that one ear shall be

[)ai ty ought lightly esteemed 'i."
should be left open to the accused.
»
Whitsunday, a.d. 337.
*Valesius explains this alhision by quoting the Arian Philos-
torgius (ii. 17), who says that "the statue of Constantine, .standing
Our Author is of the same opinion as Sir George Grove, on its porphyry column, was honoured with .sacrilices, illumina
as against Prulessor riiint, on the character of Mephibosheth. tions, and incense." The accusation of idolatrous worship may li'-
Diet. l!ib. ii. 326. disregarded. Cf. Chron. Alex. 665, 667. 3 1 Sam. li. 30.
END OF THE FIRST BOOK.

BOOK II.
him. Nor indeed is it surprising that he

CHAPTER I. should have been thus treated by me. I was
moved to this line of conduct by his own great
Return of St. Athanasius.
virtue, and the thought of your affectionate
The divine Athanasius returned to Alex- longing for his return. May Divine Providence
"
andria, after having remained two years and watch over you, beloved brethren !
four months at Treves '. Constantine, the

eldest son of Constantine the Great, whose Furnished with this letter, St. Athanasius
^
imperial sway extended over Western Gaul, returned from exile, and was most gladly wel-
wrote the following letter to the church of comed both by the rich and by the poor, by
Alexandria. the inhabitants of cities, and by those of the
provinces. The followers of the madness of
Epistle of the Emperor Constantine, the son of Arius were the
only persons who felt any
Constantine the Great, to the Alexandrians.
vexation at his return. Eusebius, Theognis,
" CoNSTANTiNUS
CiESAR to the people of and those of their faction resorted to their
the Catholic Church of Alexandria. former machinations, and endeavoured to pre-
*'
I think that it cannot have escaped your
judice the ears of the young emperor against
pious intelligence that Athanasius, the inter- him.
preter of the venerated law, was opportunely I shall now proceed to relate in what man-
sent into Gaul, in order that, so long as the ner Constantius swerved from the doctrines
savagery of these bloodthirsty opponents was of the Apostles.
threatening peril to his sacred head, he might
be saved from suffering irremediable wrongs. II. CHAPTER
To avoid this imminent peril, he was snatched
Declension of the Emperor Constantius
from the jaws of his foes, to remain in a city
under my jurisdiction, where he might be from the true Faith.
abundantly supplied with every necessary. CoNSTANTiA, the widow of Licinius, was the
Yet the greatness of his virtue, relying on half-sister of Constantine ^ She was intimately
the grace of God, led him to despise all acquainted with a certain priest who had im-
the calamities of adverse fortune. Constantine, bibed the doctrines of Arius. He did not openly
my lord and my father, of blessed memory, acknowledge his unsoundness ; but, in the fre-
intended to have reinstated him in his former quent conversations which he had with her,
that Arius
bishopric, and to have restored him to your he did not refrain from declaring
but as the was arrested the had been calumniated. After the
piety ; emperor by unjustly
hand of death before his desires were accom- death of her impious husband, the renowned
in his power to
plished, I, being his heir, have deemed it fit- Constantine did everything
to prevent her from
ting to carry into execution the purpose of solace her, and strove
this sovereign of divine memory. You will experiencing the saddest trials of widowhood.
learn from your bishop himself, when you see He attended her also in her last illness =, and
She
him, with how much respect I have treated rendered her every proper
attention.
then presented the priest whom I mentioned
« From Feb.
336 to June 338. The "Porta Nigra" and to the emperor, and entreated him to receive
the ruins of the Baths still shew relics of the splendour of the
imperial city. The exile was generously treated. Maximinus,
the bishop of Treves, was orthodox and friendly. (Ath. ad Episc. a In Nov. 338. H'.s clergy thought it the happiest day of their
y^gypi. \ 8.) On the conclusion of the term of his relegation to lives. Ath. Ap. Cont. Ar. \ 7.
Treves Constantine II. took him in the imperial suite to Vimina- 1 Vide Pedigree. Philostorgius (ii. t6) said the will was given
cium, a town on the Danube, not far from the modern Passarovitz. to Eusebius of Nicomedia. Valesius (on See. i. 25) thinks that
Here the tkree emperors met. Athanasius continued his journey if the story had been true Athanasius would have recorded it,
to Alexandria via Constantinople and the Cappadocian Caesarea. with the name of the Presbyter.
(Ath. Hist. Ar.\% and Apol. ad Const. \ 5.)
2 A.D. 327—328.
VOL, III. ]
66 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [II. 2.
him under his protection. Constantine acceded church. But Athanasius obtained timely inti-
to her request, and soon after fulfilled his mation of their design, and departed to the
promise. But though the priest was permitted west The friends of Eusebius had sent
'.
the utmost freedom of speech, and was most false accusations against him to Julius, who
honourably treated, he did not venture to re- was then bishop of Rome^. In obedience to
veal his corrupt principles, for he observed the the laws of the church, Julius summoned the
firmness with which the emperor adhered to accusers and the accused to Rome, that the
the truth. When Constantine was on the cause might be tried 3. Athanasius, accordingly,
point of being translated to an eternal kin? set out for Rome, but the calumniators refused
dom, he drew up a will, in which he directed to go because they saw that their falsehood
that his temporal dominions should be divided would easily be detected! But perceiving that
among his sons. None of them was with the flock of Athanasius was left without a
him when he was dying, so he entrusted the pastor, they appointed over it a wolf instead
will to this and desired him to
priest alone, of a shepherd. Gregorius, for this was his name,
give it to Constantius, who, being at a shorter surpassed the wild beasts in his deeds of
distance from the spot than his brothers, was cruelty towards the flock but at the expira-
:
expected to arrive the first. These directions tion of six years he was destroyed by the
the priest executed, and thus by putting the sheep themselves. Athanasius went to Con-
will into his hands, became known to Con- stans (Constantine, the eldest brother, having
stantius, who accepted him as an intimate fallen in battle), and complained of the plots
friend, and commanded him to visit him fre- laid against him by the Arians, and of their
quently. Perceiving the weakness of Con- opposition to the apostolical faith s. He

stantius, whose mind was like reeds driven reminded him and how he
of his father,
to and fro by the wind, he became embold- attended in person the great and famous
ened to declare war against the doctrines of council which he had summoned how he ;
the gospel. He loudly deplored the stormy was present at its debates, took part in
state of the churches, and asserted it to be due framing its decrees, and contirmed them
to those who had introduced the unscriptural by law. The emperor was moved to emu-
word "consubslantial" into the confession of lation by his father's zeal, and promptly
faith, and that all the disputes among the wrote to his brother, exhorting him to pre-
clergy and the laity had been occasioned by serve inviolate the religion of their father,
it. He
calumniated Athanasius and all who which they had inherited; "for," he urged,
"
coincided in his opinions, and formed de- by piety he made his empire great, destroyed
signs for their destruction, being used as the t3'rants of Rome, and subjugated the foreiLm
their fellow worker by Eusebius 3, Theognis, andnations on every side." Constantius was led
Theodorus, bishop of Perinthus. by this letter to summon the bishops from
The last-named, whose see is generally known the east and from the west to Sardica ^, a city
by the name of Heraclca, was a man of great of Illyricum, and the metropolis of Dacia, that
erudition, and had written an exposition of they might deliberate on the means of removing
the Holy Scriptures 4.
These bishops resided near the emperor,
Easter, a.d. 340. The condemnation was confirmed at the
1
and frequently visited him they assured him ;

Council of Antioch, a.d. 341.
2
that the return of Athanasius from banishment They were met by a deputation of Athanasians, bringing
the encyclical of the Egyptian Bishops in favour of the accused.
had occasioned many evils, and had excited Apol. Cont. Ar.%-i.
3 On the bearing of these communications with Rome on the
a tempest which had shaken not question of Papal jurisdiction, vide Salmon, Infallibility of the
only Egypt,
but also Palestine, Phoenicia, and the adjacent Church, p. 405. Cf. Wladimir Guettde, ilistoire de I'Eglise, III.
p. 112.
countries s. 4 The innocence of Athanasius was vindicated at the Council
held at Rome in Nov. a.d. 341.
5 For the violent resentment of the Alcx.indri.in Church at
CHAPTER in. the obtrusion of Gregorius, an Ullra-Arian, and aijparently an
illustration of the old proverb of the three bad Kappas,
"
Kairn-a-
Scco/id Exile of St. Athanasius. — Ordination SoKts, KpijTes, Ki'AiKes, rpi'a xaTrira KaKicrTa," for he was a Cap-
—
padocian vide Ath. Encyc. 3, 4, Hist. Ar. 10. The sequence
and Death of
Gregorius. of events is not without difficulty, and our author gives here little
help. Athanasius was in Ale.\andria in the spring of 340, when
With these and similar arguments, the bi- Gregorius made his entry, and started for Rome at or about Easter.
Constantine II. was defeated and slain by the troops of his brother
shops assailed the weak-minded emperor, and Constans, in the neighliourhood of Aquilcia, and his corpse found
in the river Alsa, in .-Vpril, 340. Athanasius remained at Rome till
persuaded him to expel Athanasius from his
the summer of 343, when he was summoned to Milan by Constans
(vl/. ad Const. 3, 4).
Results of his visit to Rome were the adherence of Latin Cliris-
3 Of Nicomedia, now tranferred to the see of Constantinople. tianity to the orthodox opinion (Cf. Miliu.in, JJist. of Lat.
4
Vide note on p. 6i. Christianity, vol. i. p. 78), and the introduction of Monachism into
The ground of objection to the return was (i) that Atlianasius
5 the West. Vide Robertson's Ck. Hist. ii. 6.
been condemned by a Council— that of Tyre, and (i'M tliat he 6 Now
Sophia, in Bulg.iria. The centre of Moesia was called
Iiad
\vas restored by the aiuhority of tlie state alone. The first inten- Dacia Cis-Danubiana, when the tract conquered by Tr.ijan was
tion was to get ilie Arian Pistus advanced to the abandoned.
patriarchate.
II. 6.] OF THEODORET. 57
the otlier troubles of the church, which were affirm to be the Son of God. After his separ-
many and pressing. ation from them, he became the leader o(
a sect of his own. He taught that the Son
CHAPTER
IV. of God is not of the same substance as the
Father, but that He is like Him in every
Panlus, Bishop of Constantinople. He also openly affirmed that the
particular.
Paulus', bishop of Constantinople, who Holy Ghost is a creature. These circum-
faithfullymaintained orthodox doctrines, was stances occurred not long afterwards as we
accused by the unsound Arians of exciting sedi- have narrated them.
tions, and of such other crimes as they usually
laid to the all those who preached
charge of CHAPTER VI.
true piety. The
people, who feared the
machinations of his enemies, would not permit Comicil held at Sardica.
him to go to Sardica. The Arians, taking Two hundred and fifty bishops assembled at
advantage of the weakness of the emperor, Sardica % as is proved by ancient records. The
procured from him an edict of banishment great Athanasius, Asclepas, bishop of Gaza,
against Paulus, who was, accordingly, sent to already mentioned 2, and Marcellus 3, bishop
Cucusus, a little town formerly included in of Ancyra, the metropolis of Galatia, who also
Cappadocia, but now in Lesser Armenia. But held this bishopric at the time of the council of
these disturbers of the public peace were not Nicaea, all repaired thither. The calumniators,
satisfied with having driven the admirable and the Arian faction, who had
chiefs of the
Paulus into a desert. They sent the agents of previously judged the cause of Athanasius,
their cruelty to despatch him by a violent also attended. But when they found that
death. Athanasius testifies to this fact in
St. the members of the synod were staunch in
the defence which he wrote of his own flight. their adherence to sound doctrine, they would
He uses the following words ^: "They pur- not even enter the council, although they had
sued Paulus, bishop of Constantinople, and been summoned to it, but fled away, both
having seized him at Cucusus, a city of Cappa- accusers and judges. All these circumstances
docia, they had him strangled, using as their are far more clearly explained in a letter drawn
executioner Philippus the prefect, who was the up by the council ;
and I shall therefore now
protector of their heresy, and the active agent insert it
of their most atrocious projects 3."
Such were the murders to which the blas-
Sy nodical Letter from the Bishops assembled at
phemy of Arius gave rise. Their mad rage Sardica., add?'essed to the other Bishops.
against the Only-begotten was matched by "
cruel deeds against His servants. Theholy council assembled at Sardica,
from Rome, Spain, Gaul, Italy, Campania,
CHAPTER V. Calabria, Africa, Sardinia, Pannonia, Moesia,
Dacia, Dardania, Lesser Dacia, Macedonia,
The Heresy of Macedonnis.
Thessaly, Achaia, Epirus, Thrace, Rhodope,
TheArians, having effected the death of Asia, Caria, Bithynia, the Hellespont, Phrygia,
Paulus, or rather having despatched him to the Pisidia, Cappadocia, Pontus, the lesser Phry-
kingdom of heaven, promoted Macedonius in
^
gia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Lydia, the Cyclades,
his place, who, they imagined, held the same Egypt, the Thebaid, Libya, Galatia, Palestine
sentiments, and belonged to the same faction and Arabia, to the bishops throughout the world,
as themselves, because he, like them, blas- our fellow-ministers in the catholic and apostolic
phemed the Holy Ghost. But, shortly after, Church, and our beloved brethren in the Lord.
they deposed him also, because he refused to Peace be unto you.
call Him a creature Whom the Holy Scriptures
" The madness of the Arians has often led
them to the perpetration of violent atrocities
» A
native of Thessalonica ; he had been secretary to his pre-
decessor Alexander. » The Council met in
343, according to Hefele ; 344, accord-
2 Ath.
defug. 53. Cf. Hist. Ar. ad Mon. 7. ing to Mansi, on the authority of the Festal Letters of Athanasius.
3 Fiavius Philippus, praetorian prsefect of the East, is described Summoned by both Emperors, it was presided over by Hosius.
by Socrates (II. 16), as fieiirifpos ficra jSaaiAe'a. Paulus was The accounts of the numbers present vary. Some authorities
removed from Constantinople in 342, and not slain till 350. Phi- adhere to the traditional date, 347. Soc. ii. 20 ; Soz. iii. 11.
lippus died in disappointment and misery. Diet. Christ. Biog, iv.
2 Vide I. xxvii.
356. 3 Perhaps present at the Synod of Ancyra (Angora], in A.D.
I On
the vicissitudes of the see of Constantinople, after the 315. Died, A.D. 374. Marcellus played the man at Nica;a, and
death of Alexander, in a.d. 336, vide Soc. ii. 6 and Soz. iii. 3. was accused by the Arians of Sabellianism, and deposed. He was
Paulus was murdered in 350 or 351, and the "shortly after" of the distrusted as a trimmer, but could boast "se communione Julii
text means nine years, Macedonius being replaced by Eudoxius et Athanasii, Romanse et Alexandrinae urbis poutificura, usse muni-
of Antioch, in 360. On how far the heresy of the '"Pneumato- tum" {yer. de vir. ill. c. S6). Cardinal Newman thinks Athanasius
machi," called Macedonianism, was really due to the teaching attacked him in the IVth Oration against the Arians. Vide Die.'-
of Macedonius, vide Robertson's Church Hist. II. iv. for refF. Christ. Biog. iii. 808.
F 2
against the servants of God who keep the true to the faith,
and his labours for the church.
faith ; they introckice false doctrines themselves, All urged them to join the assembly and avail
and persecute those who uphold orthodox prin- themselves of the opportunity of proving, in
So violent were their attacks on the the presence of their fellow-ministers, the
ciples.
faith, that they reached the ears of our most truth of the charges theyhad brought against
])ious emperors. Through the co-operation of them in their absence, both by word and
the grace of God, the emperors have summoned by letter. But they refused to obey the
us from different provinces and cities to the holy summons, as we have already stated, and so
council which they have appointed to be held in by their excesses proved the falsity of their
the city of Sardica, in order that all dissensions statements, and all but proclaimed aloud the
may be terminated, all evil doctrines expelled, plot and schemes they
had formed. Men
and the religion of Christ alone maintained confident of the truth of their assertions are
Some bishops from the always ready to stand to them openly. But
amongst all people.
east have attended the council at the solicitation as these accusers would not appear to sub-
of our most religious emperors, principally on stantiate what they had advanced, any future
account of the reports circulated against our be- allegations which they may by their usual
loved brethren and fellow-ministers, Athanasius, artificesbring against our fellow-ministers, will
only be regarded as proceeding from
a desire
bishop of Alexandria, Marcellus, bishop of
Ancyra in Galatia, and Asclepas, bishop of of slandering them in their absence, without
Gaza. Perhaps the calumnies of the Arians the courage to confront them openly.
"
have already reached you, and they have en- They fled, beloved brethren, not only be-
deavoured thus to forestall the council, and cause their charges were slander, but also be-
make you believe their groundless accusations cause they saw men arrive with serious and mani-
of the innocent, and prevent any suspicion fold accusations against themselves. Chains
being raised of the depraved heresy which they and were produced. Some were present
fetters
uphold. But they have not long been permitted whom they had exiled others came forward
:
so to act. The Lord is the Protector of the as representatives of those still kept in exile.
churches ; for them and for us all He suffered There stood relations and friends of men whom
death, and opened for us the way to heaven. they had put to death. Most serious of all,
" The adherents of Eusebius.
Maris, Theo- bishops also appeared, one of whom exhibited
4
dorus, Theognis, Ursacius, Valens, Menophan- the irons and the chains with which they
had
tus, and Stephanus, had already written to laden him. Others testified that death followed
Julius, the bishop of Rome, and our fellow- their false charges. For their infatuation had
minister, against our aforesaid fellow-ministers, led them so far as even to attempt
the
Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, Marcellus, life of a bishop and he would have been
;
bishop of Ancyra in Galatia, and Asclepas, killed had he not escaped from their hands.
Ijishop of Gaza. Some bishops of the op- Theoduluss, our fellow-minister, of blessed me-
posite party wrote also to Julius, testifying mory, passed hence with their calumny on his
to the innocence of Athanasius, and proving name for, through it, he had been condemned
;
that all that had been asserted by the followers to death. Some showed the wounds which
of Eusebius was nothing more than lies and had been inflicted on them by the sword ;
slander. 'I'he refusal of the Arians to obey the others deposed that they had been exposed
summons of our beloved brother and fellow- to the miseries of famine.
ruler, Julius, and also the letter written by that
*'
All these depositions were made, not by a
bishop, clearly prove the falseness of their accu- few obscure inchviduals, but by whole churches ;
sation. For, had they believed that what they the presbyters of these churches giving evi-
had done and represented against our fellow- dence that the persecutors had armed the
minister admitted of justification, they would military them with swords, and the
against
have gone to Rome. But their mode of proce- common people with clubs ; had employed
dure in this great and holy council is a mani- judicial threats, and produced spurious docu-
fest proof of their fraud. Upon their arrival ments. The letters written by Theognis,
at Sardica, they perceived that our brethren, for the purpose of prejudicing the emperor
Athanasius, Marcellus, Asclepas, and others, against our fellow-ministers, Athanasius, Mar-
were there also ; they were therefore afraid to cellus, and Asclepas, were read and attested
come to the test, although they had been sum- by those who had formerly been the deacons
moned, not once or twice only, but repeatedly.
There were they waited for by the assembled * Probably Lucius, Bishop of Hadrianople, who had been
deposed by the Arians, and appealed to Julius, who wished to
bishops, particularly by the venerable Hosius, right him. Still kept out by the Arians, he appealed to the
one worthy of all honour and respect, on Council of Sardica, and, in accordance with its decree, Constantius
ordered his restoration (Soc. 26). Cf. Chap. XII.
ii.
account of his advanced age, his adherence 5 Bishop of Trajanopolis (Ath. I/isi. Ar. 19).
of Theognis. It was also proved that they then Hence it appears

lying ill in his cell.
had stripped virgins naked, had burnt churches, that the
mysteries could not have been cele-
and imprisoned our fellow-ministers, and all brated at that time, as the catechumens were
because of the infamous heresy of the Ario-
present, and as Ischyras was absent for he was ;
maniacs. For thus all who refused to make at that
very time confined by illness. Ischyras,
common cause with them were treated. that wicked man who had falsely affirmed that
"
The consciousness of having committed all Athanasius had burnt some of the sacred books,
these crimes placed them in great straits. and had been convicted of the
crime, now
Ashamed of their deeds, which could no longer confessed that he was ill in bed when Macarius
be concealed, they repaired to Sardica, think- arrived hence the falsehood of his accusation
;
ing that their boldness in venturing thither was clearly demonstrated. His calumny was,
would remove all suspicion of their guilt. But
however, rewarded by his party they gave ;
when they perceived the presence of those him the title of a bishop, although he was not
whom they had falsely accused, and of those who yet even a presbyter. For two presbyters came
had suffered from their cruelty; and that like- to the
synod, who some time back had been
wise several had come with irrefragable accu- attached to Meletius, and were afterwards re-
sations against them, they would not enter the ceived back
by the blessed Alexander, bishop
council. Our fellow-ministers, on the other of Alexandria, and are now with Athanasius,
hand, Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas, protesting that he had never been ordained
took every means to induce them to attend, by a
presbyter, and that Meletius had never had
tears, by urgency, by challenge, promising not any church, or employed any minister in
only to prove the falsity of their accusations, but Mareotis. Yet, althotigh he had never been
also to show how deeply they had injured their ordained a
presbyter, they promote him to
own churches. But they were so overwhelmed a bishopric, in order that his title may impose
by the consciousness of their own evil deeds, upon those who hear his false accusations ^
that they took to flight, and by this flight "
The writings of our fellow-minister, Mar-
the of
cellus, were also read, and plainly evinced the
clearly proved falsity their accusations,
as well as their own guilt. duplicity of the adherents of Eusebius; for
"
But though their calumny and perfidy, which what Marcellus had simply suggested as a
had indeed been apparent from the beginning, point of inquiry, they accused him of professing
were now clearly perceived, yet we determined as a point of faith. The statements which he
to examine the circumstances of the case had made, both before and after the inquiry,
according to the laws of truth, lest they should, were read, and his faith was proved to be
from their very flight, derive pretexts for re- orthodox. He did not affirm, as they repre-
newed acts of deceitfulness. sented, that the beginning of the Word of God
"
Upon carrying this resolution into effect, was dated from His conception by the holy
we proved by their actions that they were false Mary, or that His kingdom would have an
accusers, and that they had formed plots end. On the contrary, he wrote that His king-
against our fellow-ministers. Arsenius, whom dom had had no beginning, and would have no
they declared had been put to death by Atha- end. Asclepas, our fellow-minister, produced
nasius, is still alive, and takes his place among the reports drawn up at Antioch in the pre-
the living. This fact alone is sufficient to sence of the accusers, and of Eusebius, bishop
show that their other allegations are false. of Ceesarea, and proved his innocence by the
"Although they spread a report everywhere sentence of the bishops who had presided as
that a chalice had been broken by Macarius, j udges.
" It was not then without
one of the presbyters of Athanasius, yet those cause, beloved
who came from Alexandria, from Mareotis, and brethren, that, although so frequently sum-
from other places, testified that this Was not moned, they would not attend the council;
the fact; and the bishops in Egypt wrote to it was not without cause that they took to
Juhus, our fellow-minister, declaring that there flight. The reproaches of conscience con-
was not the least suspicion that such a deed strained them to make their escape, and thus,
had been done. The judicial facts which the at the same time, to demonstrate the ground-
Arians assert they possess against Macarius lessness of tlieir calumnies, and the truth of
have been all drawn up by one party ; and those accusations which were advanced and
in thesedocuments the depositions of pagans
and of catechumens were included. One of 6 The strange story of Ischyras is gathered from notices in the
these catechumens, when interrogated, replied Apol. c. Arian. Without ordination, he started a small con-
venticle' of some half-dozen people, and the Alexandrian Synod
that he was m
the church on the entry of of 324 condemned his pretensions. The incident of the text may
Macarius. Another deposed that Ischyras, be assigned to 329. He afterwards faced both ways, to Athanasius
and the Eusebians, and was recognised by them as a bishop.
whom they had talked about so much, was Did. Christ. Biog. iii. 302.
proved against them. Besides all the other mcrts, the murders, the stripes, the forged
grounds of complaint, it may be added that all letters,the indignities, the stripping naked of
those who had been accused of holding the virgins, the banishments, the destruction of
Arian heres}-, and had been ejected in conse- churches, the acts of incendiarism, the trans-
quence, were not only received, but advanced lation of bishops from small towns to large
to the highest dignities by them. They raised dioceses, and above
the ill-starred Arian
all,
deacons to the presbyterate, and thence to the heresy, raised their means
against the true
by
episcopate ; and in all this they were actunted faith. For these causes, therefore, we declare
by no other motive than the desire of propa- the innocence and purity of our beloved brethren
gating and diffusing their heresy, and of cor- and fellow-ministers, Athanasius, bi.shop of
rupting the true faith. Alexuntlria, Marcellus, bishop of Ancyra in
" Next to
Eusebius, the following are their Galatia, and Asclepas, bishop of Gaza, and of
principal leaders ; Theodorus, bishop of Hera- all the other servants of God who are with
clea, Narcissus, bishop of Ncronias in Cilicia, them ; and we have written to each of their
Stcplianus, bishop of Antioch, Gcorgius?, bishop dioceses, in order that the people of each
of Laodicea, Acacius^,
bishop of Cffisarea in church may be made acquainted with the
Palestine, Menophantus, bishop of f^phcsus innocence of their respective bishops, and that
in Asia, Ursacius,
bishop of Singidunum? in they may recognise them alone and wait for
Moesia, and Valens, bishop of Mursa '° in Pan- their return. Men who have come down on
nonia. These bishops forbade those who came their churches like wolves ^3, such as Gregorius
with them from the east to attend the holy in Alexandria, Easilius in Ancyra, and Quintia-
council, or to unite with the Church of God. nus^4 in Gaza, we charge them not even to call
On their road to Sardica they lield private as- bishops, nor yet Christians, nor to have any
semblies at difi'erent places, antl formed a com communion with them, nor to receive any
pact cemented by threats, that, when they letters from them, nor to write to them.
arrived in Sardica, they would not join the hoi)- "
Theodorus, bishop of Heraclea in Europe,
council, nor assist at its deliberations ; arrang- Narcissus, bishop of Neronias in Cilicia, Aca-
ing that, as soon as they had arrived they cius, bishop of Cffisarea in Palestine, Stephanus,
should present themselves for form's sake, and bishop of Antioch, Ursacius, bishop of Singi-
forthwith betake themselves to flight. These dunum in Moesia, Valens, bishop of Mursa in
facts were made known to us
by our fellow- Pannonia, Menophantus, bishop of Ephesus,
minislers, Macarius of Palestine", and Asterius and Georgius, bishop of Laodicea (for though
of Arabia '% who came with them to Sardica, fear kept him from leaving the East, he Jias
but refused to share their unorthodoxy. These been deposed by the blessed i\lexander, bishoj)
bishops complained before the holy council of of Alexandria, and has imbibed the infatuation
the violent treatment they had received from of the Arians), have on account of their various
them, and of the want of right principles crimes been cast forth from their bishoprics
evinced in all their transactions. They added by the unanimous decision of the holy council.
thai there were many amongst them who still We have decreed that they are not only not
held orthodox opinions, but that these were to be regarded as bishops, but to be refused
prevented from going to the council ; and communion with us. For those who separate
that sometimes threats, sometimes the Son from the substance and divinity of the
promises,
were resorted to, in order to retain them in i'"athcr, anti alienate the M'ord from the Father,
that party. For this reason they were com- ought to be separated from the Catholic
pelled to reside together in one house ; anci Church, and alienated from all who bear the
never allowed, even for the shortest space of name of Christians. Let them then be anathema
time, to be alone. to you, and to all the faithful, because they have
"It is not right to pass over in silence and corrupted the word of truth. For the apostle's
without rebuke the calumnies, the imprison- precept enjoins, if any one should bring to you
another gospel than that which ye have re-
7 Georgiiis succeeded llie Aii.in Theodotiis, of whom mention
h.isalready been made (p. 4a), in the see of the Syrian Laodicea ceived, let htm be accursed 's. Command that no
"
(LataUia). Athanasius (cie/ttg. § 26), speaks of his dissolute lite, one hold communion with them ; for light can
condemned even by his own friends."
^ Kiiuwn as 6
^lOf. i;'j6'aA,uos,
"
The one-eyed." He succeeded have no fellowship with darkness. Keep far
the llibturian Euscbiiis in tliu see ot Ca-sarca in 340, and the
off from them ; tor what concord has Christ
Nicoiiicdian Eusebius as a leader of the Arian Court party in 342.
9 Now Ijilijraae. with Belial ? Be careful, beloved brethren, that
«o NowKs.êg on the Drave. Here Constantius deicated Mag-
nentius, a.d. _-;5i. you neither write to them nor receive their
»«
Bishop of Petra in Palestine. {Tnmus ad Antioch. 10.)
There is some coniusion in the names of the sees, and a doubt
whether thcie were really two Petras. Cf. Reland, Palestine, '3 Cf. Acts XX. 29.
p. 2j8, Le CJuien, /'.ast. Christ, iii. 665, 666. '4 'I'hrust on the see of Gaza by the Ariaus oil the deposition
"
Bishop of Petra in Arabia, (.Ath. Hist. Ar. 18, A/>al. cont. of Asclepas QSoz. iii, 8, 12).
Ar. 48). «5 Gal. 1. 8.
letters. Endeavour, beloved and had a beginning, for the everlasting Word has
brethren
fellow-ministers, as though present with us inno beginning, and God will never have an
end. We do not say that the Father is Son, nor
spirit at the council, to give your hearty con-
sent to what is enacted, and affix to it your that the Son is Father ; but that the Father is
written signature, for the sake of preserving Father, and the Son of the Father Son. We
unanimity of opinion among all our fellow- confess that the Son is Power of the Father.
ministers throughout the world ^^. We
confess that the Word is Word of God the
*'
We
declare those men excommunicate from Father, and that beside Him there is no other.
the Catholic Church who say that Christ is We
believe the Word to be the true God, and
God, but not the true God ; that He is the Son, Wisdom and Power. affirm that He is We
but not the true Son ; and that He is both truly the Son, yet not in the way in which
begotten and made ; for such persons acknow- others are said to be sons for they are either :
'
ledge that they unelerstand by the term be- gods ]jy reason of their regeneration, or are
gotten,' that which has been made ; and be- called sons of God on account of their merit,
cause, although the Son of God existed before and not on account of tlaeir being of one
all ages, they attribute to Him, who exists not essence -*, as is the case with the Father and
in time but before all time, a beginning and the Son. We confess an Only-begotten and
an end ^t. a Firstborn ; but that the Word is only-
"Valens and Ursacius have, like two vipers begotten, who ever was and is in the Father.
brought forth by an asp, proceeded from the We use the word firstborn with respect to
Arian heresy. For they boastingly declare His human nature. But He is superior (to
themselves to be undoubted Christians, and yet man) in the new creation ^s (of the Resur-
affirm that the Word and the Hoi) Ghost were rection), inasmuch as He is the Firstborn
both crucified and slain, and that they died from the dead.
"
and rose again ; and they pertinaciously main- We confess that God is we confess ;
tain, like the heretics, that the Father, the Son, the divinity of the Father and of the Son
and the Holy Ghost are of diverse and distinct to be one. No one denies that the Father
essences ^^. We have been taught, and we hold is greater than the Son not on account :
the catholic and apostolic tradition and faith of another essence ^+, nor yet on account
and confession which teach, that the Father, the of their difterence, but simply from the very
Son, and the Holy Ghost have one essence, name of the Father being greater than that
which is termed substance ^9 by the heretics. If of the Son. The words uttered by our Lord,
'
it is asked, What is the essence of the Son ? '/ a/id My Father are one~^,' are by those
'
we confess, that it is that which is acknowledged men explained as referring to the concord
to be that of the Father alone ; for the Father and harmony which prevail between the Father
has never been, nor could ever be, without the and the Son ; but this is a blasphemous and
Son, nor the Son without the Father. It is
perverse interpretation. Wc, as Catholics,
most absurd to affirm that the Father ever unanimously condemned this foolish and lament-
existed without the Son, for that this could never able opinion for just as mortal men on a :
be so has been testified by the Son Hunself, who difterence having arisen between them quarrel
said, / am in the Father, and the Father in and afterwards are reconciled, so do such
'
Me ^° ;'
and / a)id Father are one ^^' None interpreters say that disputes and dissension
'
My
of us denies that He was begotten ; but we say are liable to arise between God the Father
that He was begotten before all things, whether Almighty and His Son ; a supposition which
visible or invisible ; and that He is the Creator is altogether absurd and untenable. But we
of archangels and angels, and of the world, and believe and maintain that those holy words,
of the human race. It is written, Wisdom '7 and Father are one,' point out the one-
'
My
ivhich is the worker of all things taught me ^^,' ness of essence -• which is one and the same
and again, All things tvere made by Him -3.'
'
in the Father and in the Son.
" He could not have existed
always if He had "We also believe that the Son reigns with
the Father, that His reign has neither beginning
16
Here, according to the Version of Athanasius fÂp. coat. Ar. 45), nor end, and that it is not bounded by time,
the Synodical Epistle ends. An argument against the genuinencbS
of the addition lb the introduction of a new lormulu ot laith, while
nor can ever cease for that which always exists
:
from the letter of Athanasius '"ex synodo Alexandrina ad legates never begins to be, and can never cease.
apustolica; sedis," it is plain that nothing was added to the Nieene
Creed. (Labbe iii. 84.) "We believe in and we receive the Holy
'7 This passage is very corrupt :the translation follows the Greek
of Valesius, yei'i'TjTos euTt;' ci/xa koX yei/rjTds. It is not certain that
"
the distinction between dyevi/rjTo; unbegotten," and ayeVrjros, z-t virdcrrao-ts. . «,. •
/- j
"uncreate," was in use quite so early as 344. If the passage is as This translation follows the reading of the All.itian L-oacx,
If we read Koivr) for icaivj?:
spurious and of later date, the distinction might be more naturally adopted by Valesius, rjj Konvy /cTiaei.
found. we must" render "excels or differs in relation tu the common
10 u7ro(7Tao-etl. 19 ovata. *>
John xiv. 10. creation which He shares with m?n.
•6
=•
John X. 30. aa Wisdom vii, aa. 23 John i. 3. John V. -o.
Ghost the Comforter, whom the Lord both Constans was much concerned on hear-
promised and sent. We believe in It as sent. easy temper of his brother, and
ing of the
" It was not the was highly incensed against those who had
Holy Ghost who suffered,
but the manhood witli which He clothed Him- contrived this plot and artfully taken advantage
self; which He took from the Virgin Mary, of it. He chose two of the bishops who had
which being man was capable of suffering for attended the council of Sardica, and sent them
;
man is mortal, whereas God is immortal. We with letters to his brother he also despatched ;
believe that on the third day He rose, the man Salianus, a military commander who was cele-
in God, not God in the man; and that He brated for his piety and integrity, on the same
brought as a gift to His Fadier the man- embassy. The letters which he forwarded
hood which He had delivered from sin and by them, and which were wordiy of himself,
corruption. contained not only entreaties and counsels,
"We believe that, at a meet and fixed time, but also menaces. In the first place, he
He Himself will judge all men and all their charged his brother to attend to all that the
deeds. bishops might say, and to take cognizance
"
So great is the ignorance and mental dark- of the crimes of Stephanus and of his accom-
ness of those whom we have mentioned, that plices. He also required him to restore
they are unable to see the light of truth. They Athanasius to his flock; the calumny of the
cannot comprehend the meaning of the words accusers and the injustice and ill-will of his
:
'
that they may be one in us ^7.' It is obvious former judges having become evident. He
why the word one^ was used ; it was because added, that if he would not accede to his
'
the apostles received the Holy Spirit of God, request, and perform this act of justice, he
and yet there were none amongst them who would himself go to Alexandria, restore Atha-
were the Spirit, neither was there any one of nasius to his flock which earnestly longed
them who was Word, Wisdom, Power, or for him, and expel all opponents.
Only-begotten. As Thou,'' He said, and
*
Constantius was at Antioch when he received
'
I are one, that they ?nay be one in us.' These this letter; and he agreed to carry out all that
'
holy words, that they f?iay be one in usl are his brother commanded.
strictly accurate for the Lord did not say,
:
'one in the same way that I and the Father

are one,' but He said, that the disciples, being
'
VII. CHAPTER
knit together and united, may be one in faith Account of the Bishops Euphratas and Vincen-
and in confession, and so in the grace and tius, and of the plot formed in A?itioch against
piety
of God the Father, and by the indulgence and thetn.
love of our Lord Jesus Christ, may be able to The wonted opponents of the truth were
become one.'" so much
displeased .it these proceedings, that
they planned a notoriously execrable and
im-
From this letter may be learnt the duplicity pious crime.
of the calumniators, and the injustice of the The two bishops resided near the foot of
former judges, as well as the soundness of the the mountain, while the military commander
decrees. These holy fathers have taught us had settled in a lodging in another quarter.
not only truths respecting the Divine nature, At this period Stephanus held the rudder of
but also the doctrine of the Incarnation ^2. the church of Antioch, and had well nigh
sunk the ship, for he employed several tools
27 John xvii. 21. in his despotic doings, and by their aid in-
='* In classical Greek oiKOi<oj>iia is simply the manage-
oiKOfoîa.
tneiu (a) of household, (/3) of the state. In the N.T. we have
.1
volved all who maintained orthodox doctrines
"
it in Luke xvi.
for stewardsliip," and in five other places; in manifold calamities. The leader of these
1 Cor. ix. 17, A. v. "dispensation," K.V. "stewardship;"
instruments was a young man of a rash and
(ij
ui) Eph. i. 10 A.V. and R.V. "dispensation;" (iii) Eph. iii. 2,
A.V. and R.V. "dispensation;" (iv) Col i. 25, A.V. and K.V.
•' " reckless character, who led a very infamous
dispensation (v) i Tim. i. 4, where A.V. adopts the inferior
He not only dragged away men from
;
reading o\Koto\i.y\v , and R.V. renders tlie olKouo/j-iav of i<5AFGKLP life.

by "dispensation." Suiccr gives as the meanings of the word the market-place, and treated them with blows
(i) ministerium evangelii, (ii) providcntia et nunicn quo Dei sapi-
entia omnia moderatur, (iii) ipsa Cliristi natura: humana; assunip- and insult, but had the audacity to enter
tio, (iv) totius redemptionis mystcrium ct passionis Christi Sacra-
mentum. Thcodoret himsell (Ed. Migne iv. 93) says ttjc tvav-
OpiuTrrjaic Se toO WeoO Adyou KoAoO/iei' otKovofiiai', and quaintly
distinguishes (Cant. Cant. p. 83) tj crjui/pra Kal 6 Ai'/Sovot Tovrecmv nation and its consequences, and the latter the teaching which
1) 6to,\oyia Tf leai oifcoi-onia. On a phrase of St. Ignatius (Ei^li. related to the Eternal ;ind Divine nature of Christ. The first step
xviii.), '6 p^ptoTO? iKvo4>op'r]6^ vno Mapta? /car* otKOi'OfAtar," Hp. towards this special appropriation of oi»coi'o/oiia to the Incarnation
Lightfoot (Âftosiolic FatJters, II. p. 75 note) writes: "The word is found in St. Paul e g. Ephes. i. 10, eis oin oi'Oniai/ToO irATjpoi-
;
oi/coro/nia came to be applied more especially to the Incarnation Haros Twi- Katpuv. ... In this passage of Ignatius it is moreover
connected with the reserve' of God (xix. ei/ iia-vîa Oeoii (wpaxOr)].
'
because this was par excellence the system or plan which God
Thus economy has already reached its first stage on the way to
'
'
had ordained for the government of His household and the dis-
Hence in tlie province of theology, the sense of dissimulation,' which was afterwards connected wit
'
pensation of His stores.

oiKoi'Ofiia was distinguished by the fathers from SeoAoyia proper, it, and which led to disastrous consequences
in the theology and
the former being the teaching which was concerned with the Incar- practice of a later age." Cf. H ev,- man's A ri'ans, chap. i. sec. 3.
pnvate houses, whence he carried off men first examined, and declared that the agents of
and women of irreproachable character. But, Stephanus must undergo the torture too. To this
not to be too prolix in relating his crimes, I will Stephanus insolently objected, alleging that the
merely narrate his daring conduct towards the clergy ought not to be scourged. The emperor
bishops ;
for this alone is sufficient to give and the principal authorities then decided that
an idea of the unlawful deeds of violence which it would be better to judge the cause in the
he perpetrated against the citizens. He went palace. The woman was first of all questioned,
to one of the lowest women of the town, and and was asked by whom she was conducted
told her that some strangers had just arrived, to the inn where the bishops were lodging.
who desired to pass the night with her. He She replied, that a young man came to her,
took fifteen of his band, placed them in hiding and told her that some strangers had arrived
among the stone walls at the bottom of the who were desirous of her company ; that in the
hill, and then went for the prostitute. After evening he conducted her to the inn that he- ;
giving the preconcerted signal, and learning went to look for his band, and when he had
that the folk privy to the plot were on the found it, brought her in through the door of
spot, he went to the gate of the courtyard the court, and desired her to go into the
belonging to the inn where the bishops were chamber adjoining the vestibule. She added,
lodging. The doors were opened by one of that the bishop asked who was there ; that he
the household servants, who had been bribed was alarmed ; and that he began to pray ; and
by him. He then conducted the woman into that then others ran to the spot.
the house, pointed out to her the door of the
room where one of the bishops slept, and
desired her to enter. Then he went out to CHAPTER Vin.
call his accomplices. The door which he had
Stephanus deposed.
pointed out happened to be that of Euphratas,
tlie elder bishop, whose room was the outer After the judges had heard these replies,
of those who had
of the two. Vincentius, the other bishop, they ordered the youngest
the inner room. When the woman been arrested to be brought before them.
occupied
entered the room of Euphratas, he heard the Before he was subjected to the examination by
sound of her footsteps, and, as it was then scourging, he confessed the whole plot, and
dark, asked who was there. She spoke, and stated that it was planned and carried into
Euphratas was full of alarm, for he thought execution by Onager. On
this latter being
that it was a devil imitating the voice of a brought in he affirmed that he had only acted
woman, and he called upon Christ the Saviour according to the commands of Stephanus.
The
for aid. for this was the name of guilt of Stephanus being thus demonstrated, the
Onager,
the leader of this wicked band (a name ' bishops then present were charged to depose
peculiarly appropriate to him, as he not only him,
and expel him from the Church. By his
used his hands but also his feet as weapons expulsion the Church was not, however, wholly
against the pious), had in the meantime re- freed from
the plague of Arianism. Leontius,
turned with his lawless crew, denouncing as who succeeded hmi in his presidency, was
criminals those who were expecting to be a Phrygian of so subtle and artful a disposi-
judges of crime themselves. At the noise tion, that he might be said to resemble the
which was made all the servants came running sunken rocks of the sea ^ We shall presently
him ^.
in, and up got Vincentius. They closed the narrate more concerning
gate of the courtyard, and captured seven of
the gang ; but Onager and the rest made off. CHAPTER IX.
The woman was committed to custody with
those who had been seized. At the break of The second return of Saint Athanasius.
day the bishops awoke the officer who had The emperor Constantius, having become
come with them, and they all three proceeded acquainted with the plots formed against the
together to the palace, to complain of the bishops, wrote to the great Athanasius once,
audacious acts of Stephanus, whose evil deeds, and twice, aye and thrice, exhorting him to
they said, were too evident to need either trial
or torture to prove them. The general loudly •
(âtri 5e Kal i/rjccrcrii'
aAiTrAoi/tiCTeri. \'.pi.ous
Tcis V(|)aAous TreVpas TWj/ <âv£ptt»^ (xni\d.6oiV*
demanded ot the emperor that the audacious Anth. Pal xi. 390.
2
Leontius, Bishop of Antioch from a.d. 348 to 357,
was one of
act should not be dealt with synodically, but the School ol Lucianus. (Philost. cf.
iii.
15), pp- 38 and 41, notes.
Athanasius says hard things of him {de/ug. 26), but Dr. Salmon
by ordinary legal process, and offered to give \
of opinion that "we may charitably
{Diet. Christ. Biog. s.v.)is
up the clergy attached to the bishops to be think that the gentleness and love ot peace which all attest were
not mere hypocrisy, and may impute his toleration of heretics to
no worse cause than insufficient appreciation of the importance
*
'Ovaypos
= wild ass of the issues involved." Vide infra, chap. xix.
return from the \\'est '. I shall here insert the

second letter, because it is the shortest of the CHAPTER X.
three.
Third exile andflight of Athanasius,
Constantius Augustus the Conqueror to Those who had obtained entire ascendency
Athanasius. over the mind of Constantius, and influenced
" him as they pleased, reminded him that Atha-
AlUiough I have already apprised you by
previous letters, that you can, without fear of nasius had been the cause of the differences
molestation, return to our court, in order that between his brother and himself, which had
you may, according to my ardent desire, be nearly led to the rupture of the bonds of
reinstated in your own bishopric, yet I now nature, and the kindling of a civil war. Con-
again despatch another letter to your gravity to stantius was induced by these representations
exhort you to take immediately, without fear not only to banish, but also to condemn the
or suspicion, a public vehicle and return to us, holy Athanasius to deadi ; and he accordingly
in order that you may receive all that you despatched Sebastianus', a military commander,
desire." with a very large body of soldiery to slay him,
When Athanasius returned, Constantius re- as if he had been a criminal. How the one
ceived him with kindness, and bade him go led the attack and the other escaped will be
back to the Church of Alexandria ^ But there best told in the words of him who so suf-
were some attached to the court, infected with fered and was so wonderfully saved.
the errors of Arianism, who maintained that Thus Athanasius writes in his Apology for his
Athanasius ought to cede one church to those Flight:
— "Let the circumstances of my retreat
who were unwilling to hold communion with be investigated, and the testimony of the
him. On this being mentioned to the emperor, opposite faction be collected ; for Arians ac-
and by the emperor to Athanasius, he re- companied the soldiers, as well for the pur-
marked, that the imperial command appeared pose of spurring them on, as of pointing
to be just; but that he also wished to make me out to those who did not know me. If
a request. The emperor readily promising to they are not touched with sympathy at the
grant him whatever he might ask, he said that tale I tell, at least let them listen in the
those in Antioch 3 who objected to hold com- silence of shame. It was night, and some
munion with the party now in possession of the of the people were keeping vigil, for a com-
churches wanted temples to pray in, and that munion 2 was expected. A body of soldiers
it was
only fair that one House of God also be suddenly advanced upon them, consisting of
assigned to them. This request was deemed a generals and five thousand armed men with
just and reasonaljle by the emperor; but the naked swords, bows and arrows, and clubs, as
leaders of the Arian taction resisted its being I have already stated. The general surrounded
carried into execution, maintaining that neither the church, posting his men in close order,
party ought to have the churches assigned to that those within might be prevented from
them. Constantius on this was struck with going out. I deemed that I ought not in such
high admiration for Athanasius, and sent him a time of confusion to leave the people, but
back to Alexandria! Gregorius was dead, hav- that I ought rather to be the first to meet the
ing met his end at the hands of the Alexandrians danger; so I sat down on my throne and
themselves s. The people kept high holiday in desired the deacon to read a psalm, and the
honour of their pastor; feasting marked their people to respond, For His mercy endureth for '
joy at seeing him again, and praise was given ever.' Then I bade them all return to their own
to God ^. Not long after Constans departed houses. But now the general with the soldiery
this life 7. forced his way into the church, and surrounded
the sanctuary in order to arrest me. The clergy
laity who had remained clamorously
* Athanasius had gone fiom Sardica to Naissvis (in vipper and the
Dacia), and thence to Aquileia, wliere he was received by Con-
stans. A(>. ad Const. ? 4, 3- i!
besought me to withdraw. This I firmly refused
= Athanasius went from
Aquilcia to Rome, where lie saw Julius to do until all the others had retreated. I rose,
again, thence to Treves to the Court of Constans, and back to the
East to Antioch, where the conversation about the "one churcli" had a prayer offered, and directed all the
took place. Soc. Soz. 20.
ii. 23 ;
3 i.e. the friends of Kust;ithius.

iii.
people to retire.
'
It is better,' said I,
'
for me
4The more significant from the fact that Constantius affected meet the danger alone, than
a more than human impassibility. Cf. the graphic account of his
to for any of you
"
entry into Rome velut coUo munito rectam acicm lumiiunn
tendens, nee de.xtra vultum ncc lacva llectcbat, tanquam fignicntum
hominis : non cum rota concuteret nutans nee spueas aut os aut at lUiberis (re-named Helena by Constantine, and now Elne,
nasum tergens vel fricans nianumve aîtans visus est unquam." in Roussilloii), a.d. 350.
Amm. Marc. xvi. 10. 5 About I'eb. AD. 345.
'
Probably .i>/7i!««i-, who is described by Athanasius him..,clf
* Oct. A.u.
346. Fest. Ind. The return is described by Gregory as sent to get hnn removed from Alexandria, but as denying that
of Nazi.'iizus (Orat. 21). Authorities, however, difi'er as to wliich he had the written authority of Constantius. This was in Jan.
return he paints. A.D. 356. 2 Cf. p. 52 note.
(nivalis.
7 i.e. was murdered by the troops of the usurper Magnentius 3 Syrianus. Ath. Ap. ad Coftst. S 25.
11. TI.] OF TIIEODORET. 75
to be hurt.' When the greater number of the the darkness of night were seized and torn
Seals were fixed
people had left the church, and just as the rest away from their dwellings.
were foUowing, the monks and some of the on many houses. The brothers of the clergy
clergy who had remained came up and drew were in peril for their brothers' sake. These
mc out. And so, may the truth be my witness, cruelties were very atrocious, but still more so
the Lord leading and protecting me, we passed were those which were sul3sequently perpe-
through the midst of the soldiers, some of trated. In the week following the holy festival
whom were stationed around the sanctuary, of Pentecost, the people who were keeping
and others marching about the church. Thus a fast came out to the cemetery^ to pray,
I went out unperceived, and fervently thanked because they all renounced any communion
God that I had not abandoned the people, but with Georgius. This vilest of men was informed
that after they had been sent away in safety, of this circumstance, and he incited Sebastianus
I had been enabled to escape from the hands the military commander, a Manichean3,to attack
of those who sought my life ." the people and, accordingly, on the Lord's day ;
itself he rushed upon them with a large body of

armed soldiers wielding naked swords, and bows,
CHAPTER XI. and arrows. He found but few Christians in
^
the act of praying, for most of them had retired
The evil and daring deeds done by Georgius in
on account of the lateness of the hour. Then
Alexandria.
he did such deeds as might be expected from
Athanasius having thus escaped the blood- one who had lent his ears to such teachers.
stainedhands of his adversaries, Georgius, He ordered a large fire to be lighted, and the
who was truly another wolf, was entrusted virgins to be brought close to it, and then tried
with authority over the liock. He treated the to compel them to declare themselves of the
sheep with more cruelty than wolf, or bear, Arian creed. When he perceived that the}'
or leopard could have shewn. He compelled were conquering, and giving no heed to the
young women who had vowed perpetual vir- fire, he ordered them to be stripped naked,
and
not only to disown the communion of
ginity, to be beaten until their faces for a long while
Athanasius, but also to anathematize the faith were scarcely recognisable. He then seized
of the fathers. The agent in his cruelty was forty men, and inflicted on them a new kind of
Sebastianus, an officer in command of troops. torture. He ordered them to be scourged with
He ordered a fire to be kindled in the centre branches of palm-trees, retaining their thorns ;
of the city, and placed the virgins, who were and by these their flesh was so lacerated that
stripped naked, close to it, commanding them some because of the thorns fixed fast in them
to deny the faith. Although they formed had again and again to put themselves under
a most sorrowful and pitiable spectacle for the surgeon's hand others were not able to
;
believers as well as for unbelievers, they con- bear the agony and died. All who survived,
sidered that all these dishonours conferred the and also the virgins, were then banished to
highest honour on them; and they joyfully the Greater Oasis. They even refused to give
received the blows inflicted on them on account up the bodies of the dead to their kinsfolk
of their faith. All these facts shall be more for burial,but flung them away unburied, and
clearly narrated by their own pastor. hid them just as they pleased, in order that
" About
Lent, Georgius returned from Cap- it might appear that they had nothing to do
padocia, and added to the evils which he with these cruel transactions, and were ignorant
had been taught by our enemies. After the of them. But they were deceived in this
Easter week virgins were cast into prison, foolish expectation for the friends of the
:
bishops were bound and dragged av/ay by the slain, while they rejoiced at the
faithfulness
soldiers, the homes of widows and of orphans of the deceased, deeply lamented the loss ol
were pillaged, robbery and violence went on the corpses, and spread abroad a full account
from house to house, and the Christians during of the cruelty that had been perpetrated.
"The following bishops were banished from
4 Ath. Ap. deftig. \ 24. Egypt and from Libya Ammonius, Muius, :
—
Georgius, a fraudulent contractor of Constantinople (Ath.
I
Cams, Philo, Hermes, Plenius, Psinosiris,
Hist. Ar. 75), made Arian Bishop of Alexandria on the expulsion
of Athanasius, in a.d. 356, was born in a UiUer's shop at Ejiiphania Niiaminon, Agapius, Anagamphus, Marcus,
in Cilicia.(Amm. Marc. xxii. 11, 3.) He was known as "the
Cappadocian,"and further illustrates the old saying of
"
KawTrafioKts Dracontius, Adelphius, another Ammonius,
Kpt)T€S KiAiKe?, Tpia Kairrra KaKicna," and the kindred epigram another Marcus, and Athenodorus ; and also
KixmT'xdoKrjv nor' ey.Sva KaKrj 6dKct/* dAAd /cat avr/j
KarOaui yeuo*a)u.eV7) aifiaTOS to/36Aou.
The crimes of the brutal "Antipope" (Prof. Bright in Did. 2
KoifxijTijpioi', or sleeping-place. Cf. Chrysost ed. Migne. ii.
Christ. Biog.) are many, but he was a book-collector. (Jul. Ep.

" the infamous The account of the system of Manesor Mani is to be
ix. 36, cf. Gibbon I. Chap. 23.) Gibbon says George 3 earliest
of Cappadocia has been transformed into the renowned St. George found in Euseb. H.E. vii. 31. From the end of the thivd centuiv
of England ;" an identity sufficiently disproved. it made rapid progress.
y6 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [II. II.
the presbyters Hierax and Dioscorusl These the receipt of the imperial letter, but they
were all driven into exile in so cruel a manner were far from acting according to its directions.
that many died on the road, and others at the On the contrary, they told the emperor to his
place of their banishment. The persecutors face that what he had commanded was unjust
caused the death s of more than thirty bishops. and impious. For this act of courage they
For, like Ahab, their mind was set on rooting were expelled from the Church, and relegated
out the truth, had it been possible ^." to the furthest boundaries of the empire.
Athanasius also, in a letter addressed to the The admirable Athanasius thus mentions
virgins
7 who were treated with so much bar- this circumstance in his
" can
Apology
^ "
Who," :
—
uses the words " Let none he narrate such atrocities as they
barity, following :
writes,
of you be grieved although these impious have perpetrated ? A short time ago when
heretics grudge you burial and prevent your the Churches were in the enjoyment of peace,
corpses being carried forth. The impiety of and when the people were assembled for
the Arians has reached such a height, that prayer, Liberius 3, bishop of Rome, Paulinus,
they block up the gates, and sit like so many bishop of the metropolis of Gaul 4, Dionysius,
demons around the tombs, in order to hinder bishop of the metropolis of Italy s^ Luciferus,
the dead from being interred." bishop of the metropolis of the Isles of
These and many other similar atrocities Sardinia ^, and Eusebius, bishop of one of the
were perpetrated by Georgius in Alexandria. cities of Italy t, who were all exemplary bi.shops
The holy Athanasius was well aware that and preachers of the truth, were seized and
there was no spot which could be considered driven into exile, for no other cause than
a place of safety for him ; for the emperor had because they could not assent to the Arian
promised a very large reward to whoever heresy, nor sign the false accusation which
should bring him alive, or his head as a proof had been framed against us. It is unnecessary
of his death. that I should speak of the great Hosius, that
aged^ and faithful confessor of the faith, for
every one knows that he also was sent into
CHAPTER Xn. banishment. Of all the bishops he is the
Council of Milan.
most illustrious. What council can be men-
tioned in which he did not preside, and con-
After the death of Constans, Magnentius vince all
present by the power of his reason-
assumed the chief authority over the Western What Church does not still retain the
ing ?
empire and, to repress his usurpation, Con- glorious memorials of his protection ? Did
;
slantius repaired to Europe. But this war,

any one ever go to him sorrowing, and not
severe as it was, did not put an end to the leave him Who ever asked his aid,
rejoicing ?
war against the Church. Constantius, who and did not obtain all that he desired ? Yet
had embraced Arian tenets and readily yielded
they had the boldness to attack this great man,
to the influence of others, was persuaded to
simply because, from his knowledge of the
convoke a council at Milan', a city of Italy,
impiety of their calumnies, he refused to affix
and first to compel all the assembled bishops his
signature to their artful accusations agains
to sign the deposition enacted by the inus."
iquitous judges at Tyre and then, since
;
Athanasius had been expelled from the From the above narrative will be seen the
Church, to draw up another confession of violence of the Arians against these holy men.
faith. The bishops assembled in council on Athanasius also
gives in the same book an
account of the numerous plots formed by the
4 One Ammonius had been consecrated by Alexander, and was
bishop ol Pacnemunis (Ath, ati Drnc. 210, and Hist. Ar. { 72).
Anoilier was apparently consecrated by Athanasius {Hist. Ar.\ 72).
2
An Ammonius was banished to the Upper Oasis (id.). Cains was fug. \ 4 and \ S-
A/>ol. lie , ,
the orthodox bishop of Thnuiis. Philo was banished to lialiylun 3 For the persecution and vacillation of Liberius, "one of the
"
few Popes that can be charged with heresy (Principal Barniby in
(Hist. Ar. $72, cf. Jer. Vita Hitarionis y>). Mniiis, Psinosnis,
Nilammon, Plcnius, Marcus the sees of these two Marci were Diet. Christ. Biog. s.v.), see also Ath. Hist. vlr. { 35 et seqq.
Zygra and Phila;j, and Athenodorus, were relegated to the parts
4 Treves. Dionysius w.is the successor of St. Maximinus and
about the Libyan Amnion, nine days' journey Irom Alexandria, a firm champion ol orthodoxy. Cf. Snip. Sev. II. 52.
5 Milan. Paulinus was banished to Cappadocia.
only that they might perish on the road. One did die. {Hist Ar. 6 Calaris
\ 72.) Adelpliius was bishop of Onuphis in the Delta, and was (Cagliari). Luciferus, a vehement defender of Atha-
sent to the Tlicbaid. (Join, ad Ant. 615. j Dracontius, to whom n.isius, was banished to Eleutheropolis in Palestine. Mr. LI.
Athanasius addressed a letter, went to the deserts about Clysma Davies (Vict. Christ. Biog. s.v.), thinks the traditional story ol
the imprisonment of Luciferus at Milan, to prevent his outspoken
(25 m. s.w. ol Suez;, and Hierax and Dio.scorus to Syene (Assouan
{Hist. Ar. \ 72), whither Tr.ijan had banished Juvenal. advocacy ol Athanasius, shews internal evidence of probability.
5 Some authorities lead more mildly, "drove into exile." 7 Eusebius, bishop ol Vercellse (Vercelli), was a staunch Atha-
6 fie Jug. \ 7. Cf. Hist. Ar. i 72. nasian. He was banished to Scytlmpolis, where the bishop Patro-
"A/>.
7 Ha;c Atlianasii Epistola hodie quod sciam non extat." philus (ct. P.ook 1. chapter VI. and XX.), a leading Arian, was, he
Valesius. says, his "jailer." (Vide his letters.)
' Aihanasius was condemned at Aries (353) as well as at Milan **
The epithet tvyripoTaTos telicilously describes the honoured
in 355. At the latter place Constantius atVected more than his old age of the bishop ol Cordova^he was now a hundred years old
father's infallibiluy, and exclaimed,
" What 1
will, be that a Canon." (Hist. Ar. }45)
—
before his pitiable lapse. He was sent to Sir-
Ath. Hist. Ar. i 33. niium (Mitrovitz).
of Arian many was

the bishop of Cordova, and was the most
chiefs
others :
— " the
Did any one,"
faction against
" whom
highly distinguished of all those who assembled
said he,
they persecuted and got into tlieir power ever at the council of Nicsea ; he also obtained the
escape from them without suffering what in- first place among those convened at Sardica.
Was any one I now desire to insert in
juries they pleased to inflict ? my history an
who was an object of their search found by account of the admirable arguments addressed
them whom they did not subject to the most by the far-famed Liberius, in defence of the
agonizing death, or else to the mutilation of truth, to the emperor Constantius. They are
all his limbs ? The sentences inflicted by the recorded by some of the pious men of that
judges are all attributable to these heretics ; period in order to stimulate others to the
for the judges are but the agents of their will, exercise of similar zeal in divine things.
and of their malice. Where is there a place Liberius had succeeded Julius, the successor
which contains no memorial of their atrocities ? of Silvester, in the government of the church
If any one ever differed from them in opinion, of Rome.
did they not, like Jezebel, falsely accuse and
oppress him ? Where is there a church which
has not been plunged in sorrow by their plots XIIT. CHAPTER
against its bishop? Antioch has to mourn
the loss of Eustathius, the faithful and the Conference between Liberius., Pope of Rome, and
the Emperor Constantius '.
orthodox 9. Balaneae weeps for Euphration '°
Paltus " and Antaradus " for Cymatius and Constantius. " We have judged it right,
;
—
Carterius. Adrianople has been called to de- as you are a Christian and the bishop of our
plore the loss of the well-beloved Eutropius '3^ city, to send for you in order to admonish you
and of Lucius his successor, who was re- to abjure all connexion with the folly of the
peatedly loaded with chains, and expired impious Athanasius. For when he was sepa-
beneath their weight '. Ancyra, Beroea, and rated from the communion of the Church
Gaza had to mourn the absence of Marcellus 'S^ by the synod the whole world approved of
^^
Cyrus and Asclepas '7, who, after having suf- the decision."
fered much ill-treatment from this deceitful sect, Liberius. " O
Emperor, ecclesiastical sen-
—
were driven into exile. Messengers were sent tences ought to be enacted with strictest
in quest of Theodulus '^ and therefore, if it be pleasing to your
Olympius'9, bi- justice :
shops of Thrace, as well as of me and of the piety, order the court to be assembled, and. if
presbyters of my diocese and had they found it be seen that Athanasius deserves condemna-
;
us, we should no doubt have been put to tion, then let sentence be passed upon him
death. But at the very time that they were according to ecclesiastical forms. For it is
planning our destruction we effected our es- not possible for us to condemn a man unheard
cape, although they had sent letters to Donatus, and untried."
the proconsul, against Olympius, and to Phila- Constantius.
"
The whole world has con- —
grius=^°, against me." demned his impiety; but he, as he has done
from the first, laughs at the danger."
Such were the audacious acts of this impious Liberius.
"
Those who signed the con- —
faction against the most holy Christians. Hosius demnation were not eye-witnesses of anything
that occurred ; but were actuated by the desire
9 Cf. Book I. Chap. 20. of glory, and by the fear of disgrace at thy
'o is mentioned also in Hist. Ar. § 5.
Euphration Balaneae
hands."
is now Banias on
«2 In
the coast of Syria.
" Now Boldo, a little to the
Phoenicia, now Tortosa.
N. of Banias. The Emperor. —
" What do
"
you mean by
" and disgrace ?
»3 Agood and excellent man," Ath. Hist. Ar. § 5. glory and fear
»4 Vide p. 68, note.
'5 On the question of the orthodoxy of Marcellus of
Ancyra
Liberius. — "
Those who love not the glory
(Angora), vide the conflicting opinions of Bp. Lightfoot {Diet. of God, but who attach greater value to thy
Christ. Bio^. ii. 342), and Mr. Ffoulkes (id. iii. 810). Ath. {Apol.
contra Ar. J 47) says of the Council of Sardica, "The book of our gifts,have condemned a man whom they have
brother Marcellus was also read, by which the frauds of the Euse-
neither seen nor judged ;
this is very contrary
bians were plainly discovered . . his faith was found to be cor-
.
67, note. to the principles of Christians."

The Emperor. —
rect," cf. p.
16 The
successor of Eustathius at Beroea, cf. p. 41, note 65. " Athanasius was tried in
Socrates says the statement that Cyrus accused Eustathius of
Sabellianism is an Arian calumny (Soc. i. 24 ii. 9.).
'7 Asclepas or yEsculapius was at Tyre (p. 62), and was de-
;
person at the council of Tyre, and all the
posed on the charge of overturning an altar, us flucrcao'Tijptoi' bishops of the world at that synod condemned
'8 Vide
avarpeil/a'; (Soz. iii. 8). p. 68. him."
19 Bishop of ./Enos in Thrace, now Enos. (Hist. Ar. i 19.)
Here was shown the tomb of Polydorus. Plin. 4, 11, 18.
Virgil
(./En. iii. 18) makes iEneas call it .lEneadse, but see Conington's
note. ' The interview took place at Mil.in, after the Eunuch Euse-
20
Philagrius was prsefect
"
of Egypt a.d. 335 340. Ath. — bius. Chamberlain ol Constantius, had
in vain tried to win over the
(Ep. E}icyc.) calls him a persecutor of the Church and her bishop at Rome, and had exasperated him by making an improper
virgins, an apostate of bad character." offering at the shrine of St. Peter. (Hist. Ar. \ 86.)
78 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [11. 13.
LiRERius. — " No
judgment has ever been reinstated in their own bishoprics. If, when
passed on him in
his presence. Those all this has been carried into execution, it can
who there assembled condemned him after he be shown that the doctrines of all those who
had retired." now fill the churches with trouble are conform-
EusEBius THE EuNUCH = foohshly inter- able to the apostolic faith, then we will all
posed.
" —
It was demonstrated at the council assemble at Alexandria to meet the accused,
of Nicaia that he held opinions entirely at the accusers, and their defender, and after
variance with the catholic faith." having examined the cause, we will pass judg-
LiEERius. —
"Of all those who sailed to ment upon it."
Mareotis, and who were sent for the pur- Epictetus the Bishop. " There will not —
pose of drawing up memorials against the be sufticient post-carriages to convey so many
accused, five delivered the sentence bishops."
against him. Of
only
the five who were thus sent, Liberius. "Ecclesiastical aff"airs can be—
two are now dead, namely, Theognis and transacted without post-carriages. The churches
Theodorus. The three others, Maris, Valens, are able to provide means for the conveyance
and Ursacius, are still living. Sentence was of their respective bishops to the sea coast ."
passed at vSardica against all those who were The Emperor. " The sentence which has —
sent for this purpose to Mareotis. They pre- once been passed ought not to be revoked
sented a petition to the council soliciting The decision of the greater number of bishops
pardon for having drawn up at Mareotis me- ought to prevail. You alone retain friendship
morials against Athanasius, consisting of false towards that impious man."
accusations and depositions of only one party. Liberius. — "O
Emperor, it is a thing
Their petition is still in our hands. Whose hitlierto unheard of, that a judge should ac-
cause are we to espouse, O Emperor? With cuse the absent of impiety, as if he were his
whom are we to agree and hold communion? personal enemy."
With those who first condemned Athanasius, The Emperor,^" All without exception
and then solicited pardon for having con- have been injured by him, but none so
demned liim, or with tliose who have con- deeply as I have been. Not content with
demned these latter?" the death of my eldest brothers, he never
Epictetus3 the Bishop. — "O
Emperor, it ceased to excite Constans, of blessed memory,
is not on behalf of the
faith, nor in defence to enmity against me ; but I, with much mod-
of ecclesiastical judgments that Liberius is eration, put up alike with the vehemence of
pleading; but merely in order that he may both the instigator and his victim. Not one
boast before the Roman senators of having of the victories which I have gained, not even
concjucred the emperor in argument." excepting those over Magnentius and Silva-
—
The Emperor {addressiiig Liberius). "What nus, equals the ejection of this vile man from
portion do you constitute of the universe, that the government of the Church.'"
you alone by yourself take part with an im- Liberius. —
"Do not vindicate your own
pious man, and are destroying the peace of hatred and revenge, O Emperor, by the in-
the empire and of the whole world ?" strumentality of bishops ; for their hands
Liberius. —
"My standing alone does not ought only to be raised for purposes of bles-
make the truth a whit the weaker. According sing and of sanctification. If it be consonant
to the ancient story, there are found but three with your will, command the bishops to return
men resisting a decree." to their own residences ; and if it appear that
—
EusEBius the Eunuch. "You make our they are of one mind with him who to-day
emperor a Nebuchadnezzar." maintains the true doctrines of the confession
Liberius. —
"
By no means. But you rashly of faith signed at Nicaâ, then let them come
condemn a man without any trial. What I together and see to the peace of the world, in
desire is, in the first place, that a general confes- order that an innocent man may not serve as
sion of faith be signed, confirming that drawn a mark for reproach."
up at the council of Nicaâ. And secondly, that
all our brethren be recalled from exile, and 4 A
passage of Ammianus Marcellinus (xxi. 16) on the "cursus
publicus" has been made famous by Gibbon. "The Christian
religion, which in itself is plain and simple, Constantius con-
founded by the dotage of superstition. Instead of reconciling the
= Iadopt the suggestion of V.nlcsius, that oAdyco? refers not parties by the weight of his authority, he cherished and propagated,
to the condemnation, but to the foolish remark of the
imperiai by verbal disputes, the differences which his vain curiosity had ex-
chamberlain. Another expedient lor clearing Eusebius of the cited. The highways were covered with troops of bishops gallop-
absurdity ot saying that Athanasius was condemned at Niccea, ing from every side to the assemblies which they call synods;
where he triumphed, has been to read Tyre for Nicii'ii. and while they laboured to reduce the whole sect to their own
3 Bishop ot CentumcelUe (Civiia "
Vecchia) ; a bold young was almost
particular opinions, the public establishment of the posts
fellow, ready for any mischief." A protc'ge of the Cappadoci.an ruined by their hasty and repeated journeys." Gibbon, chap. xx.
Georgius. he wasân Arian o: the worst type, and had elTected the 5 Constantine II. had befriended
Athanasius, but the patriarch
substitution of Felix for Liberius in the Roman see by irregular was neither directly nor indirectly responsible for his att.ack on
and scandalous means. iÂXh.Hiit. Ar. \ 75.; Constans and his death.
The Emperor. — "One question only

continued, re- "
being men, he would deem it an
quires to be made. I wish you to enter into unpardonable ofience but if you were your- ;
communion with the churches, and to send you selves to present the petition, he would at any
back to Rome. Consent therefore to peace, rate spare you, and would either accede to
and sign your assent, and then you shall re- your request, or else dismiss you without in-
turn to Rome." These noble ladies adopted this sug-
LiBERius. " I— jury."
have already taken leave of gestion, and presented themselves before the em-
the bretliren who are in that city. The de- peror in all their customary splendour of array,
crees of the Church are of greater importance that so the sovereign, judging their rank from
than a residence in Rome." their dress, might count them worthy of being
—
The Emperor. " You have three days to treated with courtesy and kindness. Thus en-
consider whether you will sign the document tering the presence, they besought him to take
and return to Rome ; if not, you must choose pity on the condition of so large a city, de
the place of your banishment." prived of its shepherd, and made an easy prey
LiDERius. " —
Neither three days nor three to the attacks of wolves. The emperor re-
months can change my sentiments. Send me plied, that the flock possessed a shepherd
wherever you please." capable of tending it, and that no other was
After the lapse of two days the emperor needed in the city. For after the banishment
sent for Liberius, and finding his opinions un- of the great Liberiu.s, one of his deacons,
changed, he commanded him to be banished named Felix, had been appointed bishop. He
to Beroea, a city of Thrace. Upon the de- preserved inviolate the doctrines set forth in
parture of Liberius, the emperor sent him five the Nicene confession of faith, yet he held
hundred pieces of gold to defray his expenses. communion with those who had corrupted that
liberius said to the messenger who brought faith. For this reason none of the citizens of
"
them, Go, and give them back to the em- Rome would enter the House of Prayer while
peror ; he has need of them to pay his troops." he was in it. The ladies mentioned these facts
The empress ^ also sent him a sum of the same to the emperor. Their jêrsuasions were suc-
amount he said, " Take it to the emperor, cessful; and he commanded that the great
;
for he may want it to pay his troops but if Liberius should be recalled from exile, and
;
not, let it be given to Auxentius and Epictetus, that the two bishops should conjointly rule the
for they stand in need of it." Eusebius the Church. The edict of the emperor was read in
eunuch brought him other sums of money, and the circus, and the multitude shouted that the
"
he thus addressed him You have turned imperial ordinance was just; that the specta-
:
all the churches of the world into a desert, tors were divided into two factions, each de-
and do you bring alms to me, as to a criminal ? riving its name from its own colours % and that
Begone, and become first a Christian 7." He each faction would now have its own bishop,
was sent into exile three days afterwards, with- ilfter having thus ridiculed the edict of the
out having accepted anything that was oftered emperor, they all exclaimed with one voice,
" One
him. God, one Christ, one bishop." I have
deemed it right to set down their precise
CHAPTER XIV. words. Some time after this Christian people
had uttered these pious and righteous accla-
Coticerning the Banishment and Return of the
mations, the holy Liberius returned, and Felix
Holy Liberius.
retired to another city.
This victorious champion of the truth was I have, for the sake of preserving order,
the
sent into Thrace, according to imperial appended this narrative to what relates to the
order. Two years after this event Constantius proceedings of the bishops at Milan.
I shall
went to Rome. The ladies of rank urged their now return to the relation of events in their
husbands to petition the emperor for the re- due course.
storation of the shepherd to his flock they CHAPTER XV.
:
added, that if this were not granted, they would

desert them, and go themselves after their Council of Arimiuum'^.
great pastor. Their husbands replied, that When all who defended the faith had
they were afraid of incurring the resentment of been removed, those who moulded the
" If we were to ask
the emperor. him," they
I There were
originally four factions in the Circus blue, green,
;
white, and red. Domitian added two more, golden and purple.
6 Eusebia. Constantius II. was thrice married ; (i) A.D. 336 But the blue and the green absorbed the rest, and divided the
(Eus. Vit. Cotisi- iv. 49), to his cousin Constantia, sister of Julian multitude at the games. Cf. Juv. XI. 197.
" Totam hodie Romam circus capit, et fragor aurem
(vid. Pedigree in prolog.) ; (ii) A.u. 352, to Aurelia Eusebia, an
" ot Percutit, eventum viridis quo colligo panni."
Arian exceptional beauty of body and mind" (Amm. Marc.
xxi. 6), and (iii) A.D. 360 or 361, to Faustina. Cf. Amm. Marc. xiv. 6, and Plin. Ep. ix. 6,
I A.D.
7 Liberius does not reckon the Arian eunuch as a Christian. 359.
8o THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [11. 15.
mind of the emperor according to their own the Church Catholic might be set forth, and
themselves that tlie faith which
will, flattering its opponents exposed. After long con-
they opposed might be easily subverted, and sideration we have found it to be plainly
Arianism estabUshed in its stead, persuaded best for us to hold fast and guard, and by
Constantius to convene the Bishojxs of both East guarding keep safe unto the end, the faith
and West at Ariminum^, in order to remove from established from the
preached by
first,
the Creed the terms which had been devised by and Evangelists, and Apostles,
Prophets,
the Fathers to counteract the corrupt craft of through our Lord Jesus Christ, warden of
Arius,
" —
substance 3," and "of one substance*." thy empire, and champion of thy salvation.
For they would have it that these terms had For it is plainly absurd and unlawful to make
caused dissension between church and church. any change in the doctrines rightly and justly
On their assembling in synod the partizans of defined, and in matters examined at Nicasa
the Arian faction strove to trick the majority with the cognisance of the right glorious
of the bishops, especially those of cities of Constantine, thy Father and Emperor, whereof
the Western Empire, who were men of simple the teaching and spirit was published and
and unsophisticated ways. The body of the preached that mankind might hear and under-
Church, they argued again and again, must stand. This faith was destined to be the one
not be torn asunder for the sake of two terms rival and destroyer of the Arian heresy, and
which are not to be found in the Bible and, by it not only the Arian itself, but likewise all
;
while they confessed the propriety of describing other heresies were undone. To this faith to
like" the Father, add aught is verily perilous ; from it to subtract
^^
the Son as in all things
If it have either
pressed the omission of the word '^substance" aught is to run great risk.
as unscriptural. The motives, however, of addition or loss, our foes will feel free to act as
the propounders of these views were seen they please. Accordingly Ursacius and Valens,
through by the Council, and they were con- declared adherents and friends of the Arian
sequently repudiated. The orthodox bishops dogma, were pronounced separate from our
declared their mind
the emperor in a communion.
to To keep their place in it, they
letter; for, are sons and heirs asked to be granted a locus penitentice and
said they, we
of the Fathers of the Council of Nicaea, and pardon for all the points wherein they had
if we were to have the hardihood to take away owned themselves in error; as is testified by
anything from what was by them subscribed, the documents written by themselves, by means
or to add anything to what they so excellently of which they obtained favour and forgiveness.
settled, we should declare ourselves no true These events were going on at the very time
sons, but accusers of them that begat us. when the synod was meeting at Milan, the
But the exact terms of their confession of presbyters of the church of Rome being also
faith will be more accurately given in the present. It was known that Constantine, who,
words of their letter to Constantius. though dead, is worthy of remembrance, had,
with all exactitude and care, set forth the
creed drawn up and now that, after receiving
:
Baptism, he was dead, and had passed away

Letter^ written to the Emperor Constantius by
to the peace which he deserved. We judged
the Synod assembled at Ariminu?n.
it absurd for us after him to indulge in any
"
Summoned, we believe, at the bidding of innovation, and throw a slur on all the holy
God, and in obedience to your piety, we confessors and martyrs who had devised and
in that their minds
bishops of the Western Church assembled in formulated this doctrine,
synod at Ariminum in order that the faith of have ever remained bound by the old bond
of the Church. Their faith God has handed
* The eastern
bishops were summoned to Selcucia, in Ciiicia
down even to the times of thy own reign,
;
the western to Ariminum, (Rimini). "A previous Conference was

held at Sirniium, in order to determine on the creed to be presented
through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whose
to the bipartite Council. The Euscbians struggled for the grace such empire is thine that thou rulest
. . .
adoption of the Acacian Ilomceon, which the Eni| eror had already over all the world. Yet again those pitiable
both received and abandoned, and they actually efiec'ed the adop-
tion of the
'
like in all things according to the Scriptures,' a and wretched men, with lawless daring, have
phrase in which the semi-Arians, indeed, included their 'like in themselves preachers of their un-
substance' or Homceiision, but which did not necessarily refer proclaimed
to suhsiance or nature at all. Under these circumstances the two holy opinion, and are taking in hand the
Councils met in the autumn of a.d. 359, under the nominal
superintendence of the semi-Arians but, on the Euscbian side.
;
overthrow of all the force of the truth. For
the sharp-witted Acacius undertaking to deal with the disputatious
when at thy command the synod assembled,
Greeks, the overbearing and cruel Valens with the plainer Latins."
(Newman, Arians, iv. {4.) At Seleucia there were 150 bishops; then they laid bare their own disingenuous
at Ariminum 400.
3 ovxri'a. 4 biJ.oov<Tiov.
desires. For they set about trying through
villany and confusion to make innovation.
5 This letter exists in Ath. de Syn. Arim. et Seleu., Soc. ii. 39,
Soz. iv. 10, and the Latin of Hilarius (P>. viii.), whicii frequently
diflfers considerably from the Greek. They got hold of certain of their own follow-
II. 15.] OF THEODORET. 8i
ing,
— oneGermanius^, and Auxentius?, and established doctrines, but that all remain un-
Caiiis^,promoters of heresy and discord, whose broken, as they have been preserved by your
doctrine, though but one, transcends a very father's piety, and to our own day. Let us
host of blasphemies. When, however, they toil no longer nor be kept away from our own
became aware that we were not of their way dioceses, but let the bishops with their own
of thinking, nor in sympathy with their vicious people spend their days in peace, in prayer, and
projects, they made their way into our meeting in worship, offering supplication for thy empire,
as though to make some other proposal, but and health, and peace, which God shall grant
a very short time was enough to convict them thee for ever and ever. Our envoys, who
of their real intentions. Therefore in order also instruct your holiness out of the
will
to save the management of the Church from sacred Scriptures, convey the signatures and
falling from time to time into the same salutations of the bishops."
diffi-
culties, and to prevent them from being The letter was written, and the envoys sent,
confounded in whirlpools of disturbance and but the high officers of the Imperial Court,
disorder, it has seemed the safe course to though they took the despatch and delivered
keep what has been defined aforetime fixed it to their master, refused to introduce the
and unchanged, and to separate the above- envoys, on the ground that the Sovereign was
named from our communion. Wherefore we occupied with state aftairs. They took this
have sent envoys to your clemency to signify course in the hope that the bishops, an-
and explain the mind of the synod as ex- noyed at delay, and eager to return to the
pressed in this letter. These envoys before cities entrusted to their care, would at length
all things we have charged to guard the truth be compelled themselves to break up and
in accordance with the old and right defini- disperse the bulwark erected against heresy.
tions. They are to inform your holiness, not But their ingenuity was frustrated, for the
as did Ursacius and Valens, that there will noble champions of the Faith despatched a
be peace if the truth be upset ; for how can second letter to the emperor, exhorting him to
the destroyers of peace be agents of peace ? admit the envoys to audience and dissolve the
but rather that these changes will bring strife synod. This letter I subjoin.
and disturbance, as well on the rest of the
cities, as on the Roman church. Wherefore The Second Letter of the Synod to Constantiiis.
we beseech your clemency to receive our *'
To
Constantius the "Victorious, the pious
envoys with kindly ears and gentle mien, and emperor, the bishops assembled at Ariminum
not to suffer any new thing to flout the dead. send greeting.
" and autocrat, we have
Suffer us to abide in the definition and settle- Most illustrious lord
ment of our Fathers, whom we would un- received the letter of your clemency, informing
hesitatingly declare to have done all they did us that, in consequence of occupations of
with intelligence and wisdom, and with the state, you have hitherto been unable
to see
Holy Ghost. The innovation now sought to our envoys. You bid us await their return,
be introduced is filling the faithful with un- that your piety may come to a decision on
belief, and unbelievers with credulity 9. the object we have in view, and on the de-
"We beg you to order bishops in distant crees of our predecessors. But we venture
parts, who are afflicted alike by
advanced age in this letter to repeat to your clemency the
and poverty, to be provided with facilities for point which we urged before, for we have in
travelling home, that the churches be not left no way withdrawn from our position.
We en-
long deprived of their bishops. treat you to receive with benign countenance
" And now we
yet again this one thing we supplicate, the letter of our humility, wherein
that nothing be taken from or added to the make answer to your piety, and the points
which we have ordered to be submitted to
6 Germanus (Ath. andSoz.), Germiniiis (according to Hilarius),
your benignity by our envoys. Your clemency
The creed
bishop of Cyziiiiis, was translated to Sirmiuni, ad. 356.
aid is no less aware than we are ourselves how
composed by Marcus of Arethusa with the of Germinius,
" the from the serious and unfitting a state of things it is,
Valens and others, is known as dated_ creed,"
minuteness, satirized by Athanasius, with which it specifies
the
that in the time of your most happy reign so
day (May 22, a.d. xi. Kal. Jun.), in the consulate of Eusebius
and Hypatius (Ath. de Syn. {8). _ .
many churches should seem to be without
7 Auxentius, the elder, bishop of Milan, succeeded Dionysius most glorious
in 355, and occupied the see till his death in 374, when Ambrose bishops. Wherefore once again,
was chosen to fill his place. Auxentius, the younger, known also it be pleasing
as Mercurinus, was afterwards set up by the Arian Court party autocrat, we beseech you that, if
as a rival bishop to Ambrose. A third Auxentius, a supporter to your humanity, you will command us to
of the heretic Jovinianus, is mentioned in the Epistle of Siricius.
Vide refr. in Baronius and Tillemoiit. An Auxentius, Azi&a bishop return to our churches before the rigour of
of Mopsuestia, is mentioned by Philostorgius, v. i. 2.
winter, that we may be able, with
our people,
8 A I'annonian bishop. Ath. ad Epict.
9 The word ui the text is coîorrjTa, which is supposed to have as we have done and ever do, to offer most
stood for crudelitatem, a clerical error for credulitatem in the
earnest prayers for the health and wealth of
Latin original.
VOL. III.
82 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY ril. 15.
youT empire to Almighty God, and to Christ the third day He rose from the dead and
His Son, our Lord and Saviour." companied with His disciples forty days. He
was taken up into Heaven, and sitteth on the
CHAPTER XVI. right hand of His Father, and is coming at the
last day of the Resurrection, in His Father's
Concerning the Sy?iod held at Nica in Thrace,
'^
and the Confession of Faith drawn there. Glory, to render to every one according to his
up works. And we believe in the Holy Ghost,
After this letter they^ irritated the em- which the Only-begotten Son of God, Jesus
peror, and got the majority of the bishops, Christ, both God and Lord, promised to send
against their will, to a certain town of Thrace, to man, the Comforter, as it is written, the
of the name of Nica. Some simple men they Spirit of Truth. This Spirit He Himself sent
deluded, and others they terrified, into carry- after He had ascended into Heaven and sat
ing out their old contrivance for injuring the at the right hand of the Father, from thence
" Sub-
true religion, by erasing the words to come to judge both quick and dead. But
" " "
stance and of one Substance from the the word the Substance,' which was too
'
Creed, and inserting instead of them the simply inserted by the Fathers, and, not being
word "like." I insert their formula in understood
by the people, was a cause of
this history, not as being couched in proper scandal
through its not being found in the
terms, but because it convicts the faction of Scriptures, it hath seemed good to us to re-
Arius, for it is not even accepted by the dis- move, and that for the future no mention
affected of the present time. Now, instead of whatever be permitted of 'Substance,' on
" the like " "
they preach the unlike 3." account of the sacred nowhere Scriptures
making any mention of the 'Substance' of
Unsound Creed put forth at Nica in Thrace.
the Father and the Son. Nor must one es- '
"We believe in one only true God, Father sence 4 be named in relation to the person s '
Almighty, of Whom are all things. And in of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And we call
the only-begotten Son of God, Who before all the Son like the Father, as the Holy Scriptures
ages and before every beginning was begotten call Him and teach but all the heresies, both ;
of God, through Whom all things were made, those already condemned, and any, if such
both visible and invisible alone begotten, there be, which have risen against the docu-
:
only-begotten of the Father alone, God of ment thus put forth, let them be Anathema."
God like the Father that begat Him, accord-
: This Creed was subscribed by the bishops,
ing to the Scriptures, Whose generation no some being frightened and some cajoled, but
one knoweth except only the Father that begat those who refused to give in their adhesion
Him. This Only-begotten Son of God, sent were banished to the most remote regions of
by His Father, we know to have come down the world.
from heaven, as it is written, for the destruction
of sin and death begotten of the Holy Ghost
; CHAPTER XVH.
and the Virgin Mary, as it is written, according
nodical Act of Da ma sits, Bishop of Rome, and
to the flesh. Who companied with His dis- Sy the Western
of Bishops, about the Council at
ciples, and when the dispensation was fulfilled, ArimiJium.
according to the Father's will, was crucified,
dead, and buried, and descended to the world
The condemnation of this formula by all
at Whom Hell himself trembled. On the champions of the truth, and specially
below,
those of the West, is shewn by the letter
' At or near the modern
Hafsa, not far to the S. of Adrianople. which they wrote to the Illyrians ^ First of
^ i.e. the Arians.
3
"
The I'îisebians, little pleased with the growing dogmatism
the signatories was Damasus, who obtained
of niciiibers of their own body, fell upon the expedient of confinins; the presidency of the church of Rome after
their confession to Scripture terms wliich, when separated from
Liberius, and was adorned with many virtues^
;
tlieir context, were of course iiKulequate to concentrate and as-

certain the true doctrine. Hence the formula of the Hoiiiocoii,
which was introduced by Acacius with the express purpose of 4 v7ro(rTa<ris. 5 TTpoo'fun'Oi'.
deceiving or baffling the semi-Avi;in members ol his party. This

I The given in Soz. vi. 23. The Latin text (Coll. Rom.
letter is
measure was the more necessary for Eusebian interests, inasmuch ed. Holsten. p. 163) differs materially from the Greek.
as a new variety ot the heresy arose in the East at the same time, • These were displayed after his establishment in his see.
advocated by Aetius and Eunomius who, by professing boldly the
; He was the nominee of the Arian party, and bloody scenes marked
" Damasus
Arian text, alarmed Constantius, and threw him back upon the struggle with his rival Ursinus. et Ursinus,
iasil, and the other semi Arians.
?iure This new doctrine, called supra humanum modum ad rapiendam episcopatus sedem ardcntes,
Aiiomccan, because it maintained that the usia or substance of scissis studiis asperrinie conflictahantur, adiisijue mortis vulnerum-
the Son was unlike (ai/ofioio;) the Divine usia, was actually adopted que discrimina proijressis. . . Constat in basilica ubi ritus cliris-
.
by one portion of the Eusebians, Valens, and his rude occidentals ;

tiani conventiculum uno die centum triginta septem reperta cada-
whose language and temper, not admitting the refinements of vcra peremjitorum." Amm. Marc, xxvii. 3, 13. _" But we can say
Grecian genius, led them to rush from orthodoxy into the most that ne used his success well, and that the chair of St. Peter was
hard and undisguised impiety. And thus the parties stand at the never more respected nor more vicorous than during his bishopric."
—
date now before us 'a.d. 356 361) ; Constantius being alternately Mr. Moberly in Diet. Christ. Biog. i. 782. Jerome calls him
"
^wa^ld by Rasil, Acacius, and Valcns, that is by the Homousian, (Ep. Hier. xlviii. 230) an illustrious man, virgin doctor of the virgin
the Hon:tian, and the Anomoian. the semi-Arian, the church."
Scripturalist,
and the Arian pure" (Newman, .Brians, iv. \ 4;. But not his least claim to pur regard is that in the Catacombs
II. i8.]
OF THEODORET. 83
^
With him signed ninety bishops of Italy and sence and substance. Whoever did not thus
Galatia3, now called Gaul, wlio met together think was judged separate from our commu-
at Rome. I would have inserted their names nion. Their deliberation was worthy of all
but that I thought it superfluous. respect, and their definition sound. But cer-
tain men have intended by other later dis-
cussions to corrupt and befoul it. Yet, at the
" The
bishops assembled at Rome in sacred very outset, error
was so fiir set right by the
Damasus and Valerianus + and the
rest, bishops on whom the attempt was made at
synod,
to their beloved brethren the bishops of Illyria, Ariminum to compel them to manipulate or in-
send greeting in God. novate on the faith, that they confessed them-
we, priests of God, by whom selves seduced by opposite arguments, or
" We believe that
it is right for the rest to be instructed, are owned that they had not perceived any con-
tradiction to the opinion of the Fathers de-
holding and teaching our people the Holy
Creed which was founded on the teaching of livered at Nicsea. No prejudice could arise
the Apostles, and in no way departs from the from the number of bishops gathered at Ari-
definitions of the Fathers. But through a minum, since it is well known that neither the
report of the brethren in Gaul and Venetia we bishop of the Romans, whose opinion ought
have learnt that certain men are fallen into before all others to have been waited for, nor
heresy. Vincentius, whose stainless episcopate had
" It is the
duty of the bishops not only to lasted so many years, nor the rest, gave in
take precautions against this mischief, but also their adhesion to such doctrines. And this is
to make a stand against whatever divergent the more significant, since, as has been already
teaching has arisen, either from incomplete said, the very men who seemed to be tricked
instruction, or the simplicity of readers of un- into surrender, themselves, in their wiser mo-
sound commentators. They should be minded ments, testified their disapproval.
" Your
not to sHde into sHppery paths, but rather sincerity then perceives that thisone
whensoever divergent counsels are carried to faith, which was founded at Nicsea on the
their ears, to hold fast the doctrine of our authority of the Apostles, ought to be kept
fathers. It has, therefore, been decided that secure for ever. You perceive that with us,
Auxentius of Milan is in this matter specially the bishops of the East, who confess themselves
condemned. So it is right that all the teachers Catholic, and the western bishops, together
of the law in the Roman Empire should be glory in it. We believe that before long those
well instructed in the law, and not befoul the who think otherwise ought without delay to be
faith with divergent doctrines. put out from our communion, and deprived of
"When first the wickedness of the heretics the name of bishop, that their flocks may be
began to flourish, and when, as now, the blas- freed from error and breathe freely. For they
phemy of the Arians was crawling to the cannot be expected to correct the errors of
front, our fathers, three hundred and eighteen their people when they themselves are the
bishops, tlie holiest prelates in the Roman victims of error. May the opinion of your
Empire, deliberated at Nicaea. The wall which reverence be in harmony with that of all the
they set up against the weapons of the devil, priests of God. We believe you to be fixed
and the antidote wherewith they repelled his and firm in it, and thus ought we rightly to
deadly poisons, was their confession that the believe with you. May your charity make us
Father and the Son are of one substance, one glad by your reply.
" Beloved
godhead, one virtue, one power, one likeness s, brethren, farewell."
and that the Holy Ghost is of the same es-
CHAPTER XVIII.
" labour of love to rediscover the tombs which had been
it was his
blocked up for concealment under Dioclelian, to remove the earth, The Letter of Athanasius, bishop of Alex-
widen the passages, adorn the sepulchral chambers with marble, and
support the friable tufa walls with arches of brick and stone." andria, concerning the same Council.
" Koma
Sotterranea," Northcote and Brownlow, p. 97.
3 raAoirai = KeAxoi, the older name, which exists in Herodotus The great Athanasius also, in his letter to
II. 33 and IV. 49. Pausanias(I. iii. 5)saysoi/(e 6e' TTore auTov5 KoAeio'-
6aiVaXa.TaL<; eêuCK1^(Te, KeATOiôp Kara T6 ctftai to apxalov Kal napa
the Africans, writes thus about the council
Tots aAAoi5 Mco/xdôfTo. Galatia occurs on the Monumentum Ancy- at Ariminum. "Under these circumstances
ranum. Bp. Lightfoot (Galat. p. 3) says the first instance of Gallia
(Galli) which he has found in any Greek writer is in Epictetus II.
who will any mention of the council
tolerate
20, 17. " of Ariminum or any other beside the Nicene?
In Sozomen, Valerius, Bishop of Aquileia.
4 But little is
known of his life, but under his rule there grew up at Aquileia the Who would not express detestation of the
society of remarkable persons of whom Hieronymus became the aside of the words of the Fathers, and
most famous." JJicL Christ. Biog. iv. 1102. setting
5 xo-paKTTjp' contrast the statement in Heb. i. 3, that the Son is the preference for those introduced at Ari-
the x"-?"-"-'^'^? °f 'he person of the Father. xa.paxTr\f> in the letter
of Damasus approaches more nearly our use of "character"
urro<7TO(ris.
as meaning distinctive qualities, cf. Plato Phaed. 26 B.
G 2
miniim by violence and party strife? Who ceal, while they put prominently forward the
would wish to be associated with these men forced confession of Thrace. They do but
— fellows who do not, forsooth, accept their shew themselves friends of the Arian heresy,
own words? In tlieir own ten or a dozen and strangers to the sound faith. Only let
synods they have laid down, as has been nar- any one be wîlling to put side by side that
rated already, now one thing now another great synod, and those others to which these
;
and at the present time these synods, one after men appeal, and he will perceive, on the one
another, they are themselves openly denounc- side, true religion, on the other, folly and dis-
ing. They are now suil'ering the fate under- order. The fathers of Nicaâ met together
gone of old by the traitors of the Jews. For not after being deposed, but after confessing
as is written in the Book of the Prophet that the Son was of the Substance of the
they have forsakeJi me tJic foun- Father. These men were deposed once, a
'•'•
Jeremiah
tain of living waters and hctved thc?}i out second time, and again a third time at Ari-
cisterns^ broken cisterns that cafi hold no minum, and then dared to lay down that it is
water ^'''^ so these men, in their opposition to wrong to attribute Substance or Essence to
the Oecumenical synod, have hewed for them- God. So strange and so many were the
selves many synods which have all proved tricks and machinations concocted by the mad
vain and like '•''buds that yield 7io 77ieal^^'' let gang of Arius in the West against the dogmas
^
us not therefore admit those who cite the of the Truth.

council of Ariminum or any other but that of
Nicasa, for indeed the very citers of Ariminum XIX. CHAPTER
do not seem to know what was done there if ;
the cunning of Leontius, Bishop

they had they would have held their tongues. Concerning
For you, beloved, have learnt from your own of Antioch, and tiic boldness of Flavianus
atid Diodorus.
representatives at that Council, and are con-
sequently very well aware, that Ursacius, At Antioch Placidus was succeeded by
Valens, Eudoxius, and Auxentius, and with
Stephanus, who was expelled from the
them Demophilus were asked to anathematize Church. Leontius then accepted the Pri-
the Arian licresy, and made excuse, choosing
macy, but in violation of the decrees of the
rather to be its champions, and so were all de- Nicene Council, for he had mutilated him-
posed for making propositions contrary to the self, and was an eunuch. The cause of his
Nicene decrees. The bishops, on the con- rash deed is thus narrated by the blessed
trary, who were the true servants of the Lord, Leontius, it seems, was the
and of the right faith, about two hundred — Athanasius.
in number, —
declared their adherence to the
victim of slanderous statements on account of
a certain young woman of the name of
Nicene Council alone, and their refusal to Eustolia.^ Finding himself prevented from
entertain the thought of either subtraction
dwelling wnth her he mutilated himself for
from, or addition to, its decrees. This con- her sake, in order that he might feel free to
clusion they have communicated to Constan- live with her. But he did not clear himself
tius, by whose order the council assembled. of suspicion, and all the more for this reason
On the other hand the bishops who were was deposed from the presbyterate. So
deposed at Ariminum have been received by much Athanasius has written about the rest
Constantius, and have succeeded in getting of his earlier life. I shall now give a sum-
the two hundred who sentenced them grossly of his evil conduct. Now
mary exposure
insulted, and threatened with not being
though he shared the Arian error, he always
allowed to return to their dioceses, and with endeavoured to conceal his unsoundness. He
having to undergo rigorous treatment in
observed that the clergy and the rest of the
Thrace, and that in the wijiter, in order to
people were divided into two parts, the one,
force them
accept the innovators' measures.
to
in giving glory to the Son, using tlie conjunc-
If, then, we hear any one appealing to Ari- tion " and," the other using the preposition
minum, show us, let us rejoin, first the sen- "
"through of the Son, and applying
" in "
tence of deposition, and then the document to the Holy Ghost. He himself oflcred all
drawn up by the bishops, in which they de-
the doxology in silence, and all that those
clare that they do not seek to go beyond the
terms drawn up by the Nicene Fathers, nor » Ath.
Ap. de fug. § 26 and Hist. Ar. g 28. The question of
avt'eCa-aKTai. was one of the great scandals and difficulties of the
appeal to any other council than that of Nicaâ. early Church. Some suppose that the case of Leontius was the
In reality, these are just the facts they con- cause of the first Canon of the Nicene Council n-epl tCiv toKixiovtiov
iavrovs tKTenvuv.
Theodoretus (iv. 12) relates an instance of what was consid-
' ii. ered conjugal chastity, and the mischiefs referred to in the text
Jer. 13.
' Hosea viii. 7. The text
" "
recalls arose from the rash attempt to imitate such continence. Vide
Spaytiara jar) Ixoira laxvi'
the septuaijint Spdyfia ovk fX"" '"^X^"- Suicer in voc.
II. 19.] OF THEODORET. BS
" For
standing near him could hear was the priesthood and still ranked with the laity,
ever and ever." And had not the exceeding worked night and day to stimulate men's zeal
wickedness of his soul been betrayed by other for truth. They were the first to divide
means, it might have been said that he choirs into two parts, and to teach them to
adopted this contrivance from a wish to pro- sing the psalms of David antiphonally.
mote concord among the people. But when Introduced first at Antioch, the practice
he had wrought much mischief to the cham- spread in all directions, and penetrated to
pions of the truth, and continued to give the ends of the earth. Its originators now
every support to the promoters of impiety, collected the lovers of the Divine word and
he was convicted of concealing his own work into the Churches of the Martyrs, and
unsoundness. He was influenced both by with them spent the night in singing psalms
his fear of the people, and by the grievous to God.
threats which Constantius had uttered against When Leontius perceived this, he did not
any who had dared to say that the Son was think it safe to
try to prevent them, for he
unlike the Father. His real sentiments were saw that the people were exceedingly well-
however proved by his conduct. Fol- disposed towards these excellent men. How-
lowers of the Apostolic doctrines never re- ever, putting a colour of courtesy on his
ceived from him either ordination or indeed speech, he requested that they would per-
the least encouragement. Men, on the form this act of worship in the churches.
other hand, who sided with the Arian super- They were perfectly well aware of his evil
stition, were both allowed perfect liberty in intent. Nevertheless they set about obeying
expressing their opinions, and were from his behest and readily summoned their choir
^
time to time admitted to priestly office. At to the Church, exhorting them to sing praises
this juncture Aetius, the master of Eunomius, to the good Lord. Nothing, however, could
who promoted the Arian error by his spec- induce Leontius to correct his wickedness,
ulations, was admitted to the diaconate. but he put on the mask of equity,* and con-
Flavianus and Diodorus, however, who had cealed the iniquity of Stephanus and Placidus.
embraced an ascetic career, and were open Men who had accepted the corruption of the
champions of the Apostolic decrees, publicly faith of priests and deacons, although they
protested against the attacks of Leontius had embraced a life of vile irregularity, he
against true religion. That a man nurtured added to the roll while others adorned with ;
in iniquity and scheming to win notoriety by every kind of virtue and firm adherents of
ungodliness should be counted worthy of the apostolic doctrines, he left unrecognised.
diaconate, was, they urged, a disgrace to the Thus it came to pass that among the clergy
Church. They further threatened that they were numbered a majority of men tainted
would withdraw from his communion, travel with heresy, while the mass of the laity were
to the western empire, and publish his plots champions of the Faith, and even professional
to the world. Leontius was now alarmed, teachers lacked courage to lay bare their
and suspended Aetius from his sacred office, blasphemy. In truth the deeds of impiety
but continued to show him marked favour. and iniquity done by Placidus, Stephanus, and
That excellent pair Flavianus and Dio- Leontius, in Antioch are so many as to want
dorus,^ though not yet admitted to the a .special histoiy of their own, and so terrible
Bithyniasang hymns toChrist as toagod, alternately '(secum
•
1 Flavianus
was a noble native of Antioch, and was after- invicem) we may reasonably infer that the practice of antipho-
wards (3S1-404) bishop of tliat see. Diodorus in later times nal singing prevailed far bevond the limits of the church of
became " one of the most
(c. 379) bishop of Tarsus, deservedly Antioch, even in the time of Ignatius himself."
venerated names in the Eastern church for learninsf, sanctity,
Augustine (Conf. ix. 7) states that the fashion of singing
courage in withstanding heresy, and zeal in the defence of tlie "secundum morein orientalium partium " was introduced into
truth. Diodorus has a still greater clnim on the grateful the Church of Milan at the time of the persecution of Ambrose
remembrances of the whole church, as, if not the founder, the " ne
by Justina, populus maroris tcedio contabesceret," and
chief promoter of the rational school of scriptural interpreta- thence spread all over the globe.
tion, of which his disciples, Chrysostom and Theodorus of Platina attributes the introduction of antiphons at Rome to
Mopsuestia, and Theodoret, were such distinguished represen- Pope Damasus.
tatives." Diet. Christ. Biog. 1.836. On the renewed champion- Hooker (ii. :66) quotes the older authority of " the Prophet
ship of the Antiochene church by Flavianus and Diodorus Esay," in the vision where the seraphim cried to one another in
under the persecution of Valens vide iv.22. what Bp. Mant calls " the alternate h^'mn."
Socrates (vi. S), describing the rivalry of the Homoousians 1
1 prefer the reading of Basil Gr. and Steph. i. epyoras to
and Arians in singing partizan hymns antiphonally in the the epaa-To.^ of Steph. 2 and Pin.
streets of Antioch in the days of Arcadius, traces the mode of 2e7rieiKeia9.
" The mere existence of such a word as f TrifiVeia
chanting to the great Ignatius, who once in a Vision heard is itself a
signal evidence of the high development of ethics
angels so praising God. among the Greeks. It expresses exactly thnt moderation
But, remarks Bp. Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers Pt. 2. I. which recognizes the impossibility, cleaving to formal law, of
"
p. 31.) Antiphonal singing did not need to be suggested by anticipating or providing for all cases that will emerge, and
a heavenly Vision. It existed already among the heathen in present themselves to it for decision ... It is thus more
the arrangements of the Greek Chorus. It was practised with truly just than strict justice will have been being Bixaiov Kal
;
much elaboration of detail in the Psalmody of the Jews, as /SeArioi' rii-o; SiKaiov, as Aristotle expresses it. Eth. Nic. V.
appears from the account which is given of the Egyptian 10.6." Archbp. Trench's synonyms of the N.T. p. 15J. The
"
"
Therapeutes. Its introduction into the Christian Church clemency on which Tertullus reckons in Felix is sTrteiiceta;
" 01'
therefore was a matter of course almost from the beginning : and in II. Cor. x. St. Paul beseeches bythe " gentleness
and when we read in Pliny (Ep. x, 97) that the Christians of eTnciKcta of Christ.
86 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [II. 20-22.
as to beworthy of the lament of David for ; and, after the death of the tyrants, was en-
of them too it must be said " For lo thy deavouring to heal the harm tliey liad
enemies make a murmuring and they that caused. Both bishops were \\ell known to
hate thee Hft up their head. Tliey have the Emperor and had great influence with
imagined craftily against the people and him on account of the high character they
taken counsel against thy secret ones. They bore.
have said come and let us root them out
that they be no more a people and that
the name of Israel may be no more in re-
:
CHAPTER XXI.
membrance." ^
Of the Second Council of Niccea.

Let us now continue the course of our
narrative. On receipt of these despatches Constantius
wrote to the Antiochenes denying that he
had committed the see of Antioch to Eudox-
CHAPTER XX. ius, as Eudoxius had publicly announced.
He ordered that Eudoxius be banished, and
Concerning the imiovations of Eudoxius, of
^ be punished for the course he had taken at
Germanicia, and the zeal of Basiliiis of
the Bithynian Nicaja, where he had ordered
Ancyra, and of Eustathius* of Sebastcia
the synod to assemble. Eudoxius himself
against him. had persuaded the oflicers entrusted with
Germanicia is a
city on the coasts of Ci- authority in the imperial household to fix
licia,Syria, and Cappadocia, and belongs to Nictea for the Council. But the Supreme
the province called Euphratisia. Eudoxius, Ruler and Governor, who knows the future
the head of its church, directly he heard of like the
past, stopped the assembly by a
the death of Leontius, betook himself to
mighty earthquake, whereby the greater part
Antioch and clutched the see, where he rav- of the city was overthrown, and most of the
aged the vineyard of the Lord like a wild inhabitants destroyed. On learning this the
boar. He did not even attempt to hide his assembled bishops were seized with panic,
evil ways, like Leontius, but raged in direct and returned to their own churches. But I
attack upon the a2:)ostolic decrees, and in- regard this as a contrivance of the divine
volved in various troubles all who had the wisdom, for in that
city the doctrine of the
hardihood to gainsay him. Now
at this faith of the
apostles had been defined by the
time Basilius had succeeded Marcellus, and holy Fathers. In that same
city the bishops
held the helm of the church of Ancyra, the who were
assembling on this later occasion
capital of Galatia, and Sebastia, the chief were intending to lay down the contrary.
city of Armenia, was under the guidance of The sameness of name would have been
Eustatliius. No sooner had these bishops svn-e to furnish a means of deception to the
heard of the iniquity and madness of Eudox- Avian crew, and trick unsopliisticated souls.
ius, than they wrote to inform the Em- They meant to call the council " the Nicene,"
peror Constantius of his audacity. Con- and identify it with tlie famous council of
stantius was now still tarrying in the west. old. But He who has care for the churches
iPs. S3.- 2.3.4.
disbanded the synod.
*
Eudoxius, eif^htli bishop of Constantinople, and formerly
of Germanicia (Tepîai'iKua, now Marasli, or Banicia),\vas one
of the most violent of the Arians. lie was oriiînally refused
ordination by St. Eustathius, but on the deposition of tlial
l)isliop in 331 tile Eusebians puslied him fcnnvard. After rulini;: CHAPTER XXII.
at Germanicia for some seventeen years he intruded himself on
the see of Antioch.
Under the patronajjc of the Acacians he became patriarcli Of the Council held at Seleucia in Isauria.
of Constantinople in 360, and died in 370.
3
Hasilius,a learned pliysician, a Semiarian of Ancyra, was After a time, at the suggestion of the ac-
made bishop of that see on the dei)osition of Marcellus, in 3^6, cusers of Eudoxius, Constantius ordered the
and excommunicated at Sardica in 347. In 350 he was >-ein-
statetl at the command of Constantius. lie was a>jain exiled
under Acacian inlluencc, failed to jret restitution from Jovian,
synod to be held at Seleucia. This town of
and probalily died in exile. (Soc. li, 20, 20, iv, 24.) N'i'dealso Isauria lies on the seashore and is the chief
Tlieod. ii, 23. His works are lost. Atlianasius jjraises him town of the district. Hither the bishops of
as amonsf those who were (de Synod. 603 ed. Migne) " not far
from acceptiiif^ the Ilomousion." the East, and with them those of Pontiis in
• liustatliius
was bishop of Sebasteia or Scbastc (Siwas) on
the llalys, from 357 to 3S0. Asia, were ordered to assemble.'
" black who
Basil, Ep. 241, § 9, "says that he was a heretic
1 "
could not turn wliite" but he exhibited many shades of theo-
;
Now that the Scmiarians were forced to treat with their
logical colour, preservinjif through all vicissitudes a high per- late victims on equal terms, tliey agreed to hold a geneial
sonal character, and a something " more than liuniaii." Basil Council. Both parties might hope for success. If the Ilonirean
Ep. 212, § 2. Ordained by Eulalhis, lie was degraded because influence was strong at Court, the Semiarlans were strong
he insisted on wearing very uiiclerical costinne. (Soc. ii, 43.) in the East, and could count on some help from the Western
The question of the identity of this Eustatliius with the Eusta- Nicenes. But the Court was resolved to secuie a decision to
thius condemned at the Council of Ancyra is discussed in the its own mind. As a Council of the whole Empire might have
Diet. Christ. Ant. i, 709. been too independent, it was divided. The Westerns were to
II. 23.] OF THEODORET. ^7
The see of Cassarea, the capital of Pales- council. But when Acacius joined the
tine, was now held by Acacius, who had assembled bishops, who numbered one hun-
succeeded Eusebius. He had been con- dred and fifty, he refused to be associated in
demned by the council of Sardica, but had their counsels before Cyrillus, as one stripped
expressed contempt for so large an assembly of his bishopric, had been put out from
of bishops, and had refused to accept their among them. There were some who, eager
adverse decision. At Jerusalem Macarius, for peace, besought Cyrillus to withdraw,
whom I have often mentioned, was suc- with a pledge that after the decision of the
ceeded by Maximus, a man conspicuous in decrees they would enquire into his case.
his struggles on behalf of religion, for he had He would not give way, and Acacius left
been deprived of his right eye and maimed them and went out. Then meeting Eudoxius
in his right arm.^ he removed his alarm, and encouraged him
On his translation to the life which knows with a promise that he would stand his
no old age, Cyrillus, an earnest champion of friend and supporter. Thus he hindered him
the apostolic decrees,^ was dignified with the from taking part in the council, and set out
Episcopal office. These men in their conten- with him for Constantinople.
tions with one another for the first place
brought great calamities on the state.
Acacius seized some small occasion, deposed CHAPTER XXHI.
Cyrillus, and drove him from Jerusalem. what befell the orthodox bishops at
But Cyrillus passed by Antioch, which he 0/
had found without a pastor, and came to Constantinople.
Tarsus, where he dwelt with the excellent Constantius, on his return frorn the West,
Silvanus, then bishop of that see. No passed some time at Constantinople. There
sooner did Acacius become aware of this Acacius urged many accusations against the
than he wrote to Silvanus and informed him assembled bishops in presence of the em-
of the Silvanus peror, called them a set of vile characters
deposition of Cyrillus.
convoked for the ruin and destruction of the
however, both out of regard for Cyrillus, and
not without suspicion of his people, who churches, and so fired the imperial wrath.
And not least was Constantius moved by
greatly enjoyed the stranger's teaching, re- " for,"
fused to prohibit him from taking a part in what was alleged against Cyrillus,
said " the which the
the ministrations of the church. When Acacius, holy robe,
illustrious Constantine the emperor, in his
however they had arrived at Seleucia, Cy-
rillus joined with the party of Basilius and
desire to honour the church of Jerusalem,
Eustathius and Silvanus and the rest in the gave to Macarius, the bishop of that city, to
be worn when he performed the rite of
meet at Ariminum in Italy, the Easterns at Seleucia in Isauria."
divine baptism, all fashioned with golden
" It was a
fairly central spot, and easy of access from Egypt threads as it was, has been sold by Cyrillus.
and Syria by sea, but otherwise most unsuitable. It was a "
mere fortress, lyino; in a rugged country, where the spurs of It has been bought," he continued, by a
Mount Taurus reach the sea. Around it were the ever-restless certain dancer; about when
marauders of Isauria." "The choice of such a place is as stage dancing
significant as if a Pan-Anglican synod were called to meet at he was wearing it, he fell down and perished.
the central and convenient port of Souakim."
Gwatkin " The Arian Controversy." pp. 93-96.
With a man like this Cyrillus," he went on,
The Council met here A.D. 359. "
1
He appears to have been less conspicuous forconsislency in they set themselves up to Judge and
the Arian Controversy. At Tyre he is described by Sozomen decide for the rest of the world." The
and Socrates as assenting to the deposition of Athanasius, influential at the court made this an
but Rufinus (H. E. i.
17) the dramatic stnry
tells of the success- party
fulmteriiosition of the aged and mutilated Paphnutius of the occasion for persuading the emperor not to
Thebaid, who took his vacillating brother by the hand, and summon the whole synod, for they were
led him to the little knot of Athanasians. Sozomen (iv. 203)
represents him as deposed by Acacius for too zealous ortho- alarmed at the concord of the majority, but
doxy, and replaced by Cyril, then a Semiarian. Jerome agrees
with Theodoret, and makes Cyril succeed on the death of only ten leading men. Of these were Eus-
Maximus in 350 or 351. (Chron. ann. 349.) tathius of Armenia, Basilius of Galatia,
-
Sozomen and Socrates are less favourable to his orthodoxv.
In his favour see the synodical letter written by the bishops Silvanus of Tarsus, and Eleusius of Cyzicus.'
assembled at Constantinople after the Council in 3S1, and
addressed to Pope Damasus, which is given in the Vth book 1
?'.^., Eustathius of Sebasteia, and Basilius of Ancyra (vide
of our author. Chapter 9. He was engaged in a petty con- note on p. 86). Silvanus of Tarsus was one of the Somiarians
troversy with Acacius on the precedence of the sees of C^sare.i of high character. For his kindly entertainment of Cyril of
and yElia (Jerusalem), and in 357 deposed. On appeal to the Jerusalem vide page 87. Tillemont places his death in 363.
Council of Seleucia he was reinstated, but again deposed by Eleusius of Cyzicus ^vas also a Semiarian of the better type
Constantius, partly on the pretended charge of dealing im- (cf. Hil. de Syn. j). 133). The evil genius of his life was
properly with a robe given by Constantine to Macarius, which Macedonius of Constantinople, by whose influence he was
Theodoret records later (Chap, xiii.) Restored by Julian he was made bishop of Cyzicus in 356. Here with equal zeal he de-
left in peace under Jovian and Valentinian, exiled
by Valens, stroyed pagan temples and a Novatian churcli, and this was
and restored by Theodosius. He died in 3S6, and left remembered against him when he attem|Hed to return to his
Catechetical lectures, a Homily, and an Epistle, of which tlie see on the accession of Julian. At Nicomedia in 366 he was
authenticity has been successfully defended, and which vindi- moved by the threats of \'âlcns to declare himself an Arian,
cate rather'his orthodoxy than his ability, cf. Canon Venables. and then in remorse resigned his see, but his flock refused to
Diet. Ch. Biog. s. V. let him go. Socr. iv, 6.
88 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [11. 23.
On their arrival they urged the emperor author of its language. Aetius, totally ig-
thatEudoxius should be convicted of blas- norant of what had taken place, and unaware
phemy and lawlessness. Constantius, how- of the drift of the enquiry, expected that he
ever, schooled by the opposite party, replied should win praise by confession, and owned
that a decision must first be come to on that he was the author of the phrases in
matters concerning the faith, and that after- question. Then the emperor perceived the
wards the case of Eudoxius should be greatness of his iniquity, and forthwith con-
enquired into. Basilius, rclj'ing on his demned him to exile and to be deported to a
former intimacy, ventured boldly to object i^lace in Phrygia. So Aetius reaped disgrace
to the emperor that he was attacking the as the fruit of blasphemy, and was cast out
apostolic decrees but Constantius took this of the palace.

; Eustathius then alleged that
ill, and told Basilius to hold his tongue, Eudoxius too held the same views, for
" for to " the disturbance of that Aetius had shared his roof and his
you," said he, table,
the churches is due." When Basilius was and had drawn up this blasphemous formula
silenced, Eustathius intervened and said, in submission to his judgement. In proof of
"
since, sir, you wish a decision to be come Eudoxius was concerned
his contention that
to on what concerns the faith, consider the
in drawing up the document he urged the
fact that no one had attributed it to Aetius
blasphemies rashly uttered against the Only
Begotten by Eudoxius," and as he spoke he except Eudoxius himself. To this the
produced the exposition of faith wherein, emperor enjoined that judges must not
besides many other impieties, were found decide on conjecture, but are bound to make
the following expressions: "Things that exact examination of the facts. Eustathius
are spoken of in unlike terms are unlike in assented, and urged that Eudoxius should
" "
substance : There is one God the Father give proof of his dissent from the sentiments
of whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus attributed to him by anathematizing the com-
Christ through whom are all things." Now position of Aetius. This suggestion the
"
the term " of whom is unlike the term
emperor very readily accepted, and gave
" "
through whom ;
so the Son is unlike God his orders accordingly but Eudoxius drew
;
the Father. Constantius ordered this ex- back, and employed many shifts to evade
position of the faith to be read, and was compliance. But when the emperor waxed
displeased with the blasphemy which it in- wroth and threatened to send him oft' to
volved. He therefore asked Eudoxius if he share the exile of Aetius, on the ground
had drawn it up. Eudoxius instantly repu- that he was a partner in the blasphemy so
diated the authorship, and said that it was punished, he repudiated his own doctrine,
written by Actius. NowAetius was he though both then and afterwards he per-
whom Leontius, in dread of the accusations sistently maintained it. However, he in liis
of Flavianus and Diodorus, had formerly de- turn protested against the Eustathians that it
graded from the diaconate. He had also been was their duty to condemn the word
the supporter of Georgius, the treacherous " Homoiision " as
unscriptural.
foe of the Alexandrians, alike in his impious Silvanus on the contrary pointed out that
words and his unholy deeds. At the present it was their
duty to reject and expel from
time he was associated with Eunomius and their holy assemblies the phrases " out of
Eudoxius; for, on the death of Leontius, the 7ion-existent" and creature''^ and
'"''
when Eudoxius had laid violent hands on "

of another substa7ice" these terms being
tlie
episcopal throne of the chinxh at An- also unscriptural and found in the writings
tioch, he returned from Egypt with Euno- of neither prophets nor apostles. Constan-
mius, and, as he found Eudoxius to be of tius decided that this was right, and bade
the same way of thinking as himself, a syb- the Arians pronounce the condemnation.
arite in luxiny as wêll as a heretic in faith, At fii'st
they persisted in refusing; but in the
he chose Antioch as the most congenial place end, when they saw the emperor's wrath,
of abode, and both he and Eunomius were they consented, though much against the
fast fixtures at the couches of Eudoxius. grain, to condemn the terms Silvanus had
His highest ambition was to be a successful put before them. But all the more earnestly
parasite, and he spent his whole time in they insisted on their demand for the con-
going gorge himself at one man's table or
to demnation of the Homoiisioii" But then
'"'•
another's. The emperor had been told all with unanswerable logic Silvanus put both
this, and now ordered Aetius to be brought before the Arians and the emperor the
before him. On liis aj^pearance Constan- truth that if God the Word is not of tlie non-
tius showed him the document in question Existent, He is not a Creature, and is not of
and proceeded to enquire if he was the another Substance. He is then of one Sub-
God Who begat Him,

stance with as God
of It would naturally have followed that all
God and Light of Light, and has same the bishops met together in the Synod
the
nature as tlie Begetter. This contention he should have felt detestation of, and approved
urged with power and with truth, but not the sentence delivered against, a man who
one of his hearers was convinced. The is the author of offences, disturbances and
party of Acacius and Eudoxius raised a schisms, of agitation over all the world, and
mighty uproar the emperor was angered, of rising of church against church. But in
;
and threatened expulsion from their churches. spite of our prayers, and against all our ex-
Thereupon Eleusius and Silvanus and the pectation, Seras, Stephanus, Heliodorus and
rest said that while authority to punish lay Theophilus and their party Miave not voted
with the emperor, it was their province to with us, and have not even consented to sub-
decide on points of piety or impiety, and scribe the sentence delivered against him,
"we will not," they protested, "betray the although Seras charged the aforenamed
doctrine of the Fathers." Aetius with another instance of insane arro-
Constantius ought to have admired both gance, alleging that he, with still bolder im-
their wisdom and their courage, and their pudence, had sprung forward to declare that
bold defence of the apostolic decrees, but he what God had concealed from the Apostles
exiled them from their churches, and ordered had been now revealed to him. Even after
others to be appointed in their place. There- these wild and boastful words, reported by
upon Eudoxius laid violent hands on the Seras about Aetius, the aforenamed bishops
Church of Constantinople and on the ex- were not put out of countenance, nor could
;
pulsion of Eleusius from Cyzicus, Eunomius they be induced to vote with us on his con-
was appointed in his place. demnation. however with much long
^
We
suffering bore with them for a great length
of time,now indignant, now beseeching,
now importuning them to join with us and
CHAPTER XXIV. make the decision of the Synod unanimous;
and we persevered long in the hope that they
Synodical Epistle written against Aetius. might hear and agree and give in. But when
After these transactions the emperor in spite of all this patience we could not
ordered Aetius to be condemned by a formal
shame them into acceptance of our dec-
larations against the aforesaid offender, we
Letter, and, in obedience to the command,
counted the rule of the church moiê precious
his companions in iniquity condemned their
than the friendship of men, and pronounced
own associate. Accordingly they wrote to
against them a decree of excommunication,
Georgius, bishop of Alexandria, the letter them a period of six months for
about him to which I shall give a place in allowing
conversion, repentance, and the expression
my history, in order to expose their wicked- of a desire for union and harmony with the
ness, for they treated their friends and their
foes precisely in the same way. synod. If within the given time they
written the whole should turn and accept agreement with their
Copy of the Letter by brethren and assent to the decrees about
council to Georgius against Aetius his
Aetius, we decided that they should be
deacon, on account of his iniquitous blas-
received into the church, to the recovery of
phemy. their own authority in synods, and our af-
To the right honourable Lord Georgius, fection. If however tliey obstinately per-
Bishop of Alexandria, the holy Synod in sisted, and preferred human friendship to the
Constantinople assembled, Greeting.
In consequence of the condemnation of 1
Seras, or Serras, had been an Arian leader in Libya. In
Aetius by the Synod, on account of his un- 356 Serras, together with Sccundus, deposed bishop of Ptole-
niais, proposed to consecrate Aetius he refused on the g'round
;
lawful and most offensive writings, he has that they were tainted with Orthodoxy. Phil. iii. 19. In 359 he
the decrees of Scleucia a's bishop of Par.-Etonium
been dealt with by the bishops in accordance subscribed
(AlBareton W. of Alexandria) (Epiph. Ha^r. Ixxiii. 20). Now
with the canons of the church. He has he is deposed (360) by the Constantinopolitan Synod. Vide
Diet. Christ. Biog-. s. v.
been degraded from the diaconate and ex- Stephanus, a Libyan bishop ordained bySecundus of Ptole-
mais, and concerned with him in the murder of the Presbyter
pelled from the Church, and our admonitions Secundus, as described by Athan. in Hist. Ar. § 65 cf. Ath.
have gone forth that none are to read his unde Syn. § i3.
Heliodorus was Arian bishop of Apollonia or Sozysa
lawful epistles, but that on account of their
(Shahfah) in Libya Prima, cf. LeQuien Or. Ch. ii. 617.
and worthless character they Theophilus, previously bishop of Eleutheropolis in Pales-
unprofitable was translated, against his vow of fidelity to that see,
are to be cast aside. We
have further ap- tine,
(Soz. iv. 34) to Castabala in Cihcia. On the place Vide Bp.
Ap. Fathers Pt. ii. Vol. lii. 136.
pended an anathema on him, if he abides in Lig-htfoot.'2
(rviJ.mpi.rivix^r\ixev is the suggestion of Valeaius for
his opinion, and on his supporters. (TVfiTf epi£>|(r)9itrd>)H£v,
a word of no authority.
90 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IL 25.
canons of tlie church and our affection, then considered it less the part of prudence than
we judged them deposed from the rank of the of rashness to make any open protest, so they
If they suffer degradation it is assumed a mask of heretical heterodoxy,
bishops.
in their and paid a visit to the bishop at his private
necessary to appoint other bishops
place, that the
lawful church may be duly residence with the earnest request that he
ordered and ut unity with herself, while all would have regard to the distress of men
the bishops of every nation by uttering the borne hither and thither by different doc-
same doctrine with one mind and one coun- trines, and would plainly expound the truth.
sel preserve the bond of love. Eunomius thus emboldened declared the
To acquaint you with the decree of the sentiments which he secretly held. The
then went on to remark that it
Synod we have sent these present to your deputation
unfair and indeed quite wrong for the
reverence, and pray that you may abide by was
of his diocese to be prevented from
them, and by the grace of Christ rule the whole
churches under you aright and in peace. having their share of the truth. By these
and similar arguments he was induced to lay
bare his blasphemy in the public assemblies
of the church. Then his opponents hurried
CHAPTER XXV. with angry fervour to Constantinople first ;
the causes which the Eiiiwtnians they indicted him before Eudoxius, and when
Of separated
Eudoxius refused to see them, sought an au-
from the Arians. dience of the emperor and made lamenta-
EuNOMius in his writings praises Aetius, tion over tlie ruin their bishop was wreaking
styles him a man of God, and honours him among them.
" The sermons of Eunomius,"
with many compliments. Yet he was at they said, " are more impious than the
that time closely associated with the party blasphemies of Arius." The wrath of Con-
by whom Aetius had been repudiated, and stantius was roused, and he commanded Eu-
to them he owed his election to his bishopric. doxius to send for Eunomius, and, on his
Now the followers of Eudoxius and Aca- conviction, to strip him of his bishopric.
cius, who had assented to the decrees put forth Eudoxius, of course, though again and again
at Nice in Thrace, already mentioned in this importuned by the accusers, continued to
history, appointed other bishops in

the
delay taking action. Then once more they
churches of the adherents of Basilius and approached the emperor with vociferous com-
Eleusius in their stead. On other points I plaints that Eudoxius had not obeyed the
think it superfluous to write in detail. I pur- imperial commands in any single particular,
pose only to relate what concerns Eunomius. and was perfectly indifferent to the delivery
For when Eunomius had seized on the see of an important city to the blasphemies of
of Cyzicus in the lifetime of Eleusius, Eu- Eunomius. Then said Constantius to Eu-
doxius urged him to hide his opinions and doxius, if you do not fetch Eunomius and try
not make them known to the party who were him, and on conviction of the charges
seeking a pretext to persecute him. Eudox- brought against him, punish him, I shall
ius was moved to offer this advice both exile you. This threat frightened Eudoxius,
by his knowledge that the diocese was sound so he wrote to Eunomius to escape from
in the faith and his experience of the anger Cyzicus, and told him he had only himself
manifested by Constantius against the party to' blame because he had not followed the
who asserted the only begotten Son of God hints given him. Eunomius accordingly
" Let us" said he to withdrew in
to be a created being. alarm, but he could not endure
Eunomius " bide our time when it comes the disgrace, and endeavoured to fix the guilt
;
we will preach what now we are keeping of his betrayal on Eudoxius, maintaining that
dark educate the ignorant and win over both he anci Aetius had been cruelly treated.
; ;
or compel or punish our opponents." Euno- And from that time he set up a sect of his
mius, yielding these suggestions, pro- own for all the men who were of his way of
to
pounded impious doctrine under the thinking and condemned his betrayal, sepa-
his
shadow of obscurity. Those of his hearers rated from Eudoxius and joined with Euno-
who had been nurtured on the divine oracles mius, whose name they bear up to this day.
saw clearly that his utterances concealed vSo Eunomius became the founder of a heresy,
under their surface a foul fester of error.^ and added to the blasphemy of Arius by his
But however distressed they were they own peculiar guilt. He set up a sect of his
1
On the picturesque word iin-ouAo; cf. Mipp xxi, 32; Plat
: :
own because he was a slave to his ambition,
Gorgr. 51S E. and tlie well-known i)assai;e in the CICd
: Tvran- as the facts distinctly prove. For when
nus (1306) where CEdipus speaks of the promise of his youth Eunomius
as " a fair outside all with ills below." Aetius was condemned and exiled,
fraught
refused to accompany him, though he called One however I will record because of the
him his master and a man of God, but re- subject before us. The city which Jacobus
mained closely associated with Eudoxius. ruled was now in possession of the Romans,
But when his turn came he paid the pen- and besieged by the Persian Army. The
alty of his iniquity he did not submit to blockade was prolonged for seventy days.
;
the vote of the S3'nod, but began to ordain " Helepoles ^ and many other engines were
"
bishops and presbyters, though himself de- advanced to the walls. The town was begirt
prived of his episcopal rank. These then with a palisade and entrenchment, but still
were the deeds done at Constantinople. held out. The river Mygdonius flowing
through the middle of the town, at last the
Persians dammed its stream a considerable
distance up, and increased the height of its
CHAPTER XXVI. bank on both sides so as to shut the waters in.
the siege of the city of Nisibis^ and the
When they saw that a great mass of water
Of was collected and aliêady beginning to over-
apostolic conversation of Bishop Jacobus. flow the dam, they suddenly launched it like
On war being waged Romans an engine against the wall. The impact was
against the
tremendous the bulwarks could not sus-
by Sapor King of Persia, Constantius mus- ;
tered his forces and marched to Antioch. tain it, but gave way and fell down. Just
But the enemy were driven forth, not by the the same fate befell the other side of the
Roman army, but by Him whom the pious circuit, through which the Mygdonius made
in the Roman host worshipped as their God. its exit ;
it could not withstand the shock,
How the victory was won I shall now pro-

and was carried away. No sooner did
ceed to relate. Sapor see this than he expected to captui'e
the rest of the city, and for all that day he
Nisihis, sometimes called Antiochia Myg-
rested for the mud to dry and the river to
donia, lies on the confines of the realms of
Persia and of Rome. In Nisibis Jacobus become passable. Next day he attacked
whom I named just now was at once bishop, in full foi'ce, and looked to enter the
city
guardian,' and commander in chief. He was through the bi'eaches that had been made.
a man who shone with the grace of a truly But he found the wall built up on both sides,
His extraordinary and and all his labour vain. For that holy man,
apostolic character.
memorable miracles, which I have fully re- through prayer, filled with valour both the
lated in my religious history, I think it troops and the rest of the townsfolk, and
both built the walls, withstood the engines,
superfluous and iiTelevant to enumerate
and beat oft the advancing foe. And all
again.^
this he did without approaching the walls,
1 Now
Nisibin, an important city of Mesopotamia on tlie but by beseeching the Lord of all within the
Myffdonius (Hulai). Its name was clianged under the Mace-
donian dynasty to Antiochia Mygdonlca. Frequently taken church. Sapor, moreover, was not only
and retaken it was ultimately ceded by Jovian to Sapor A.D.
363- they saw that he did not hear, that the pretence had become a
' "
jroAioOxos" is an epithet of the protecting- deityof acity, reality, and that what a moment ago was a live man's mask
as of Athens " l\a.kKa.<; iroAioOxos; " Ar. £q. 5S1. was now a dead man's face. So tney overtake the great Ja-
city of which he was afterwards bishop, Jacobus cobus, bow down before him, roll at his feet and declare that
3 Born in the
early acquired fame by his ascetic austerity. While on a they would not have played their impudent trick but for their
journe)' into Persia with the object at once of confirming his poverty, and implored him to forgive them and restore the dead
own faith and that of the Christian sufferers under the perse- man's soul. So Jacobus in imitation of the philanthropy of
cution of Sapor II, he was supposed to work wonders, of the Lord granted their prayer, exhibited his wonder working
which the following, relatea by Theodoretus, is a specimen. power, and through his prayer restored the life which his
Once upon a time he saw a Persian judge delivering an unjust power had taken away."
sentence. Now a huge stone happening to be lying close by, AtNica;aTheodoret describes Jacobus as a " champion " of
he ordered it to be crushed and broken into pieces, and so the orthodox "phalanx." (Relig. Hist. 1114.) At the stale
proved the injustice of the sentence. The stone was instantly dinner given by Constantine to the Nicene Fathers, "James of
divided into innumerable fragments, the spectators were panic- Nisibis (so ran the Eastern tale — Biblioth. Pat. civ.) saw
stricken, and the judge in terror revoked his sentence and dc angels standing round the Emperor, and underneath his pur-
livered a righteous judgment. On the see of his native city
ple robe discovered a sackcloth garment. Constantine, in re-
falling vacant Jacobus was made bishop. The " Religious
turn, saw angels ministering to James, placed his seat above
" describes him aa the other bishops, and said. 'There are three pillars of the
History signalling his episcopate by the
miracle attributed by Gregory of Nyssa to Gregory the world, Antony in Egypt, Nicolas of JSIyra, James in As-
Wonder- Worker, and by Sozomen (vli. 27) to Ejiiphanius. syria.' " Stanley, Eastern Church, Lect. V.
As in the " Nuremberg Chronicle," the same woodcut serves 1
Ammianus Marcellinus 23. 4. 10. thus describes the
for Thales, Nehemiah, and Dante, so a popular miracle was " 'EAfiroAi? "An enormous testudo is strengthened
ii.-i]xa.vri."
" Once
indiscriminately assigned to saint after saint. upon a by long planks and fitted with iron bolts. This is covered
time he came to a certain village, — the spot I cannot name, —
with hides and fresh wicker-work. Its upper parts are
and up coine some beggars putting down one of their number smeared with mud as a protection agninst fire and mis-
before him as though dead, and begging him to supply some siles. To its front are fastened three-pronged spear points
necessaries for the funeral. Jacobus granted their petition, made exceedingly sharp, and steadied by iron weights, like
and on behalf of the apparently dead man began to pray to the thunderbolts of painters and potters. Thus whenever it
God to forgive him the sins of'^his lifetime and grant him a was directed against anything these stings were shot out to
place in the company of the just. Even while he was speak- destroy. The nuge mass was moved on wheels and ropes
ing, away flew the soul of the man who had up to this moment from within by a considerable body of troops, and advanced
shammed death, and coverings were provided for the corpse. with a mighty impulse against the weaker part of a town
The holy man proceeded on his journey, and the inventors of wall. Then unless the defenders prevailed against it the
this play told their recumbent companion to get up. But now walls were beaten in and a wide breach made."
astounded at the speed of the building of but on his expulsion and illegal estab-
the walls but awed by another spectacle. lishment, after many synods, at Constanti-
For he saw standing on the battlements nople, the church of Antioch had been left
one of kingly mien and all ablaze with without a shepherd. Accordingly the assem-
purple robe and crown. He supposed that Ijled bishops, gathered in considerable num-
this was the Roman emperor, and threat- bers from every quarter, asserted that their
ened his attendants with death for not hav- primary obligation was to provide a pastor
ing announced the imperial presence; but for the flock and that then with him they
on their stoutly maintaining that their report would deliberate on matters of faith. It fell
had been a true one and that Constantius out opportunely that the divine Meletius
was at Antioch, he perceived the meaning who was ruling a certain city of Armenia '
of the vision and exclaimed "their God is had been grieved with the insubordhiation of
fighting for the Romans." Then the the people under his rule and was now living
wretched man in a
rage flung a javelin into without occupation elsewhere. The Arian
the air, though he knew that he could not faction imagined that Meletius was of the
hit a bodiless being, but unable to curb his same way of thinking as themselves, and an
passion. Therefore the excellent Ephraim upholder of their doctrines. They therefore
(he is the best writer among the Syrians) petitioned Constantius to commit to his
besought the divine Jacobus to mount the hands the reins of the Antiochene church.
wall to see the barbarians and to let fly at Indeed in the hope of establishing their im-
them the darts of his curse. So the divine piety there was no law that they did not
man consented and climbed up into a tower; fearlessly transgress illegality
;
was be-
but when he saw the innumerable host, coming the very foundation of their blas-
lie discharged no other curse than to ask
phemy nor was
;
this an isolated specimen of
that mosquitoes and gnats might be sent their irregular proceedings. the otherOn
forth upon them, so that by means of these hand the maintainers of apostolic doctrine,
tiny animals they might learn the might of who were perfectly well aware of the sound-
the Protector of the Romans. On his prayer ness of the great Meletius, and had clear
followed clouds of mosquitoes and gnats ; knowledge of his stainless cliaracter and
they filled the hollow trunks of the elephants, wealth of virtue, came to a common vote,
and the ears and nostrils of horses and other and took measures to have their resolution
animals. Finding the attack of these little written out and subscribed by all without
creatures past endurance they broke their delay. This document both parties as a
bridles, unseated their riders and threw the bond of compromise entrusted to the safe
ranks into confusion. The Persians aban- keeping of a bishop who was a noble cham-
doned their camp and fled head-long. So the pion of the truth, Eusebius of Samosata.
wretched prince learned by a slight and And when the great Meletius had received
kindly chastisement the power of the God the imperial summons and arrived, forth to
who protects the pious, and marched his meet him came all the higher ranks of the
army home again, reaping for all the harvest priesthood, forth came all the other orders of
of the siege not triumph but disgrace. the church, and the whole population of the
city. There, too, were Jews and Gentiles
all eager to see the great Meletius. Now
the emperor had charged both Meletius and
the rest who were able to speak to expound
CHAPTER XXVII. to the multitude the text "The Lord formed
me in the beginning of his way, before his
Of the Council of Antioch and what was done works of old " (Prov. viii. 22. Ixx), and he
there against the holy Mektius, ordered skilled writers to take down on the
spot what each man said, with the idea that in
At this time,' Constantius was residing this manner their instruction would be more
at Antioch. The Persian war was over ; exact. First of all Georgius of Laodicea
there had been a time of peace, and he once
gave vent to his foul heresy. After him
again gathered bishops together with the ob- Acacius - of Csesarea propounded a doctrine
ject of making them all deny both the formula
" of one substance " and also the formula " of
'
According; to Sozomen.Sebaste; but Socrates (1 1. 44) makes
dirterent substance." On the death of Leon- him hisliop of the Syrian Rcroja Grcijory <>f Xyssa (Oral; In
Full M:iij Melctii) puts on record "the sweet calm look, the
•
tius, Eudoxius had seized the see of Antioch, radiant smik', the kind hand sccondinij the kind voice."
-
On Acacius ot Cxsarea vide note on paije 70. At the
Synoil of Seleucia in 359 he started tlie party of the llomceans,
1A.D.361. and was deposed. In the rcig^n of Jovian tliey inclined to
II. 28.J OF THEODORET. 93
of compromise far removed indeed from the cast from thee." ^ The Lord laid down
it
blasphemy of the enemy, but not preserving the same law about both hand and foot, and
the apostolic doctrine pure and undefiled. added,
" It is for thee that one of
profitable
Then up rose the great Meletius and exhib- thy members should perish and not that thy
ited the unbending line of the canon of the whole body should be cast into hell."
faith, for using the truth as a carpenter does Thus came about the division of the
his rule he avoided excess and defect. Then Church.
the multitude broke into loud applause and
besought him to give them a short summary
of his teaching. Accordingly after showing CHAPTER XXVIII.
three fingers, he withdrew two, left one,
and uttered the memorable sentence, " In Abotit Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata.
thought are three but we speak as to
" 1 they The admirable Eusebius mentioned above,
one
Against this teaching the men who had who was entrusted with the common resolu-
the plague of Arius in their hearts whetted tion, when he beheld the violation of the
their tongues, and started an ingenious slan- covenant, returned to his own see. Then
certain men who were uneasy about the
der, declaring that the divine Meletius was a
Sabellian. Thus they persuaded the fickle written document, persuaded Constantius to
dispatch a messenger to recover it. Ac-
sovereign who, like the well known Euripus,^
easily shifted his current now this way and cordingly the emperor sent one of the offi-
now and induced him to relegate cers who ride post with relays of horses, and
that,
Meletius to his own home. bring communications
with great speed.
Euzoius, an open defender of Arian
On his he reported the imperial
arrival
" I
tenets, was promptly promoted to his place message, but, cannot," said the admir-
able Eusebius, " surrender the deed de-
;
the very man whom,

then a deacon, the great
Alexander had degraded at the same time posited with me till I am directed so to do
as Arius. Now the part of the people who by the whole assembly who gave it me."
remained sound separated from the unsound, This reply was reported to the emperor.
and assembled in the apostolic church which Boiling with rage he sent to Eusebius again
is situated in the jDart of the and ordered him to give it up, with the fur-
city called the
PalcEa.^ ther message that he had ordered his right
For hand to be cut oft' if he refused. But he
thirty years indeed after the attack
made upon the illustrious Eustathius they only wrote this to terrify the bishop, for
had gone on enduring the abomination of the courier who conveyed the dispatch had
Arianism, in the expectation of some favour- orders not to carry out the threat. But when
able change. But when they saw impiety the divine Eusebius opened the letter and
on the increase, and men faithful to the saw the punishment which the emperor had
apostolic doctrines both openly attacked and threatened, he stretched out his right hand and
" The
menaced by secret conspiracy, the divine his left, bidding the man cut oft' both.
said " which is a clear
Meletius in exile, and Euzoius the champion decree," he, proof
of heresy established as bishop in his place, of Arian wickedness, I will not give up."
they remembered the" words spoken to Lot,
When Constantius had been informed of
" for life
*
and further the law this courageous resolution he was struck
Escape thy ;
of the gospel which plainly ordains " if with astonishment, and did not cease to ad-
mire it for even foes are constrained by the
thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and ;
greatness of bold deeds to admire their

adversaries' success.
Orthodoxy; in that ofValens to Arianism
(cf. Soc. iv. 2).
At this time Constantius learned that
Acacius was a benefactor to the Public Library of Caasarea
(llieron. Ep, ad Marcellain (141). Baronius places his death in Julian, whom he had declared Ctesar of
366.
" Europe, was aiming at sovereignty, and
iTpia TO voovixevafWiivl Sk Si,a\ey6)j.e0a Tria sunt quae intel-
liguntur, sed tanquam unum alloquimur." The narrative of mustering an army against his master.
Sozomen (iv. 2S) enables us to supply what Theodoret infe- Therefore he set out from Syria, and died in
'icitously omits. It was when an Arian archdeacon rudely put
his hand over the bishop's mouth that Meletius indicated the Cilicia.- Nor had he the helper whom his
orthodox doctrine by his fingers. When the archdeacon at
his wits' end uncovered the mouth and seized the hand of the
" with a loud voice he the more 1 Matt. v. 29.
confessor, clearly proclaimed
his doctrine." 2 Constantius died at Mopsucrene, on the Cydnus, according
2 The Euripus, the narrow channel between Eubcea and the to Socrates and the Chron. Alex., on Nov. 5,361. Socrates
mainland, changes its current during eleven days in each (ii. 47) ascribes his illness to chagrin at the successes
of
month, eleven to fourteen times a day. cf. Arist. Eth. N. ix. 6. 3. Julian, and says that he died in the 46th year of his age and
"fierappei ioanep EOpiTros." 3Qth of his reign, having for thirteen years been associated iu
3 cf.
p. 34. the empire with his Father. Ammianus (xxi. 15, 2) writes,
" Venit
Gen. XIX. 17. Tarsum, ubi leviore febri contactus, ratusque itinerario
94 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [in. I.
Father had he had not kept piety, and so bitterly bewailed his change of
'
left liini ; for

intact the inheritance of his Father's faith.
motu imininutae valetudinis excuti posse discriinen, pctiit per Constantius really reigned 24 years alone, and if we include
vias djfficiles Mopsucrenas, Cillciae ultiiiKiin hinc perjjcnli. the 13 years which Socrates reckons in the lifetime of Con.
bus stationcm, sub Tauri montis radicibus positaiu tgrcdlque :
stantine, we only reach 37. He was born on Aug. 6, 317, and
sequuto die conutus, invalenti morbi gravitate dctentus est: was therefore a little over 44 at his death.
" Constantius was
paulatinique urente calore nimio venas, ul ne tangi qnidcin essentially a little man, in whom his
corpus eiiis posset in niodum fiiculi Icrvcns, cum usus detic- father's vices took a meaner form." " The
peculiar repul-
eret inedclaruin, ultiinuin spiralis deflebat exitiuin; mentisque siveness of Constantius is not due to any flagrant personal
sensu turn etiam integro, successorem suae potestatis vice, but to the combination of cold-blooded treachery with
Statuisse dlcitur Julianuni. Ueinde anhelitu iam pulsatus the utter want of any inner nobleness of character. Yet he
letaU contlcult diuquc cuin aniina colluctatus iaiii discessura, was a pious emperor, too, in his way. He loved the ecclesi-
abiit e vita III. Non. Octobrium, (i.e. Oct. j —
a ditVcrciit astical game, and was easily won over to the Kusebian side."
date from that given by others) imperii vitaeque anno quadra- Gwatkia. " The Arian Controversy." p. 63.
gesimo et mensibus paucis." His Father liuving died in 337,
BOOK III.
CHAPTER I. He also built a martyr's shrine but the ;
martyrs, when they beheld his apostasy, re-

Of the reign of Jiilianus ; how from a child he fused to for in conse-
was brought up in piety and lapsed into accept the offering ;
quence of the foundations being, like their

impiety ; and in what manner, though at first founder's mind,
unstable, the edifice fell
he kept his impiety secret, he afterwards laid down^
before it was consecrated. Such
it bare.
were the boyhood and youth of Julian. At
Constantius, as has been narrated, de- the period, however, when Constantius was
parted this life groaning and grieving that he setting out for the West, drawn thither by
had been turned away from the faith of his the war against Magnentius, he made Gallus,
father. Julian heard the news of his end who was gifted with piety which he retained
as he was crossing from Europe into Asia, to the end,^ Cassar of the East. Now Julian
and assumed the sovereignty with delight at flung away the apprehensions which had
having now no rival. previously stood him in good stead, and,
In his earlier days, while yet a lad, Julian moved by unrighteous confidence, set his
had, as well as Gallus' his brother, imbibed heart on seizing the sceptre of empire. Ac-
pure and pious teaching. cordingly, on his way through Greece, he
In his youth and earlier manhood he con- sought out seers and soothsayers, with a de-
tinued to take in the same doctrine. Con- sire of learning if he should get what his
stantius, dreading lest his kinsfolk should soul longed for. He met with a man who
aspire to imperial power, slew them
^
and promised to predict these things, conducted
;
Julian, through fear of his cousin, was en- him into one of the idol temples, introduced
rolled in the order of Readers,^ and used to read him within the shrine, and called upon the
aloud the sacred books to the people in the demons of deceit. On their appearing in
assemblies of the church. their wonted aspect terror compelled Julian
to make the sign of the cross upon his brow.
>
On the murder of the Princes ot the blood Callus was first
sent alone to Tralles or Ephesus, (.Soc. iii. i,) and afterwards They no sooner saw the sign of the Lord's
spent some lime with his brother Julian in Cappadocia in re- victory than
tirement, but with a suitable establishment. On their rela-
they were reminded of their
tionship to Constantius vide Pedigree in the prolegomena.
2 The massacre "involved the
two uncles of Constantius, and is frequently referred to by Cyprian (Epp. 29. 3S, etc.). By
seven of his cousins, of whom Ualmatius and Ilannibaliauus one of Justinian's novels it was directed that no one should be
were the most ilhistricms, the patrician Optatus, who had mar- ordained Header before the age of eighteen, but previously
ried a sister of the late Emperor, and the pr.tfect Abcavius."
*'
young boys were admitted to the office, at the instance of their
If it were necessary to aggravate the horrors of this parents, as introductory to the higher functions of the sacred
bloody
scene we niii;ht add t1iat Constantius himself had espoused the ministry. Diet. Christ. Ant. i. So.
daughter of liis uncle Julius, and that he had bestowed his sis- * Sozomen
(v. 2) tells us that when the princes were build-
ter in marriage on his cousin Ilannibalianus." " Of so numer-
ing a chapel for the martyr Mamas, the work of Gallus stood,
ous a fimily Gallus and Julian ainne, the two youngest cliildren but that of Julian tumbled down. A
more famous instance of
of Julius Constantius, were saved from the hands of the assas- the care of Gallus for the christian dead is the story of the
sins, till their rage, satiated with slaughter, had in some translation of the remains of the martyr Babylas from Anti-
measure subsided." Gibbon, Chap, xviii. Theodoretus foj. och to Daphne, referred to by our author (iii. 6) as well as by
lows the opinion of Athanasius and Julian in ascribing the .Sozomen v. 19, and by Rufinus x. 35. cf. Bishop Lightfoot,
main guilt to Constantius, but, as (iibbon points out, Eutropius Ap. Fathers 11. i. 42.
and the Victors "use the very qualifying expressions ;" "sinente 2 Gallus was made Cxsar
by the childless Constantius in 350,
" incertum " and " v; about his 25th year. "Fuit" says Am. Marcellinus
potius (|uam jubente;" quo suasore ;
in
militum." Gregory of Nazianz.us (Or. iv. 21) ascribes the pre- (xiv. II. 28) "forma conspicuus bona, decente filo corporis,
servation of both Julian and his brother Gallustothe
clemency membrorumque recta compage, flavo capillo et molli, barba
and protection of Constantius. licet recens emergente lanugine tenera." His government at
STertuUian (De Pr.-csc.41) is the earliest authority for the of. Antioch was not successful, and at the instigation of the Eu-
ficeof Anagnostes, Lector, or Reader, as a distinct order in the nuch JCusebius he was executed in 354 at Pola, a town already
Church. Henceforward it appears as one of the minor orders, infamous for the murder of Crispus,
III. 2.] OF THEODORET. 95
own rout,and forthwith fled away. On the of his soul. With the object of attracting all
becoming acquainted with the the bishops to acquiescence in his rule he
magician
cause of their flight he bhamed him but ;
ordered even those who had been expelled
Julian confessed his terror, and said that
he from their churches by Constantius, and
wondered at the power of the cross, for that who were sojourning on the furthest confines
the demons could not endure to see its sign ot the empire, to return to their own churches.
and ran away. "Think not anything of the Accordingly, on the promulgationof this edict,
sort, good sir;" said the magician, "they back to Antioch came the divine Meletius,
were not afraid as you make out, but they and to Alexandria the far famed Athana-
went away because they abominated what sius.^
^
you did." So he tricked the wretched man, But Eusebius,^ and Hilarius of Italy and
Lucifer who
*
initiated him in the mysteries, and filled him presided over the flock in the
with their abominations. island of Sardinia, were living in the Thebaid
So lust of empire stripped the wretch of on the frontier of Egypt, whither they had
all true relisrion. Nevertheless after attain- been relegated by Constantius. They now
ing the supreme power he concealed his met with the rest whose views were the
impiety for a considerable time for he was ;
same and affirmed that the churches ought
specially apprehensive about the troops who
to be brought into harmony. For they not
had been instructed in the principles of true only suffered from the assaults of their
religion, first by the illustrious Constantine, opponents, but were at variance with one
who freed them from their former error and another. In Antioch the sound body of the
trained them in the ways of truth, and after- church had been split in two at one and ;
wards by his sons, who confirmed the the same time they who from the beginning,
instruction given by their father. For if for the sake of the right worthy Eustathius,
Constantius, led astray by those under had separated
from the rest, were assembling
whose influence he lived, did not admit the by themselves and they who with the ad- ;
term djuouliaiov, at all events he sincerely ac- mirable Meletius had held aloof from the
cepted the meaning underlying it, for God Arian faction
were performing divine ser-
the Word he styled true Son, begotten of vice in what is called the Palaea. Both
his Father before the ages, and those who paities used one confession of faith, for both
dared to call Him a creature he openly parties were champions of the doctrine laid
renounced, absolutely prohibiting the wor- down at Nicsea. All that separated them
ship of idols. was their mutual quarrel, and their regard
I will relate also another of his noble for their respective leaders and even the ;
deeds, as satisfactory proof of his zeal for death of one of these did not put a stop to
divine things. In his campaign against the strife. Eustathius died before the elec-
Magrnentius he once mustered the whole of tion of Meletius, and the orthodox party,
his army, and counselled them to take part after the exile of Meletius and the election
" for," ofEuzoius,
all together in the divine mysteries, separated from the communion
"
said he, the end of life is always uncertain, of the impious, and assembled by themselves ;
and that not least in war, when innumerable with these, the party called Eustathians
missiles are hurled from either side, and could not be induced to unite. To effect an
swords and battle axes and other weapons union between them the Eusebians and
are assailing men, whereby a violent death
accession of Julian was made known in Alexandria at
is brought about. Wherefore it behoves theiThe end of Nov. and the at once rose
Pagans against
361,
each man to wear that precious robe which George, imprisoned him, and at last on Dec. 24, brutally beat
and kicked him to death. The Arians a successor —
most of all we need in yonder life hereafter Lucius, but on Feb. 22 Athanasius onceappointed
:
more appeared among
if there be one here who would not now put no
his faithful flock, and lost time in getting a Council for the
settlement of several moot points of discipline and doctrine,
on this garb let him depart hence and go which Theodoret proceeds to enumerate.
of Vercellae. Vide p. 76. From Scythopolis he had
home. I shall not brook to fight with men beeni.e.removed
-
to Cappadocia, and thence to the Thebaid,

in my army who have no part nor lot in our whence he wrote a letter, still extant, to Gregory, bp. of Elvira
in Spain.
holy rites." 3 Valesius
supposes Hilary of Poictiers to be mentioned
here, though he recognises the difficulty of the "6 ex t^?
'IraAio?," and would alter the text to meet it. Possibly this is
CHAPTER II. the Hilary who is said to have been bishop of Pavia from 35S to
" Sanctus Hilarius" of
376, and may be the Aug. Cont. diias
return of the bishops and the conse- Epist. Pelag iv. 4. 7. cf. article Ambrosiaster in Diet. Christ.
0/ tJie
Biog.
cration of Paulinus. * cf.
p. 76, note. Lucifer, bishop of Cagliari, had first been
relegated in 355 to Eleutheropolis, (a town of the 3d C, iu
m. west of Jerusalem) whence he wrote the
Julian had clear information on these Palestine, about 20
controversial pamphlets still extant. He vigorously abused
points, and did not make known the impiet}' Constantius, to whom he paid the compliment of sending
a copy of his work. The emperor appears to have retorted by
1
djui;>/Tui9< having him removed to the Thebaid, whence he returned in 361 .
96 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [III. 3.
Luciferians sought to discover a means. shrines, and began to perform those foul
Accordingly Eusebius besought Lucifer to riteswhich ought to have died out from the
rcpan- to Alexandria and take counsel on the memory of man. Once more they kindled
matter with the great Athanasius, intending the fire on the altars, befouled the ground
hmiself to undertake the labour of bringing with victims' gore, and defiled the air with
about a reconcjliation. the smoke of their burnt sacrifices. Mad-
Lucifer however did not go to Alexandria, dened by the demons they served they ran
but repaired to Antioch. There he urged in corybantic
'
frenzy round about the
many arguments in behalf of concord on streets, attacked the saints with low stage
both parties. The Eustathians, led by jests, and with all the outrage and ribaldry
Paulinus, a presbyter, persisted in opposi- of their impure processions.
tion. On seeing this Lucifer took the im- On the other hand the partizans ^ of piety
proper course of consecrating Paulinus as could not brook their blasphemies, returned
their bishop. insult for insult, and tried to confute the error
This action on the part of Lucifer pro- which their opponents honoured. In their
longed the feud, which lasted for eighty-five turn the workers of iniquity took it ill ; the
years, until the episcopate of the most praise- liberty allowed them by the sovereign was
worthy Alexander.' an encouragement to audacity and they dealt
No sooner was the helm of the church at deadly blows among the Christians.
Antioch put into his hands than he tried It was indeed the duty of the
emperor to
every expedient, and brought to bear great consult for the peace of his subjects, but he
zeal and energy for the promotion of con- in the depth of his iniquity himself maddened
cord, and thus joined the severed limb to the his peoples with mutual rage. The deeds
rest of the body of the church. At the time dared by the brutal against the peaceable he
in question however Lucifer made the overlooked and entrusted civil and military
quarrel worse and spent a considerable time offices of importance to savage and impious
in Antioch, and Eusebius when he arrived men, who though they hesitated publicly to
on the spot and learnt that bad doctoring force the lovers of true piety to offer sacrifice
had made the malady very hard to heal, treated them nevertheless with all kinds of
sailed away to the West. indignity. All the honours moreover con- >
When Lucifer returned to Sardinia he ferred on the sacred ministry by the great \
made dogmas of the Constantine Julian took away.
certain additions to the
church and those who accepted them were To tell all the deeds dared by the slaves of
named after him, and for a considerable idolatrous deceit at that time would require
time were called Luciferians. But in time a history of these crimes alone, but out of
the flame of this dogma too went out and it the vast number of them I shall select a few
was consigned to oblivion."^ Such were the instances. At Askalon and at Gaza, cities
events that followed on the return of the of Palestine, men of priestly rank and women
bishops. who had lived all their lives in virginity
were disembowelled,
filled with barley, and
CHAPTER given for food to swine. At Sebaste, which
III.
belongs to the same people, the coffin of
Of the nu?nber and character of the deeds John the Baptist was opened, his bones burnt,
done by Pagans against the Christians when and the ashes scattered abroad.^
they got the power from Julian.
When Julian had made his impiety '
Corybantes, the name of the priests of Cybele, whose re.
openly known the were filled with
cities ligious service consisted
is a word of
in noisy music and wild, armed
uncertain origin. The chief seat of their
dances,
dissensions. Men enthralled by the deceits rites was Pessinus in Galatia.
" " members of a re-
- ©tacrcorat. lit. The club-fellows," or
of idolatry took heart, opened the idols' ligious brotherhood."
3 Sebaste was a name
given to Samaria by Herod the Great
'cf. p. 41. Eustathius died nbout 3.^7, at Philippi, —
prob- in honour of Augustus, cf. Rufinus H. E. xi. 28 and Thco-
ably about six years after his deposition. Alexander, an phanes, Chronographia i. 117. Theodoretus claims to have
ascetic (cf. post, v. Ch. 35) did not become bishop of Antiocli obtained some of tlic relics of^ the Baptist for his own church
till 413. at Cyrus (Kelig. Hist. 1241;). On the development of the
- The raison d'etre of the Luciferians as a distinct
party was tradition of the relics, cf. Diet. Christ. Ant. i. 883. A
their unwillingness to accept communion with men who had magnificent church was built by Theodosius (Soz. vii. 21 and
ever lapsed into Arianism. Jerome gives 371 as the date of 24) in a suburb of Constantinople, to enshrine a head dis-
Lucifer's death. "To
what extent he was an actual schismatic covered by some unsound monks. The church is said by
remains obscure." St. Ambrose remarks that " he had Sozomen (vii. 24) to be " at tlie seventh milestone," on the
separated himself from our communion," (de excessu Satyri road out of Constantinople, ami the place to be called Hebdo.
1127,47) and St. Augustine that
" he fell into the darkness of mon or " seventh." I am indebted to the Rev. II. F. Tozer for
schism, having lost the light of charity." (En. iSj n. 47.) the suggestion that Ilebdomon was a promontory on the
But there is no mention of any separation other than Lucifer's Propontis, to the west of the extreme part of the city, where
own repulsion of so many ecclesiastics; and Jerome in his the Cyclobion was, and where the Seven Towers now are; and
" heatus2iD.A that the Seven Towers being about six Roman miles from the
dialogue against the Luciferians (§ 20) calls him
bonus pastor." J. LI. Davies in Diet. Christ. Biog. s. v. Seraglio Point, which is the apex of the triangle formed by
III. 4. 5] OF THEODORET. 97
Who could tell without a tear the

too prick him without mercy with their pens.^
vile in Phojnicia? At Heliopolis^
deed done Alter this they put him into a basket,
by Lebanon there lived a certain deacon of smeared him with pickle- and honey, and
the name of Cyrillus. In the reign of Con- hung him up in the open air in the height
stantine, fired by divine zeal, he had broken of summer, inviting wasps and bees to a
in pieces many of the idols there worshipped. feast. Their object in doing this was to
Now men of infamous name, bearing this compel him either to restore the shrine
deed in mind, not only slew him, but cut which he had destroyed, or to defray the
open his belly and devoured his liver. Their expense of its erection. Marcus, however,
crime was not, however, hidden from the endured all these grievous sufferings and
all-seeing eye, and they suffered the just affirmed that he would consent to none of
reward of their deeds for all who had taken ; their demands. His enemies, with the idea
part in this abominable wickedness lost their that he could not afford the money from
teeth, which all fell out at once, and lost, poverty, remitted half their demand, and bade
too, their tongues, which rotted away and him pay the rest but Marcus hung on high,
;
dropped from them :

they were moreover pricked with pens, and devoured by wasps
deprived of sight, and by their sufferings and bees, yet not only shewed no signs
proclaimed the power of holiness. of pain, but derided his impious tormentors
At the neighbouring city of Emesa^they with the " You are
repeated taunt, ground-
dedicated to Dionysus, the woman-formed, lings and of the earth I, sublime and ex-
;
the newly erected church, and set up in it his alted." At last they begged for only a small
ridiculous androgynous image. At Dorys- portion of the money; but, said he, "it is
tolum,^ a famous city of Thrace, the victo- as impious to give an obole as to give
rious athlete yEmilianus was thrown upon all." So discomfited they let him go, and
a flaming pyre, by Capitolinus, governor could not refrain from admiring his con-
of all Thrace. To relate the tragic fate of stancy, for his words had taught them a new
Marcus, however, bishop of Arethusa,'' with lesson of holiness.
true dramatic dignity, would require the
eloquence of an yEschylus or a Sophocles. CHAPTER IV.
In the days of Constantius he had de-
0/ the laws made by Julian against the
stroyed a certain idol-shrine and built a
Christians.
church in its place and no sooner did ;
the Arethusians learn the mind of Julian Countless other deeds were dared at that
than they made an open display of their time by land and by sea, all over the world,
hostility. At first, according to the pre- by the wicked against the just, for now with-
cept of the Gospel," Marcus endeavoured out disguise the enemy of God began to lay
to make his escape but when he became down laws against true religion. First of all
;
aware that some of his own people wei'e he prohibited the sons of the Galileans, for
apprehended in his stead, he returned and so he tried to name the worshippers of the
gave himself up to the men of blood. After Saviour, from taking part in the study of
they had seized him they neither pitied his poetry, rhetoric, and philosophy, for said he,
old age nor reverenced his deep regard for in the words of the proverb
" we are shot
virtue but, conspicuous as he was for the with shafts feathered from our own wing,"^
;
beauty alike of his teaching and of his life, for from our own books they take arms and
first of all they stripped and smote him, wage war against us.
laying strokes on every limb, then they After this he made another edict ordering
flung him into filthy sewers, and, when they the Galileans to be expelled from the army.
had dragged him out again, delivered him
to a crowd of lads whom they charged to
CHAPTER V.
the city, t'le phrase at the seventh milestone is thus ac-
counted Bones alleq-ed to be parts of the scull are still
for. Of the fourth exile and flight of the holy
shewn Amiens. The same emperor built a church for the
at
Athanasius.
body on the site of the Scrapeum at Alexandria.
rieliopolis, the modern Baalbcc, the "City of the Sun," was
1
built at the west foot of Anti-Libanus, near the sources of the At this time Athanasius, that victorious
Orontes.
athlete of the truth, underwent another peril,
2 On the Orontes; now Homs. Here Aurelian defeated
Zenobia in 273.
3
Durostorum, now Silistria, on the right bank of the Dan. 1 The sharp iron stilus was capable of inflicting- severe
"
ube. wounds. CKsar, when attacked by his murderers, caught
*Valesius (note on Soz. v. 10) would distinguish this Mar- Casca's arm and ran it throuirh with his pen." Suetonius.
cus of Arethusa from the Ariaii Mari'us of Arethusa, author 2
ya-pov, garuin, was
a fish-pickle, cf. the barbarous punish-
of the cieed of Sirmium (Soc. H. E. ii. 30), apparently on ment of the (rica<f)eucri?, infiicted among- others on Milhridates,
insufficient grounds (Diet. Christ. Bioa:. s. v.). Arethusa was who wounded Cyrus Cuuaxa. "(Plut. ArtaxerxeF.)
at
a town not far from the source of the Orontes. 3 cf.
Aristophanes (Aves SoS) Ta6' oiix, in-' aKKuiv aKXa. T019
" Matt. X, avrCiv n-Tcpoi?."
23.
VOL. III.
98 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [in. 6, 7
for the devils could not brook the power of at that time there were lying there the relics
'
his tongue and prayers, and so armed their of tlie victorious martyr Babylas and the
ministers to revile him. Many voices did lads who had gloriously suftered with him,
of wick- and the lying prophet was plainly stopped
they utter beseeching the champion
edness to exile Athanasius, and adding yet from uttering his wonted lies by the holy in-
this further, that if Athanasius remained, fluence of Babylas. Julian was aware of
not a heathen would remain, for that he this, for his ancient piety had taught him the
would get them all over to his side. Moved power of victorious martyrs, and so he re-
by these supplications Julian^ condemned moved no other body
from the spot, but only
Athanasius not merely to exile, but to death. ordered the worshippers of Christ to trans-
His people shuddered, but it is related that late the relics of the victorious martyrs.
he foretold the rapid dispersal of the storm, They marched with joy to the grove,- put
for said he " It is a cloud which soon van- the coffin on a car and went before it leading
ishes away." He however withdrew as a vast concourse of people, singing the psalms
soon as he learnt the arrival of the beai'ers of David, while at every pause they shouted
" Shame be to all them that
of the imperial message, and finding a boat worship molten
on the bank of the river, started for the images."^ For they understood the transla-
Thebaid. The officer who had been ap- tion of the martyr to mean defeat for the
pointed for his execution became acquainted demon.
with his flight, and strove to pursue him at
hot haste ;
one of his friends, however, got CHAPTER VII.
ahead, and told him that the officer was com-
Of Theodorus the Confessor.
ing on apace. Then some of his companions
besought him to take refuge in the desert, Julian could not endure the shame
but he ordered the steersman to turn the
brought upon him by these doings, and on the
boat's head to Alexandria. So they rowed
following day ordered the leaders of the
to meet the pursuer, and on came the bearer choral procession to be arrested. Sallustius
of the sentence of execution, and, said he, was prefect at this time and a servant of
" How far off is Athanasius.? " " Not far,"
iniquity, but he nevertheless was anxious to
said Athanasius,^ and so got rid of his foe,
persuade the sovereign not to allow the
while he himself returned to Alexandria Christians who were eager for glory to at-
and there remained in concealment for the
tain the object of their desires. VV^hen how-
^
remainder of Julian's reign. ever he saw that the emperor was impotent
to master his rage, he arrested a young man
CHAPTER
VI. adorned with the graces of a holy enthu-
siasm while walking in the Forum, hung
0/ Apollo and Daphne, and of the holy
him up before the world on the stocks, lacer-
Babylas. ated his back with scourges, and scored his
Julian, wishing to make a campaign sides with claw-like instruments of torture.
against the Persians, dispatched the trustiest And this he did all day from dawn till the
of his officers to all the oracles throughout day was done and then put chains of iron ;
the Roman Empire, while he himself went on him and ordered him to be
kept in
as a suppliant to implore the Pythian oracle ward. Next morning he informed Julian of
of Daphne to make known to him the future. what had been done, and reported the young
The oracle responded that the corpses lying man's constancy and added that the event
hard by were becoming an obstacle to divi- was for themselves a defeat and for the
nation that they must first be removed to Christians a triumph.
; Persuaded of the
another spot and that then he would utter truth of this, God's enemy suffered no more
;
his prophecy, for, said he, " I could say

nothing, if the grove be not purified." Now in the
Babylas, bishop of Antioch from 23S to 251, was martyred
1
Decian either death inpersecution H. by prison (Euseb.

E. vi. 39 /icTa Tiji' 6/uoAoyiai' iv 5ecr;u.uiT))pi<i) nfraAAoôiTO?) or by
The crowning outrage which moved Julian to put out the
• violence. (Chrys. des. B. c. gentes) "Babylas had won (or
edict of exile was the baptism by the bishop of some pagan himself a name by his heroic courage as bishop of Antioch.
ladles. The letter of Julian (Ep. p. 1S7) fixed Dec. ist, 362, It was related of him that on one occasion when the
enijieror
as the limit of Athanasius' permission to stay in Egypt, but it Philip, who was a Christian, had presented himself one
was on Oct. 23d (Fest. Ind.) that the order was communicated Easter Eve at the time of prayer, he had boldly refused ad-
to him. mission to the sovereign, till he had gone through the proper
2 The
story may be compared with that of Napoleon on the discipline of a penitent for some offence committed. (Eus.
return from Elba in Feb. iSiS, when on being hailed by some Il.E. vi.34.) He acted like a good sliepherd, says Chrysos-
passing craft with an eiupiirv as to the emperor's health, he is torn, who drives away the scabby sheep, lest it should infect
said to have himself taken the speaking trumpet and replied the flock." Bp. Lightfoot, Ap. Fathers II. i. p. 40-46.
' " 'rhe
Daplinean Sanctuary was four or five miles distant
••
Qiiite well."
3 He concealed himself at
Cliocren. (?E1 Carcon) near Alex- from the city." " Rufinus says six, but this appears to be an
andria, and went thence to Memphis, whence he wrote his exaggeration." Bp. Lightfoot 1. c.
Festal Letter for 363. Julian died June 26, 363. 3 Ps.
96. 7.
III. 8, 9-] OF THEODORET. 99
to be so treated and ordered Theodorus' to selves in array against the God of all and ;
be let out of prison, for so was named this the prince ordered the
holy vessels to be
young and glorious combatant in truth's bat- handed over to the imperial treasury. Of
tle. On being asked if he had had any the great church which Constantine had
sense of pain on undergoing those most built he nailed up the doors and declared it
bitter and most savage tortures he replied closed to the worshippers wont to assemble
that at the first indeed he had felt some little there. At this tinie it was in possession of
pain, but that then had appeared to him one the Arians. In company with Julianus the
who continually wiped the sweat from his prefect of the East, Felix the imperial
face with a cool and soft kerchief and bade treasurer, and Elpidius, who had charge
him be of good courage. " Wherefore," of the emperor's private purse and property,
said he, '• when the executioners gave over an officer whom it is the Roman custom
I was not pleased but vexed, tor now there to call "Comes privatarum," made their
^
went away with them he who brought me way into the sacred edifice. Both Felix
refreshment of soul." But the demon of and Elpidius, it is said, were Christians,
lying divination at once increased the but to please the impious emperor aposta-
martyr's glory and exposed his own false- tised from the true religion. Julianus com-
hood for a thunderbolt sent down from mitted an act of gross indecency on the
;
heaven burnt the whole shrine ^ and turned Holy Table ^ and, when Euzoius endeavoured
the very statue of the Pythian into fine dust, for to prevent him, gave him a blow on the face,
it was made of wood and gilded on the sur- and told him, so the story goes, that it is the
face. Julianus the uncle of Julian, prefect fate of the fortunes of Christians to have no
of the East, learnt this by night, and riding protection from the gods. But Felix, as he
at full speed came to Daphne, eager to bring gazed upon the magnificence of the sacred
succour to the deity whom he worshipped vessels, furnished with splendour by the mu-
;
but when he saw the so-called god turned nificence of Constantine and Constantius,
into powder he scourged the officers in "Behold," said he, "with what vessels
charge of the temple,^ for he conjectured that Mary's son is served." But it was not long
the conflagration was due to some Christian. before they paid the penalty of these deeds
But they, maltreated as they were, could not of mad and impious daring.
endure to utter a lie, and persisted in saying
that the fire had started not from below but CHAPTER IX.
from above. Moi'eover some of the neigh-
what befell Julianus, the E^nperor's Uncle,
bouring rustics came forward and asserted Of
that they had seen the thunderbolt come and Felix.
rushing down from heaven.
Julianus forthwith fell sick of a painful
disease his entrails rotted away, and he ;
CHAPTER VIII. was no longer able to discharge his excre-

ments through the normal organs of excre-
Of the confiscation of the sacred treasures a?td tion,^ but his
polluted mouth, at the instant
taking away of the allowances.^
of his blasphemy, became the organ for
Even when the wicked had become ac- their emission.
quainted with these events they set them- His wife, it is said, was a woman of con-
spicuous faith, and thus addressed her
*" Gibbon seems to confuse this
young man Theodorus with "
Theodoretus the presbyter and martyr who was put to death spouse Husband, you ought to bless our
:
about this time at Antioch by the Count Julianus, the uncle of Saviour Christ for shewing you through
the emperor, (Soz. v. S., Ruinart's Act. Mart. Sine. p. 605 sq.)
for he speaks in his text of ' a presbyter nf the name of Theo- your castigation his peculiar power. For
doret,' and in his notes of the passion of S. Theodore in the
'
Acta Sincera of Ruinart,' " Bp. Lightfoot. p. 43. ther referred to in the text. Philostorgius (vii. 4) says " He
2 " Gibbon
says, During the night which terminated th.is
'
distributed the allowance of the churches among the ministers

indiscreet procession, the temple of Daphne was in flames,'
of the daemons," cf. Soz. v. 5. The restitution is recorded in
and later writers have blindly followed him. He docs not
Theod. iv. 4. The o'lTo/u.eTpioi' of St. Luke xii. 42. (cf. ^\\v
give any authority, but obviously he is copying Tillemont H.
E. iii. p. 407 en mesme temps que I'on portant dans la ville la
' Tpo0i;i' in Matt. xxiv. 45) is analogous to the a-i.Tripi<Ti.a of the
text, ^'ide Suicer s. v.
chasse du Saint Martyr, c'est a dire la nuit suivante.' The
only passage which Tillemont quotes is Ammianus, (xxii. 1 5)
1
By the constitution of Constantine the two great ministers
of finance were (i) the Comes sacrariim /«r^;V/on«/«, treasurer
'
eodem tempore die xi. Kal. Nov.,' which does not bear him
out. On the contrary the historians generally (cf. Soz. v. 20,
and paymaster of the public staff of the Empire; (ii) Comes
rei privatce, wlio managed the privy purse and kept the liber
Theod. iii. 7) place the persecutions which followed on the
benejiciorum, an account of privileges granted by the emperor,
processions, and which must have occupied some time, before cf. Diet. Christ. Ant. i.
the burning of the temple." Bp. Lightfoot. p. 634.
" in
2
TpoTrefa is the word commonly employed by the Greek
vtuiKopov;. vewKopo? is the word rendered "worshipper
3
Fathers and in Greek Liturgies to designate the Lord's Table.
Acts xix. 35 by A. V. The R. V. has correctly "temple-
^ f^vcnacrT-qpLOv is used by Eusebius H. E. x.4, for the Altar of the
keeper," the old derivation from (coptui sweep, being no Church of Tyre, but the earlier QvcriauTripiov of Ignatius
doubt less probable than the reference of the latter part of the
(Philad. iv.) does not appear to mean tlie Lord's Table, cf.
word to a root v^KtJR^v/ IÔL, found in colo, euro. Up. Lightfoot Ap. Fathers, pt. II, ii. p. 25S.
*Ti7S Tu>v (nTT)pe(7-iwc <i(/)aipe(Teuj5. This deprivation is not fur- 3
arr6(Cpi(7-t9,
H 2
lOO THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [III. lO, II,
you would never have known who it is who to last for seven days. On the first day the
is being attacked by you if with his wonted young man stood by the emperor's couch,
long suffering he had refrained from visiting and according to the 2:)rcscribed usage as-
you with these heaven-sent plagues." Then persed the meats, and thorouglily polluted
by these words and the heavy weight of his them. Then at full speed he ran to Antioch,^
woes the wretched man perceived the cause and making his way to that admirable lad}-,
of his disease, and besought the emperor " I am come," said he, " to you and I have ;
to restore the church to those who had been kept my promise. Do you look to the sal-
deprived of it. He could not however gain vation of each and fulfil your pledge." At
his petition, and so ended his da3'S. once she arose and conducted the young man
Felix too was himself suddenly struck down to Meletius the man of God, who ordered him
by a heaven-sent scourge, and kept vomiting to remain for awhile upstairs in the inn. His
blood from his mouth, all day and all night, father after wandering about all over Daphne
for all the vessels of his body poured their in search of the bov, then returned to tlie
convergent streams to this one organ so city and explored the streets and lanes, turn-
:
when all his blood was shed he died, and ing his eyes in all directions and longing to
was delivered to eternal death. light upon his lad. At length he arrived at
Such were the penalties inflicted on these the place where the divine Meletius had his
men for their wickedness. hostelry and looking up he saw his son ;
peeping through the lattice. He ran up,

drew him along, got him down, and carried
CHAPTER X. him oft' home. Then he first laid on him
Son of the Priest. many stripes, then applied hot spits to his
Of the
feet and hands and back, then shut him up
A YOUNG man who was a priest's son, and in his bedroom, bolted the door on the out-
brought up in impiety, about this time went side, and returned to Daphne. So I myself
over to the true religion. For a lady re- have heard the man himself narrate in his
markable for her devotion and admitted to old age, and he added further that he was
the order of deaconesses was an intimate inspired and filled with Divine Grace, and
^
friend of his mother. When he came to broke in pieces all his father's idols, and
visit her with his mother, while yet a tiny made mockery of their helplessness. After-
lad, she used to welcome him with aflection wards when he bethought him of what he
and urge him to the true religion. On the had done he feared his father's return and
death of his mother the young man used to besought his Master Christ to nod approval
visit her and enjoyed the advantage of her of his deeds," break the bolts, and open the
wonted teaching. Deeply impressed by her doors. " For it is for thy sake," said he, " that
I have thus suftered and thus acted." " Even
counsels, he enquired of his teacher by what
means he miglit both escape the superstition as I thus spoke," he told me, " out fell the
of his father and have part and lot in the bolts and open flew the doors, and back I ran
truth which she preached. She replied that to my instructress. She dressed me up in
he must flee from his father, and honour women'sgarments and took mewith herin her
rather the Creator both of his father and covered carriage back to the divine Meletius.
himself; that he must seek some other city He handed me over to tlie bishop of Jeru-
wherein he might lie hid and escape the vio- salem, at that time Cyril, and we started
lence of the impious emperor and she ; by night for Palestine." After the death of
promised to manage this for him. Then, Julian this young man led his father also
said the young man, " henceforward I shall into the way of truth. This act he told
come and commit my soul to you." Not me with the rest. So in this fashion these
many days afterwards Julian came to Daphne men were guided to the knowledsre of God
to celebrate a public feast. With him came and were made partakers of Salvation.
the young man's father, both as a priest, and
as accustomed to attend the emperor and ;
with their father came the young man and CHAPTER XI.
his brother, being appointed to the service
of the temple and charged with the duty of Of the Holy Martyrs Juventinus and
Maximinus.
ceremonially sprinkling the imperial viands.
It is the custom for the festival of Daphne Now Julian, with less restraint, or shall I
The say, less shame, began to arm himself against
1 earliest authorities for the oilier are St. Paul, Kom.
xvi.i, and probably I. Tim. iii. ii and Pimy in his letter to
Trajan, if ministr£( = JiaicofOf, ;
? Vide note on page 98,

* FeCcrau
true religion, wearing indeed a mask

of that he had punished them for insulting the
moderation, but the while preparing gins emperor, and ordered this report to be pub-
all
and traps which caught all who were lished abroad, thus grudging to these cham-
deceived by them in the destruction of pions of the truth the name and honour ot
iniquity. He began by polluting with foul martyrs. The name of one was Juventinus ;
sacrifices the wells in the city and in Daphne, of the other Maximinus. The city ot
that every man who used the fountain Antioch honoured them as defenders of true
might be partaker of abomination. Then he religion, and deposited them in a magnificent
thoroughly polluted the things exposed in tomb, and up to this day they are honoured
the Forum, for bread and meat and fruit by a yearly festival.^
and vegetables and every kind of food were Other men in public office and of distinc-
aspersed. When those who were called by tion used similar boldness of speech, and won
the Saviour's name saw what was done, like crowns of martyrdom.
they groaned and bewailed and expressed
their abomination nevertheless they par-
;
took, for they remembered the apostolic CHAFTER XH.

law, "Everything that is sold in the sham-
bles eat, asking no question for conscience 0/ Valetitinianus the great Emperor.
sake." ^ Two officers in the army, who were Valentinianus,^ who shortly afterwards
shield bearers in the imperial suite, at a became emperor, was at that time a Trib-
certain banquet lamented in somewhat warm une and commanded the Hastati quartered
language the abomination of what was being in the palace. He made no secret of his
done, and employed the admirable language zeal for the true religion. On one occasion
of the glorious youths at Babylon, " Thou when the infatuated emperor was going
hast given us over to an impious Prince, in solemn procession into the sacred enclo-
an apostate beyond all the nations on the sure of the Temple of Fortune, on either
^
earth." One of the guests gave infor- side of the gates stood the temple servants
mation of this, and the emperor arrested purifying, as they supposed, all who were
these right worthy men and endeavoured coming in, with their sprinkling whisks.
to ascertain by questioning them what Valentinianus walked before the em-As
was the language they had used. They peror, he noticed that a drop had fallen on
accepted the imperial enquiry as an oppor- his own cloak and gave the attendant a blow
tunity for open speech, and with noble enthu- with his fist, "for," said he, "I am not
siasm replied " Sir we were brought up in purified but defiled." For this deed he won
true religion we were obedient to most two empires. On seeing what had hap-
;
excellent laws, the laws of Constantine and pened Julian the accursed sent him to a
of his sons now we see the world full of fortress in the desert, and ordered him there
;
pollution, meats and drinks alike defiled to remain, but after the lapse of a year and
with abominable sacrifices, and we lament. a few months he received the empire as a
We bewail these things at home, and now reward of his confession of the faith, for not
before thy face we express our grief, for this only in the life that is to come does the just
is the one thing in thy reign which we take
Judge honour them that care for holy things,
ill." No sooner did he whom sympathetic but sometimes even here below He bestows
courtiers called most mild and most philo- recompense for good deeds, confirming the
sophic hear these words than he took off his hope of guerdons yet to be received by
mask of moderation, and exposed the coun- what he gives in abundance now.
tenance of impiety. He ordered cruel and But the tyrant devised another contrivance
painful scourgings to be inflicted on them against the truth, for when according to
and deprived them of their lives or shall we ancient custom he had taken his seat upon
;
not rather say freed them from that sorrowful tlie imperial throne to distribute gold among
time and gave them crowns of victory He the ranks of his soldiery, contrary to cus-
.f"
pretended indeed that punishment was in- tom he had an altar full of hot coals in-
flicted upon them not for the true religion troduced, and incense put upon a table, and
for sake of which they were really slain, but ordered each man who was to receive the
because of their insolence, for he gave out
'
cf. St. Chrvsostom's homily in their honour. The
Basilian menology mentions Juventinus under Oct. g,
1 1.Cor. X. 25. 2
Valentinianus, a native of Cibalis (on the Save; in Panno-
5
Sonof of the Three Children, v. S, quoted not quite ex- nia (Bosnia) was elected Feb. 26, 364, and reigned till Nov.
actly from the Septuagint, which runs napi'6o>Ka<; rj/oias . . . '7' 37S' Though a Christian, he was tolerant of paganism,
PatTL\.€i a6iKto Kai not^TjpoTaTw napa. jraaac Tr}v yrjv. The text is, or tlie peasant's religion, as in his reign heathenism began to
irape6(0Kas rjfid? âcTLêl napavofxtu anotrTaTif) wapd TrdvTa rd (dvt) be named (Codex Theod. xvj. ii. iS). The " shortly after "
of the text means some two years.
102 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [III. 13, 14.
gold first to throw incense on the altar, and man bared his sword, than up ran a man
then to take the gold from his own right
announcing a reprieve, and while afar
hand. The majority were wholly unaware oft' shouting out to stop the execution.yetThen
of the trap thus laid but those who were the youngest soldier was distressed at his
;
forewarned feigned illness and so escaped release from death. "Ah," said " Ro-
he,
this cruel snare. Others in their eagerness manus " (his name was " was not
for the money made light of their salvation,
Romanus)
worthy of being called Christ's
while another group abandoned their faith What influenced the vile trickster in martyr."
stoppino-
through cowardice. the execution was his
envy he grudged the :
champions of the faith their glory. Their

CHAPTER XIII. sentence was commuted to relegation
beyond
the city walls and to the remotest
regions of
Of other confessors. the empire.
After this fatal distribution of money
some of were feasting together
the recipients CHAPTER XIV.
at an entertainment. One of them who had Of Artemius the Duke.'^ Of Publia the Deacon-
taken the cup in his hand did not drink ess and her divine boldness.
before making on it the sign of salvation.^
One of the guests found fault with him for Artemius' commanded the troops in Egypt.
this, and said that it was quite inconsistent He had obtained this command in the time
with what had just taken place. " What," of Constantine, and had
destroyed most of
said he, "have I done that is inconsistent?" the idols. For this reason Julian not only
Whereupon he was reminded of the altar confiscated his property but ordered his de-
and the incense, and of his denial of the capitation.
faith for these things are all contrary to the
;
These and like these were the deeds of the
Christian profession. When they heard this man whom the impious describe as the
the greater number of the feasters moaned mildest and least passionate of men.
and bewailed and tore out I will now include in
themselves, my history the noble
handfuls of hair from their heads. They story of a right excellent woman, for even
rose from the banquet, and ran through the women, armed with divine zeal, despised
Forum exclaiming that they were Christians, the mad fury of Julian.
that they had been tricked by the emperor's In those days there was a woman named
contrivances, that they retracted their apos- Publia, of high reputation, and illustrious for
tasy, and were ready to try to undo the deeds of virtue. For a short time she wore the
defeat which had befallen them unwittingly. yoke of marriage, and had offered its most
With these exclamations they ran to the goodly fruit to God, for from this fair soil
palace loudly inveighing against the wiles sprang John, who for a long time was chief
of the tyrant, and imploring that they presbyter at Antioch, and was often elected
might be committed to the flames in order to the apostolic see, but from time to time de-
that, as they had been befouled by fire, by clined the dignity. She maintained a com-
fire they might be made clean. All these pany of virgins vowed to virginity for life,
utterances drove the villain out of his senses, and spent her time in praising God who had
and on the impulse of the moment he made and saved her. One day the emperor
ordered them to be beheaded but as they ;
was passing by, and as they esteemed the
were being conducted without the city the Destroyer an object of contempt and deris-
mass of the people started to follow them, ion, they struck up all the louder music,
wondering and glorying in
at their fortitude chiefly chanting those psalms which mock
their boklness for the truth. When, they the helplessness of idols, and
saying in the
had reached the spot where it was usual to words of David " The idols of the nations are
execute criminals, the eldest of them of silver and gold, the work of men's hands," ^
besought the executioner that he would first after describing and
their insensibility,
cut off the head of the youngest, tliat hethey added "like them be they that make
miglit not be unmanned by beholding the them and all those that trust in them."*
slaughter of the rest. No sooner had he
1
knelt down upon the ground and the heads- By the Constitution of Constantine the supreme niiUtary
command was given to a " Magistcr equitum " and a " Matr-
"
istcr pcditum." Under them were number of "Duces" .1
_
•
The oriffin:iI mode of makinc: the sigri of the Cross was and "ComitLS," Dukes and Counts, with territorial titles.
with thuinb of
tlie the rii^ht liand, i<^cncrariy on the forehead Âinmianus ISIarccllinus (XXII. ) says, " Artemius eX
1 1
only, or on other ohiects, once or ihrlce. (Chrvsost. Horn, ducc Afgypti, Alcxandrinis urgentibus, atrociuni crimiuuiii
ad pop. Art. xl.) '
Thrice he made the sign of the cross on mole, suppliclocapitall inultatus est."
the chalice with his finger.' (Sophron. in Prat. Spirit.)" Diet. ' Psalm cxv. 4.
Christ. Ant. s. v. * Psalm cxv. 8.
Julian heard them, and was very angrj-, and out his impious orders. It is said that they
told them to hold their peace while he was made mattocks, shovels, and baskets of silver.
passing by. She did not however pay the When they had begun to dig and to carry
least attention to his orders, but put still out the earth a vast multitude of them went
greater energy into their chaunt, and when on with the work all day, but by night the
the emperor passed by again told them to earth which had been carried away shifted
strike up " Let God arise and let his ene- back from the ravine of its own accord.
mies be scattered." ^ On this Julian in They destroyed moreover the remains of the
wrath ordered the choir mistress to be former construction, with the intention of
brought before him and, though he saw building everything up afresh
;
but when ;
that respect was due to her old age, he they had got together thousands of bushels
neither compassionated her gray hairs, nor of chalk and lime, of a sudden a violent
respected her high character, but told some gale blew, and storms, temjêsts and whirl-
of his escort to box both her ears, and by winds scattered everything far and wide.
their violence to make her cheeks red. She They still went on in their madness, nor
however took the outrage for honour, and were they brought to their senses by the di-
returned home, where, as was her wont, she vine longsufiering. Then first came a great
kept up her attack upon him with her spirit- earthquake, fit to strike terror into the hearts
and of men quite ignorant of God's dealings
^
ual songs, just as the composer ;
teacher of the song laid the wicked spirit and, when still they were not awed, fire run-
that vexed Saul. ning from the excavated foundations burnt
up most of the diggers, and put the rest to
Moreover when a large number of
CHAPTER XV. flight.
men were sleeping at night in an adjacent
it fell down, roof and all,
Of Jews ; of fhcir attempt at building, and crushedsuddenly
the building
the whole of them. On that
and of the heaven-sent plagues that befel
night and also on the following night the
them.
sign of the cross of salvation was seen
Julian, who had made his soul a home brightly shining in the sky, and the very
of destroying demons, went his corybantic garments of the Jews were filled with crosses,
way, ever raging against true religion. He not bright but black.
^
When God's enemies
accordingly now armed the Jews too against saw these things, in terror at the heaven-
the believers in Christ. He began by en- sent plagues they fled, and made their way
quiring of some whom he got together why, home, confessing the Godhead of Him who
though their law imposed on them the duty had been crucified by their fathers. Julian
of sacrifices, they offered none. On their heard of these events, for they were re-
reply that their worship was limited to one peated by every one. But like Pharaoh he
^
particular spot, this enemy of God immedi- hardened his heart.
ately gave directions for the re-erection
i"The curious statement that crosses were imprinted on
of the destroyed temple,^ supposing the bodies and clothes of persons present, Is illustrated in the
original edition of Ncwn".an's Essay (clxxxii.)" (i.e. on eccle-
in his vanity that l•ê could falsify the siastical miracles) "by some parallel instances quoted by War-
prediction of the Lord, of which, in burton from Casaubon and from Boyle. Such crosses, or
cross-like impressions, are said to havi: followed not only a
reality, he exhibited the truth.* The Jews thunderstorm, but also an eruption of Vesuvius these crosses
heard his words with delight and made were seen on linen garments, as shirt sleeves, \vomen's
aprons, that had lain open to the air, and upon the exposed
known his orders to their countrymen parts of sheets." "Chrysostom (Ed. Montfaucon, vol. v.
271, etc.) mentions 'crosses imprinted upon garments,* as a
throughout the world. They came with sign that had occurred in his generation, close to the men-
haste from all directions, contributing alike tion of the Temple of Apollo that was overthrown by a
tliunderbolt, and separated from the wonders in Palestine that
money and enthusiasm for the work and
; he mentions subsequently." Dr. E. A. Abbott. Philomythtis,
the emperor made all provisions he
the 1S9.
2 This event " came like the vision of
Constantine, at a criti-
could, less from the pride of munificence cal epoch in the world's Iiistory. It was, as the heathen jjoet has
it, a dignus vindice nodus.' All who were present or heard
'
than from hostility to the truth. He de- of the event at the time, thought, we may be sure, that it was
spatched also as governor a fit man to carry a sign from God. As a miracle then it ranges beside those
biblical miracles in which, at some critical moment, the forces
of nature are seen to work strikingly for God's people or
1
Psalm Ixvii. i. against their enemies. In the O. T. we have for example, the
2Cf. Eph. V. ig. instances of the plagues of Egypt, the passage of the Red Sea
3
Bp. Wordsworth (Diet. Chris. Biog. iii, goo) is in fa- and the drowning of Pharaoh's host, tlie crossing of the Jor-
vour of the letter (Ep. 24, Ed. Didot 350) in which
Julian dan, the prolongation of sunlight" (? darkness. Vide" A
mis-
desires the prayers of the Creator and professes a wish to understood miracle" by the Rev. A. Smythe Palmer) " the de-
rebuild and inhabit Jerusalem with them after his return from struction of Sennacherib's army; in the N. T. the stilling of
the Persian war and there gîve glory to the Supreme Being-. the storm, and the earthquake and the darkness at tlie cruci-
It is addressed to his "brother Julus, the
very venerable fixion." Bp. Wordsworth. Diet. Ch. Biog. Ii. 513. To bibli-
patriarch." cal instances may be added the defeat of Sisera and the fall of
" the forces of
nature," when tlie Ar-
* This
is the motive ascribed by the Arian Aphek. But, too, for
Philostorgius
(vii. 9) . mada was scattered, or when the siege of Leyden was raised
104 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [III. i6, 17.
CHAPTER XVI. for so he called the Christians, thinking thus

to bring discredit on them. But, man of
Of the expedition against the Persians. education as he was, he ought to have be-
No sooner had the Persians heard of the thought him that no mischief is done to
death of Constantius, than they took heart, reputation by change of name, for even had
proclaimed war, and marched over the fron- Socrates been called Critias and Pythagoras
tier of the Roman empire. Julian therefore Phalaris they would have incurred no dis-
determined to muster his forces, though they grace from the change of name nor yet —
were a host without a God to guard them. would Nireus if he had been named Ther-
First he sent to Delphi, to Delos and to sitesMiave lost the comeliness with which
Dodona, and to the other oracles and en-
'
nature had gifted him. Julian had learned
quired of the seers if he shoukl march. about these things, but laid none of them to
They bade him march and promised him heart, and supposed that he could wrong us
victory. One of these oracles I subjoin in by using an inappropriate title. He be-
proof of their falsehood. It was as follows. lieved the lies of the oracles and threatened
" Now we all started to get trophies of to set up in our churches the statue of the
gods
victory by the river beast and of them I goddess of lust.
Ares, bold raiser of the din of war, will be
leader."- Let them that style the Pythian a CHAPTER XVII.
God wise in word and prince of the muses
ridicule the absurdity of the utterance. I who
0/ the boldness of speech of the
of decurion
Bercea?
have found out its falsehood will rather pity
him who was cheated by it. The oracle After starting with these threats he was
called the Tigris " beast
"
because the river put down by one single Berocan. Illustrious
and the animal bear the same name. Rising as this man was from the fact of his holding
in the mountains of Armenia, and flowing the chief place among the magistrates, he
through Assyria it discharges itself into the

was made yet more illustrious by his zeal.
Persian gulf. Beguiled by these oracles the
On seeing his son falling into the prevailing
man dreams he drove him from his home and
unhappy indulged in of victory, paganism,
and after fighting with the Persians had publicly renounced him. The youth made
visions of a campaign against the Galileans, his way to the emperor in the near neigh-
bourhood of the city and informed him both
the course nf inoclc-rn history would have been changed.
Cressy may also be cited.
of his own views and of his father's sentence.
On the evidence event as contrasted with the so-
for this The emperor bade him make
his mind
called ecclesiastical miracles, accepted and defended by
easy
the late Cardinal Newman, vide Dr. E. A. Abbott's Philomy- promised and
to reconcile his father to him.
thus p|). I and s et seq. "There is better evidence for this
than for any of the precedin<^ miracles." "The real solid When
he reached Beroea, he invited the men
testimony is that of Ammiaims Marcelliniis (xxiii.i). An of office and
of high position to a banquet.
im|)artial hislori.in, who served under Julian in the Persian
campaifiifn, and who, twenty years afterwards, recorded the Among them the was
suppliant's young
interruption of the building of the Temple by terrible balls of and
both father son and
ordered were
fire." " If Ammianiis had lived nearer the
time of the alleged father,
incident, or had added a statement of the evidence on which to take their places the imperial couch.on
he based his stories, the details might have been defended. As
it is, the circumstances, while
In the middle of the entertainment Julian
favouring belief in his veracity,
do not justify us in accepting anything more than the fact that
the rebuilding of the Temjile was generally believed to have 'These four illustrations, occurring in a single sentence,
been stopped by some supernatural fiery manifestation." indicate a certain breadth of reading on the part of the writer,
"The rebuilding was probably stopped by a violent thunder- and bear out his character for learning, (cf. Gibbon and
storm or thunderstorms." Jortin, remarks on Eccl. Hist. ii. ii,v) Socrates, the best of
'
This is probably th^ last occasion on which the moribund the philosophers, is set against Critias, one of the worst of the
oracles were consulted by any one of imiwrtance. Of Delphi, politicians of Hellas; Pythagoras, the Samian sage of Magna
the "nivelofthe earth" (Strabo ix. 505) in I'hocis, Cicero Gra;cia, against Phalaris, the Sicilian tyrant who
had written some four centuries earlier " Cur isto modo jam "tauro violent! membra Perilli
or.icula Delphi non eduntur, non modo nostra a;tate, scd jam "
Torruit; (Ovid. A. A. i. 653)
dm, ut nihil possit esse contemptius " Div. ii. 57. Plu- but did not write the
:
once ascribed to him. Theo-
who died about A.D. " Epistles
tarch, 120, wrote already de defectu doretus remembered his Homer when he cited Ther-
probablv
oraculorum."
Tlie oracle of Apollo at Delos was consulted only in the
sites as the ugliest man of the old world; —
" He was
summer months, as in the winter the god was supposed to be squint-eyed, and lame of either foot;
at Patara so Virgil (iv. 143) writes
:
So crook-back'd that he had no breast; sharji-headed, where
" did shoot
Qiialis ubi hibernam Lyciam Xanthitpie fluenta Here and there spersed, thin mossy hair."
Deserit, ac Delum maternam invisit Apoll"." II. li. 219. Chapman's Trans.
Dodona in Epirus was the most ancient of the oracular
And the juxtaposition of Pythagoras and Nireus suggests
shrines, where the su))pliant went that it may jjossibly have been Horace who suggested Nireus
oc^pa flcoio as the type of beauty :
—
" Nee te PythagorjE fallant arcana renati,
Od. 327- Formaque vincas Nirea," (Hor. Epod. xv.)
" The oracles " were
potentially" dumb,"" Ajxillo with thiniirh Nireus appears as »caAAi<rT05 avr\p in the same book of
hollow shriek the steep of Delphos ieavinja^," as Milton sings, the Iliad as that in which Thersites is derided, and Theodoret
at the Nativity, but it was not till the is said to have known no Iâtin.
reign of Theodosius that "
they were finally silenced. \âlesius points out that iroAiTeuEo-floi means to hold the rank
' vvv
TroifTe! <op(i>j0f)(uei' 6(o\ vCkt)^ Tponaia KOti.i<Ta<rdat napa Srjpl of Curiales or Decuriones. The Hertea mentioned is pre-
nOTanif tCiv S' iyit iJYCfxoi'ei/o'u Oovpoi TroêixoKKarot '.^pij?. sumably the Syrian Bcrcea now Haleb or Aleppo.
III. i8, 19.] OF THEODORET. 105
said to the father, " It does not seem to me After a few days the death of the wretch
to be i-ight to force a mind otherwise in- was announced. He was carried out lying
clined and having no wish to shift its in his coffin. The vaunt of his threats was
allegiance. Your son does not wish to proved vain, and God was glorified.^
follow your doctrines. Do not force hnn.
Even though I am easily able to
compel
I,
CHAPTER XIX.
you, do not try you to follow mine."
to force
Then the father, moved by his faith in divine
Of the Prophecy of St. Julianus the monk.
truth sharpen the debate, exclaimed
to
A
MAN who in the body imitated the lives
" Sir," said he
" are you speaking of this
of the bodiless, namely Julianus, surnamed in
wretch whom God hates ^ and who has pre-
ferred lies to truth ?
" Syrian Sabbas, whose life I have written in
"
Once more Julian put on the mask of my Religious History," continued all the
mildness and said " Cease fellow from more zealously to offer his prayers to the
and his face to the God of all, w^hen he heard of the impious
reviling," then, turning
tyrant's threats. On the very day on which
youth, "I," said he, "will have care for was he heard of the event while
Julian slain,
you, since I have not been able to persuade at his
father to do so." I mention this cir- prayers, although the Monastery
your was distant more than twenty stages from
cumstance with a distinct wish to point out
the army. It is related that while he was
not only this worthy man's admirable bold-
invoking the Lord with loud cries and sup-
ness, but that very many persons despised
plicating his merciful Master, he suddenly
Julian's sway. checked his tears, broke into an ecstasy of
delight, while his countenance was lighted
CHAPTER XVIII. and thus the that
up signified joy possessed
0/ the prediction of the pedagogue.
his soul. When his friends beheld this
change they begged him to tell them the
Another instance is that of an excellent reason of his
gladness. "The wild boar,"
man at Antioch, entrusted with the charge said he, " the enemy of the vineyard of the
of young lads, who was better educated than
Lord, has paid the penalty of the wrongs he
is usually the case with pedagogues,^ and has done to Him he lies dead. His mischief
;
was the intimate friend of the chief teacher is done." The whole
company no sooner
of that period, Libanius the far-famed soph- heard these words than
they leaped with joy
ist.
and struck up the song of thanksgiving to
Now *
Libanius was a heathen expecting
God, and from those that brought tidings of
victory and bearing in mind the threats of the emperor's death they learnt that it was
Julian, so one day, in ridicule of our belief, the very day and hour when the accursed
he said to the pedagogue, "What is the car- man was slain that the
aged Saint knew it
penter's son about now?" Filled with and announced it.'^
divine grace, he foretold what was shortly to
come to pass. " Sophist," said he, " the Shakespeare "
(Titus Andronicus Act V. 2, 1S9) pie crust.
Perhaps casket," which now still holds many things, maj
Creator of all things, whom you in derision one day only hold a corpse.
* In times and circumstances totally different, it may seem
'
call carpenter's son, is making a coffin."
that Julian's courtesy and moderation contrast favourably witli
the fierce zeal of the Cliristians. Amodern illustration of the
1 The word thus translated is either active or passive accord- temper of the Church in Julian's reign may be found in the
ing^ to its accentuation, ©eoîo-rj? =r hated by God; Weoini'crijs =:following account given of his dragoman by the late authoi
hating God. of "Eothen." "Religion and the literature of the Church
2 The word seems here used in its
strictly Athenian sense which he served had made him a man, and a brave man too.
of a slave who took charge of boys on their way between The lives of his honored Saints were full of heroic actions
school and home (Vide Lycias 910. 2 and Plat. Rep. 373. C.) provoking imitation, and since faith in a creed involves faith
rather than in the more general sense of teacher. In Xen. in its ultimate triumph, Dtliemetri was bold from a sense of
Lac. 3. I. it is coupled with StSacrKaAos here it is contrasted true strength; his education too, though not very general in its
:
with it. character, had been carried quite far enough to justify him in
3" One of the most
noteworthy and characteristic figures of pluming himself upon a very decided advantage over the great
expiring heathenism." J.R. Mozley, Diet. Christ. Biog. s. v. bulk of the Mahometan population, including the men in au-
Born ill Antioch A.D. 314, he died about the close of the tiiority. AVith all this consciousness of religious and intellect-
century. He was a voluminous author, and wrote among ual superiority, Dthemetri had lived for the most part jn
other things a " vain, prolix, but curious narrative of his own countries lying under Mussulman governments, and had wit-
life." Gibbon. The most complete account of him will be nessed (perhaps too had suffered from) their revolting cruel-
tics; the result was that he abliorred and despised
found in E. R. Siever's Das Leben des Libanius. the
*The form in the text (yAocro-oKOMoi') is rejected by Attic Mussulman faith and all who clung to it. And this hate was
purists, but is used twice by St. John, as well as in the not of the dull, dry, and inactive sort; Dthemetri was in his
Septuagint. In II. Chron. xxiv. 8 (cf. II. Kings xii. q) it wav a true crusader, and whenever there appeared a fair open-
means a chest. In St. John's Gospel xii. 6 and xiii. 29 it ing in the defence of Islam, he was ready and eager to make
is "the bag," properly (xi. 3) "box," which Judas carried. the assault. Such feelings, backed bv a consciousness of under-
In the Palatine anthology Nicanor the coffin maker makes standing the people with whom he had to do, made Dthemelri
these " glossokoma " or coffins. Derivatively the word not only firm and resolute in his constant interviews with men
means " tongue.cases," i.e. cases to keep the tongues or in authority, but sometimes also verv violent and very insult-
reeds of musical instruments. An instance of similar ing." Kinglake's " Eothen," ^tli Ed., p. 270.
transfer of meaning is our word " coffin
" 2The eniperor Julian was wounded in the neighbourhood
derivatively
a wicker basket; — ;
at one time any case or cover, and in of Symbria or Hucumbra on the Tigris on the morning of June
io6 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [III. 20-22.
CHAPTER XX. the air and cried, " Thou hast won, Gali- O
lean." Thus he gave utterance at once to a
Of the death of the Evipcror Julian in Persia.
confession of the victory and to a blasphemy.
Julian's folly was yet more clearly mani- So infatuated was he.'
fested by his death. He crossed the river
that separates the Roman Empire from the
Persian,^ brouglit over his army, and then CHAPTER XXI.
forthwith burnt his boats, so inaking his
Of the sorcery at Carrce which was detected
men not in williiisf but in forced obedi-
iiijht
ence.- The best generals are wont to fill their after his death. After he was slain the Jug-
glery of his sorcery was detected. For Carrce
troops with enthusiasm, and, if they see
them growing discouraged, to cheer them is a city tahich still retai7is the relics of his
and raise their hopes but Julian by burning
;
false religion.
the bridge of retreat cut oti" all good hope.
A further proof of his incompetence was his
Julian had left Edessa on his left because
itwas adorned with the grace of true relig-
failure to fulfil the duty of foraging in all
ion, and while in his vain folly he was
directions and providing his troops with
journeying through Carras, he came to the
supplies. Julian had neither ordered sup-
temple honoured by the impious and after
plies to be brought from Rome, nor did he
make any bountiful provision by ravaging going tlirougli certain rites with his com-
He left the inhabited panions in defileinent, he locked and sealed
the enemy's country.
the doors, and stationed sentinels with orders
world behind him, and persisted in march-
see that none came in till his return.
to
inof throusfh the wilderness. His soldiers
When news came of his death, and the
had not enough to eat and drink they wêre
reign of iniquity was succeeded by one of
;
without guides they were marching astray

;
the shrine was opened, and w-ithin
in a desert land. Thus they saw the folly piety,
was found a proof of the late emperor's man-
of their most wise emperor. In the midst
liness, wisdom, and piety." For there was
of their murmuring and grumbling they
seen a woman hung up on high by the hairs
suddenly found him who had struggled in of her head, and w^th her hands out-
mad rage against his Maker wounded to stretched. The villain had cut
death. Ares who raises the war-din had open her
belly, and so I suppose learnt from her
never come to help him as he promised
liver his victory over the Persians.^
;
Loxias had given lying divination he who This was the abomination discovered at
;
glads him in the thunderbolts had hurled Carrse.

no bolt on the man who dealt the fatal blow ;
the boasting of his threats was dashed to

the ground. The name of the man who
XXII. CHAPTER
dealt that righteous stroke no one knows to Of the heads discovered in the palace at Anti-
this day. Some say that he was wounded och and the public rejoicings there.
by an invisible being, others by one of the
Nomads who were called Ishmaelites others It is said that at Antioch a number of
;
a who could not endure the chests were discovered at the palace filled
by trooper pains
of famine in the wilderness. But whetlier with human heads, and also many wells full
it were man or angel who plied the steel, of corpses. Such is the teaching of the evil
without doubt the doer of the deed was the deities.
minister of the will of God. It is related
The exclamation was diflcrcntly reported. Sozomen vi.
1
that when Julian had received the wound, 2. says that some thought he lifted his hand to chide the sun
for failing to help him. been observed that the sound
It lias
he filled his hand with blood, flung it into of i/ti'iKTjxas" raAiAoie and would not be so dissimi-
ijirartjica? >jAie
lar in Greek as in English. Ammianus Marcellinus (x.xv. 3.
26th, 363, and died at midnight. On ihc somewhat similar q.) says that he when he heard that
lost all hope of recovery
stories of ApoUonius of Tyana mountiiiii!- a lofty rock in Asia the place w'here he lay was called Phrygia, for in Phrygia he
Minor and shoutin'^ to the crowd aboul liini well done, Steph-
'
liad been told that he would die. So it befell with Canibyses
at Ecbatana (Iler. iii. 64), Alexander King of Epirus at the
anus; excellent, Stephanus; smite the blood-stained wretch;
thou hast struck, thou hast wounded, thou hast slain,' at the Acheron (Livy viii. 24) and Menry IN' in the Jerusalem Cham-
" Doth
very moment when Doinitian was beinij murdered at Home ber, when he asked any name particuhir belong unto
this lodging where I first did swoon?" and on hearing that
(Dion Cass, 67. iS) ; and of Irena.'us at Home hearing a voice as
of a at the exact hour when Polycarp suffered at Smyrna the chamber was called Jerusalem, remembered the old pre-
trumpet '
diction that in Jerusalem lie must die, and died.
Polycarp has been martyred (Vid. Ep. Smyrn.).
'
nroclaimmg " The

lip. Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers i .
45!;) writes analogies
- The
reading (.iitji^tiixv for acreêiai' seems to keep up the
of autlienticated records of ajiparitions seen and voices heard at irony. "
a distance at the moment of death have been too frequent in all 8
rjTfaToo-icon-ia, or inspection of the liver," was a recog-
ages to allow us to dismiss the story at once as a pure fiction." nized form of divination, cf. the Sejjt. of Ez. xxi.21. " /cai
" and
Such narratives at all events testify to a wide-spread belief. eTTtpioT^croi iv ToiT -yAi'TTToii;, xal r\t:aLTO%KO-nr\aa.aSai Cic.'.
'
There seems to be an allusion to Cxsar's passage of the de div. ii. 13, " Cajmt jecoris ex omni parte diligentissimc'
Rubicon in 49 H.C. considerant si vero id non est inventuni,
;
nihil putant accidcrc
I Jlis
fleet, with the exception of a few vessels, was burned potuissc tristius." Vide also ^*;sch. Pr. V. 503, and Paley's
at Abuzatha, where he halted five days (Zos 3. 26). note.
IV. I.]
OF THEODORET. 107
When Antioch heard of Julian's death she This rejoicing at the death of the tyrant
gave herself up to rejoicing and festivity ;
shall conclude this book of my history, for it
and not only vâs exultant joy exhibited in were to my mind

indecent to connect with a
the churches, and in the shrines of martyrs, righteous reign the impious sovereignty of
but even in the theatres the victory of the Julian.
cross viâs proclaimed and Julian's vaticina-
tion held up to ridicule. And
(Misopogon p. 357). To the heathens themselves the enthu-
hei-e I will
form of religion to which Julian was devoted was little
siastic
record the admirable utterance of the men at
more than an unpleasant and somewhat vulgar anachro-
that be in the nism. His cynic asceticism and dislike of the theatre and
Antioch, it may preserved the circus was unpopular in a city particularly addicted to
for with public spectacles.
memory of generations yet to come, " The
His superstition was equally unpala-
table. untidy, long-bearded man, marching
one voice the shout was raised, Maximus, pompously inshort, procession on the tips of his toes, and
thou fool, where are thy oracles? for God swaying his shoulders from side to side, surrounded by
a crowd of abandoned characters, such as formed the
has conquered and his Christ." This was regular attendants upon many heathen festivals, ap-
said because there lived at that time a man of peared seriouslv to compromise the dignity of the empire.
(Ammianus xxii. 14. 3. His words *stipatus mulierculis' etc.
the name of Maximus, a pretender to philoso- go far to justify Gregory's Sijjiocrta rais 7ropi'ai<; Trpovnii'f in
Orat. V. 2Z. p. 161, and Chrysostom's more highly coloured
phy, but really a worker of magic, and description of the same sort of scene, for the accuracy of which
boastins: himself to be able to foretell the he appeals to an eye witness still living, de S. Babyla in
Julianuin § 14. p. 667. The blood of countless victims (lowed
future. But the Antiochenes, who had re- everywhere, but, to all appearance, served merely to gorge his
ceived their divine teaching from the foreign soldiery, especially the semi-barbarous Gauls; and
glori- the streets of Antioch were' disturbed by their revels and by
ous yokefellows Peter and Paul, and were drunken parties carrying one another home to their barracks.
" More secret rumours were
(Amm. xxii. 12.6.)" spread of
full of warm affection for the Master and horrid nocturnal sacrifices, and of the pursuits of those arts
Saviour of of necromancy from wliich the natural heathen conscience
all, persisted in execrating Julian shrank " He
only less than the Christians." discharged his
to the end. Their sentiments were perfect- spleen upon the general body of the citizens of Antioch by
writing one of the most remarkable satires that has ever
ly well known to the object of them, and
so '
He had
been published which he entitled the Misopogon.
he wrote a book against them and called it been insulted,' says Gibbon, by satire and libels, in his turn
'
^ he composed under the title of The Enemy of the Beard, an

"Misopogon." ironical confession of his own faults, and a severe satire on
the licentious and effeminate manners of Antioch. The impe-
> " The
residence of Julian at Antioch was a disappointment rial reply was publicly exposed before the gates of the palace,
to himself, and disagreeable to almost all the inhabitants." and the Misopogon still remains a singular monument of the
" He had the wit, the Inhumanity, and the indiscretion of
anticipated much more devotion on the part of the resentment,
is of course Julian's own
pagans, and much less force and resistance on that of the Julian. Gibbon, Chap, xxiv.' It " This
Christians than he discovered in reality. He was disgusted philosophic beard that gives the title to the pamphlet."
at findinir that both parties regretted the previous reign. pamphlet was written in the seventh month of his sojourn at
'
Neither the Chi nor the Kappa' (that is neither Christ nor Antioch, probably the latter half of January." (1.6.364.) Bp
Constantius) did our city any barm' became a common saying J. Wordsworth in Diet. Ch. Biog. iii. 507,, 509.
'
BOOK IV.
CHAPTER I. Against impiety he delivered himself cour-
ageously with no fear of the tyrant's power,
Of the reign and piety ofJoviamis. but with a zeal that ranked him among the
martyrs of Christ. So the generals accepted
After Julian was slain the generals and the unaniinous vote of the soldiers as a divine
prefects met in council and deliberated who election. The brave man was led forward
ought to succeed to the imperial power and and placed upon a raised platform hastily
effect both the salvation of the army in the constructed. The host saluted him with the
campaign, and the recovery of the fortunes imperial titles, calling him Augustus and
of Rome, now, by the rashness of the de- Caesar. With his usual bluntness, and fear-
ceased Emperor, placed, to use the common
^
less alike in the presence of the commanding
saying, on the razor edge of peril. But officers and in view of the recent apostasy
while the chiefs were in deliberation the of the troops, Jovianus admirably said " I am
troops met together and demanded Jovianus a Christian. I cannot govern men like these.
for emperor, though he was neither a gen- I cannot command Julian's army trained as
eral nor in the next highest rank ;
a man it is in vicious discipline. Men like these,
however remarkably distinguished, and for
stripped of the covering of the providence
many reasons well known. His stature of
God, will fall an easy and ridiculous prey
was great his soul lofty. In war, and in to the foe." On hearing this tiie troops
;
grave struggles it was his wont to be first. shouted with one voice, " Hesitate not, O
The common proverbial
1 from Homer downwards emperor; think it not a vile thing to com-
fri ^vpoi! l^rarai aKfx^; 6Ac9pot
saying,_
<]^ /Siui/ai. II, 10. 173.
;
mand us, You shall reign over Christians
io8 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 2, 3.
nurtured in the trainin<^ of truth our vet- ;

CHAPTER III.
erans were taught in the school of Constan-
Synodical letter to the E)nperor Jovian concern-
tine himself; younger men among us were
This dead man's ing the Faith.
taught by Constant! us.
empire lasted but a few years, all too few to To Jovianus Augustus most devout, most
stamp its ^brand even on those whom it humane, victorious, Athanasius, and the rest
deceived." of the bishops assembled, in the name of all
the bishops from Egypt to Thebaid and
CHAPTER II. Libya. The intelligent preference and pur-
suit of holy things is becoming to a prince
Of the return of Athanasius. beloved of God. Thus may you keep your
Delighted with these words the emperor heart in truth in God's hand and reign for
undertook for the future to take counsel for many years in peace.' Since your piety has
the safety of the state, and how to bring recently expressed a wish to learn from us
home the army without loss from tlie cam- the faith of the Catholic Church, we have
paign. He was in no need of much delib- given thaiaks to the Lord and have determined
eration, but at once reaped the fruit sprung before all to remind your iêverence of the
from the seeds of true religion, for the God faith confessed by the fathers at Nicaâ. This
of all gave proof of His own providence, and faith some have set at nought, and have de-
caused all difficulty to disappear. No vised many and various attacks on us, be-
sooner had the Persian sovereign been made cause of our refusal to submit to the Arian
acquainted with Jovian's accession than he heresy. They have become founders of
sent envoys to treat for peace nay more, heresy and schism in the Catholic Church.
;
he despatched provisions for the troops and The true and pious faith in our Lord Jesus
gave directions for the establishment of a Christ has been made plain to all as it is
market for them in the desert. A
truce was known and read from the Holy ScrijDtures.
concluded for thirty years, and the army In this faith the martyred saints were per-
brought home in safety from the war.- The fected, and now departed are with the Lord.
first edict of the emperor on setting foot This faith was destined everywhere to stand
upon his own territory was one recalling unharmed, had not the wickedness of certain
the bishops from their exile, and announc- heretics dared to attempt its falsification for ;
ing the I'estoration of the churches to the Arius and his party endeavoured to corrupt
congregations who had held inviolate the it and to bring in impiety for its destruction,
confession of Nicaea. He further sent a alleging the Son of God to be of the non-
despatch to Athanasius, the famous cham- existent, a creature, a Being made, and
pion of these doctrines, beseeching that a susceptible of change. By these means they
letter mi^jcht be written to him containing deceived many, so that even men who
exact teaching on matters of religion. seemed to be somewhat,^ were led away by
Athanasius summoned the most learned them. Then our holy Fathers took the ini-
bishops to meet him, and wrote back ex- tiative, met, as we said, at Nicica, anathe-
horting the emperor to hold fast the faith matized the Arian heresy, and subscribed the
delivered at Nictea, as being in harmony faith of the Catholic Church so as to cause
with apostolic teaching. Anxious to benefit the putting out of the flames of heresy by
all who may meet with it I here subjoin the proclamation of the truth throughout the
letter.' world. Thus this faith throughout the whole
church was known and preached. But since
'Jovianus, son of Count Varronianus of Singidunum (Hcl- some men who wished to start the Arian
prade), was born in 330 or 331 and reijjncd from June 3<'3 -o
February 564. His hasty acceptance ny apart of the army
may have been dueto the mistake of the sounci of'Jovianus was omitted from some MSS., referring to \'alesius on the
" for that of "
Auiûstus julianus Augustus" and a belief
" Oentilitate
passage of Theodoret, and Jortin's Rt-marks:, iv. p. 38. But
that Julian survived. cnim propc perciti noniinis, the expression is nd that of a prophet who stakes his credit
quod una littera discernebat, Juliamim recreatuni arbilrati on the truth of his ])rediction, but little more than .a pious
sunt deduci magiiis favoribus, ut solebat." Amm. xxv. v. 6. reflection, of the nature ofa wish." I5p. J. Wordsworth, Diet.
"Jovian was i brilliant colonel of the guards. In all the Christ. liiog. iii. 463. n. Jortin says "the good bishi)|)'s
army there was not a goodlier person than he. Julian's purple fiaiTLKri failed him sadly; and the emperor reigned only one
was'too sm.ill for his gigantic limbs. r?ul that stately form was " Tlie note of \''alesius
year, and died in the flower of his age
animated by a spirit of cowardly selfishness. Jovian was also will be found below.
a decided Christian," but " even the heatlien soldiers con- '
Scarcely a prophecy, even if we read tffi?, " you shall
" "
demned his low amours and vulgar tippling." Gwatkin, keep; a bare wisli if we read tôis, m.iy you keep." Vide
"Arian Controversy," 1
ig. preceding note. In Athanasius we find i|ti?. ^'alesius says
" The latter
"
-The terms were in fact humiliating, paccni cum Sapore part of this sentence is wanting in the common
nccesp.iriam (piidem sed ignobilem fecit; multatus tinibus, ac editions of Athanasius, and IJaronius supposes it to have been
nonnulla imperii llomani parte traditarquod ante tum aiinis added by some Arian, with the object of riiliculing Athanasius
miUe centum et duobus de viginti fere ex quo Uoinanum im- as a false prophet. As a tact the reign of Jovian w,is short.
Dcrium conditum erat, nunquam accidit." Kut. brev x. 17. IJut I see nothing low, spurious or factitious. Athanasius is
'"Gibbon (Chap. xxv> sneers at Athanasius for assuring not in fault because Joviau did not live as long as he had
Jovian that his orthodox faith would be lewardetl with a long wished."
'
and peaceful reign,' and remarks that after his death this charge 2 Gal. vi.
3.
IV. 4.] OF THEODORET. 109
heresy afresh have had the hardihood to set He

suffered and rose again the third day.
atnaught the faith confessed by the Fathers He
ascended into Heaven, and is coming to
at Nicaea, and others are pretending to accept judge both quick and dead. And we be-
it, while in reality they deny it, distorting lieve in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholic
the meaning of the ofioovawv and thus blas- and Apostolic Church anathematizes those
pheming the Holy Ghost, by alleging it to who say there was a time when the Son of
be a creature and a Being made through the God was not that before He was begotten ;
Son's means, we, perforce beholding the He was not that He was made out of the ;
harm accruing from blasphemy of this kind non-existent, or that He is of a different

to the people, have hastened to offer to your essence or different substance, or a creature or
piety the faith confessed at Nicaea, that your subject to variation or change. In this faith,
reverence may know with what exactitude most religious Augustus, all must needs
it is drawn up, and how great is the error of abide as divine and apostolic, nor must any
them whose teaching contradicts it. Know, strive tochange it by persuasive reasoning
O Augustus, that this faith is the
holiest and word battles, as from the beginning did
faith preached from everlasting, this is the the Arian maniacs in their contention that
faith that the Fathers assembled at NicEea the Son of God is of the non existent, and
confessed. With this faith all the churches was a time when He was not, that
that there
throughout the world are in agreement, in He
created and made and subject to varia-
is
Spain, in Britain,^ in Gaul, in all Italy and tion. Wherefore, as we stated, the council
Campania, in Dalmatia and Mysia, in Mace- of Niciea anathematized this heresy and con-
donia, in all Hellas, in all the churches fessed the faith of the truth. For they have
throughout Africa, Sardinia, Cyprus, Crete, not simply said that the Son is like the Father,
Pamphylia and Isauria, and Lycia, those of that he may be believed not to be simply
all Egypt and Libya, of Pontus,
Cappadocia like God but very God of God. And
"
and the neighbouring districts and all the they promulgated the term " Homoiision
churches of the East except a few who have because it is peculiar to a real and true son
embraced Arianism. Of all those above of a true and natural father. Yet they did
mentioned we know the sentiments after not separate the Holy Spirit from the Father
trial made. We
have letters and we know, and the Son, but rather glorified It together
most pious Augustus, that though some few with the Father and the Son in the one
gainsay this faith they cannot prejudice- the faith of the Holy Trinity, because the God-
decision of the whole inhabited world. head of the Holy Trinity ^ is one.
After being long inider the injurious in-
fluence of the Arian heresy they are the more
contentiously withstanding true religion. IV. CHAPTER
For tlie information of your piety, though
indeed you are already acquainted with it, 0/ the rcst07-ation of allowances to the
we have taken pains to subjoin the faith churches ; and of the Emperoj'^s death.
confessed at Nicâ by the three hundred and
It is as follows.
When
the emperor had received this
eighteen bishops. letter, his former knowledge of and disposi-
We believe in one God, Father Almighty,
tion to divine things was confirmed, and he
maker of all things visible and invisible
issued a second edict w^herein he ordered the
;
and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of

amount of corn which the great Constantine
God, begotten of the Father, that is of the
had appropriated to the churches to be re-
substance of the Father, God of God, Light
stored." For Julian, as was to be expected
of Light, very God of very God begotten
of one who had gone to war with our Lord
:
not made, being of one substance with the

and Saviour, had stopped even this mainten-
Father, by whom all things were made both
in Heaven and in earth. Who
for us men 1 "
Tpc'as is either the number Three, or a triplet of
similar
and for our salvation came down from objects, as in the phrase Kaaiyvrtnav rpioi? (Rost u. Palm's
Lexicon, s. v.) In this sense it is applied by Clement of
Heaven, was incarnate and was made man. Alexandria (Strom. IV. vii. 55) to the Triad of Christian
graces, P'aith, Hope, and Charity. As Gregory
of Nazianzus
says (Orat. xiii. p. 24) Tpia? ov npayfi-dToiv aviciav aTrapiOnricn^,
Christianity thus appears more or less constituted in Britain
1 a\\' Kal ofj-oTi/xiav (TvAA7)i|«5.
Icriuv The first instance of its
more than 200 years before the mission of Augustine. But by application to the Three Persons in " the one God is in The-
about 208 the fame of British Christianity had reached Tertul- "
ophilus of Antioch (Ad Autol. ii. 15) [t- c. iSj] Similarly
lian in Africa. The date, that of tlie first mention of the the word Trinitas, in its proper force, means either the num.
Church in Britain, indicates a probable connexion of its foun- ber Three or a triad. It is first applied to the mystery of the
dation with the dispersion of the victims of the persecution Three in One by Tertullian, who says that the Church proprie '
of the Rhone cities. The phrase of Tertullian, " places be- et spiritualiter ipse est spiritus, in quo est Trinitas unius
yond the reach of the Romans, but subdued to Christ," points divinitatis. Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus.' De Pudi-
to a rapid spread into the remoter parts of the island. Vide citazi." [t c. 240] Archd. Cheetham. Diet. Christ. Biog.
Rev. C. Hole's " Early Missions," S. P. C. K. S. V.
2 of. III. S page 99.
no THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 5. 6.
ance, and since the famine which visited the pi re with him. Would that lie had never
empire in ccniseqiience of Julian's iniquity done so To Valcns,' who had not yet ac-
!
prevented the collection of the contribution cepted unsound doctrines, was committed the
of Constantine's enactment, Jovian ordered charge of Asia and of Egypt, while Valen-
a third part to be supplied for the present, tinian allotted Europe to himself. He jour-
and promised that on the cessation of the neyed to the Western provinces, and begin-
famine he would give the whole. ning with a proclamation of true religion,
After distinguishing tlie beginning of his instructed tliem in all rigliteousness. \\ hen
reign by edicts of this kind, Jovian set out the Arian Auxentius, bishop of Milan, who
from Antioch for the Bosphorus but at was condemned in several councils, departed
;
Dadastante, a village lying on the confnies this life,- the emperor summoned the bishops
of Bithynia and Galatia, he died.' He set and addressed them as follows " Nurtined :
out on his journey from this world with the as you have been in holy writ, you know full
grandest and fairest support and stay, but all well what should be the character of one
who had experienced the clemency of his dignified by the episcopate, and how he
sway were left behind in pain. So, me- should rule his subjects aright, not only with
thinks, the Supreme Ruler, to convict us of his lip, but with his life exhibit himself as ;
our iniquity, both shews us good things and an example of every kind of virtue, and
again deprives us of them so by the former make his conversation a witness of his teach
;
means He teaches us how easily He can give ing. Seat now upon your archiepiscopal
us what He will by the latter He convicts throne a man of such character that we who
;
us of our unworthiness of it, and points us rule the realm may honestly bow our heads
to the better life. before him and welcomeh is reproofs, for,
—
in that we are men, it needs must be that we
sometimes stumble, as a physician's heal- —
CHAPTER V. ing treatment."
Of the reign of Valeniinia?ius, and how he CHAPTER VI.

associated Valcns his bt'other with hitn.
Of the election of Ambrosiiis, the Bishop of
When become acquainted
the troops had Milan.
with the emperor's sudden death, they wept Thus spoke the emperor, and then the
for the departed prince as for a father, and
council begged him, beinga wise and devout
made Valentinian emperor in his room. It
was he who smote the officer of the temple -
prince, to make the choice. He then re-
" The
and was sent to the castle. Pie was distin- plied, responsibility is too great for
us. You who have been dignified with
guished not only for his courage, but also for divine grace, and have received illumination
prudence, temperance, justice, and great from above, will make a better choice." So
stature. He was of so kingly and magnan-
imous a character that, on an attempt being they left the imperial presence and began to
deliberate apart. In the meanwhile the
made by the army to appoint a colleague to
share his throne, he uttered the well-known people of Milan were torn by factions, some
words which are universally repeated, "Be- eager that one,
some that another, should be
fore I was emperor, soldiers, it was yours promoted. They who had been infected
to give me the reins of empire now that I with the unsoundness of Auxentius were for
:
men of like while ofthey

have taken them, mine, not yours, to clioosing
it is opinions,
take counsel for the state." The troops were the orthodox party were in their turn anx-
ious to have a bishop of like sentiments with
struck with admiration at what he said, and
themselves. When Ambrosius, who held
contentedly followed the guidance of his au- ^
sent for his the chief civil magistracy of the district,

thority. Valentinian, however,
brother from Pannonia, and shared the em- " was and not
'
Valcns timid, suspicious, slow, yet ungentle
In private life. He was as uncultivated as his brother, but not
'
At an obscure place called Dadastanse, halfway behvcen inferior to him in scrupulous can- for his subjects. He pre-
ferred remitting taxation to lighting at the head of the le
Ancyra and Nicxa, after a hearty siipptr he went to bed in a
room newly built. The plaster was still damp, and a brazier of gi<uis. In both wars he is entitled to head the series of finan-
charcoal wiis brought in to warm the air. In the morninjj he cial rather than unwarlike sovereigns whose cautious policy
was fourul (lead in his bed. (Amm. xxv. lo. 12. 13.) This was broughtthe Kastern Empire safelythrough the great barbarian
in February or March, ^64. invasions of the fifth century." Gwatkin, p. 121.
2 Vide " Valentinian 2 Vide note on
page 81.
iiageloi. belonfjs to the better
I?y the constitution of Constantlne, beneath
class of Kinperors. lie was a soldier like lovian, and held 3 the governors
the same rank at his election. He was a decided Christian of the twelve dioceses of the Empire were the provincial gov.
like Jovian, and, like him, free from the stain of persecution. ernors of 116 provinces, rectores, correctores, pr.\;sides, and
Jovian's rouijh good humour was replaced in Valentinian by consulares. Ambrosius had been appointed by Probus Con-
a violent ana sometimes cruel temper, but he had a sense of sularis of Liguria and ^•Emilia. Probus, In fjiving him the
"
duty, and was free from Jovian's vices." Gwatkin, Arian Cont, appointment, was believed to have prophesied," and said
" non ut sed ut PauHnus S.
121. Vade; age judex, episcopus."
IV. 7.] OF THEODORET. Ill
was apprised of the contention, being afraid brother with him in the dispatch, urging
lestsome seditious violence should be at- that the decrees be kept.
tempted he hurried to the church at once ;
The edict clearly proclaims the piety of
there was a lull in the strife. The people the emperor and similarly exhibits the
cried with one voice "Make Ambrose our soundness of Valens in divine doctrines at
pastor,"
—
although up to this time he was that time. I shall therefore give it in full.
stilP unbaptized. News of what was being The mighty emperors, ever august, au-
done was brought to the emperor, and he at gustly victorious, Valentinianus, Valens, and
once ordered the admirable man to be bap- Gratianus,^ to the bishops of Asia, Phrygia,
tized and ordained, for he knew that his Carophrygia Pacatiana,- greeting in the
judgment was straight and true as the rule Lord.
of the carpenter and liis sentence more exact A
great council having met in Illyricum,^
than the beam of the balance. Moreover after much discussion concerning the word
he concluded from the agreement come to by of salvation, the thrice blessed bishops have
men of opposite sentiments that the selection declared that the Trinity of Father, Son, and
was divine. Ambrose then received the Holy Ghost is of one substance.*
divine gift of holy baptism, and the grace of This Trinity they worship, in no wise re-
the archiepiscopal office. The most excel- mitting the service which has duly fallen to
lent emperor was present on the occasion, their lot, the worship of the great King.
and is said to have offered the following It is our imperial will that this Trinity be
hymn of praise to his Lord and Saviour. preached, so that none may say " accept We
" We thank thee, Almighty Lord and Sa- the religion of the sovereign who rules this
viour; I have committed to this man's keep- world without regard to Him who has given
ing men's bodies Thou hast entrusted to
;
us the message of salvation," for, as says the
him their souls, and hast shown my choice gospel of our God which contains this judg-
to be righteous." " we should render to Caesar the
ment,
Not many days after the divine Ambro- things that are Caesar's and to God the
sius addressed the emperor with the utmost things that are God's."*
freedom, and found fault with certain pro- What
say you, ye bishops, ye champions
ceedings of the magistrates as improper. of salvation.''
of the Word
If these be
Valentinian remarked that this freedom was your professions, thus then continue to love
no novelty to him, and that, well acquainted one another, and cease to abuse the imperial
with it as he was, he had not merely offered dignity. No longer persecute those who
no opposition to, but had gladly concurred diligently serve God, by whose prayers both
" Go wars cease
in, the appointment to the bishopric.
" as God's law of upon the earth, and the assaults
on," continued the emperor, apostate angels are repelled. These
bids you, healing the errors of our souls." striving through supplication to repel all
Such were the deeds and words of Valen- harmful demons both know how to pay
tinian at Milan. tribute as the law enjoins, and do not gain-
say the power of their sovereign, but with
CHAPTER VII. pure minds both keep the coinmandment of
the heavenly King, and are subject to our
Letters of the Emperors Valentinianus and laws. But ye have been shewn to be dis-
^
Valens, written to the diocese of Asia about obedient. We
have tried every expedient
the Homoilsion, on hearing that some men but you have given yourselves up.^ We
in Asia and in Phrygia were in dispute 1 Eldest son of Valentinian I. Born A.D. 359. Named
about the divine decree. Augustus 367. Succeeded his father 375; his uncle Valens
37S. Murdered 3S3. The synod was convoked in the year of
Valentinian's death.
Valentinian ordered a council to be held in
^
-
Phrygia Pacatiana was the name given in the fourth cen-
Illyricum and sent to the disputants the " tury to the province extending from Hithynia to Pamphylia.
Cum in veterum libris non nisi dua; Phrygia occurrant,
decrees ratified by the bishops there assem- Pacatiana et salutaris, mavult Valesius h. scribere, /capias 1.
Sed consenlientibus in vulgata lectione

bled. They had decided to hold fast the (f>pv7ias TraFcaTcaf^s.
omnibus libris mallem servare xapoippvyia'; TraKaTiarJ;!, quam
creed put forth at Nicoea and the emperor Pacatianam Kapo4>pvyiav dictam esse putaverim quod Caria;
adha:resceret." Schulze.
himself wrote to them, associating his proxiine
3 The date of this Council is "
disputed. Pagi contending
for 373, others for 375, Cave for367." Diet. Ch. Ant. i. S13.
"*
oôovaiov.
2 Thetwelve dioceses of the Empire, as constituted under ^ Matt. 22. xxi.
Diocletian, were (i) Oxiens; (2) Ponticii; (3) Asiana; •J
YjiJiiK; i\pi)<r6.iJ.e0a.
TiS aK<j>a eo)? ToO 01 Vfj.ei'; 5e dauroi/?
(4) Thracia; (5I Mcesia; (6) Pannonia; (7) IJntannia;; (S) a7rc5u)»caT€.
Gallia;; (9) Viennensis; (10) Italiciana; (11) Hispania; The passage obscure and perhaps corrupt. Schulze's note
is
" Nisi mendosus sit locus, quod quideni
(12) Africa. is suspicabatur Cam-
3 Under Constantine
Illyricum Occidentale included Dal- erarius, sensus talis esse videtur Nos qtiidetn primis usi
:
'
matia, Pannonia, Noricum, and Savia; Illyricum Orientale, suintis ad extrema,^ h.e. omnia adhibuimus et tentavimus ad
pacein restituendam et cohibendas vexationes, vos vero im
'
Dacia, Mctsia, Macedonia and Thrace,

112 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 7.
however wish to be pure from you, as stance with the Father. And we do not so
Pilate at the trial of Christ when He lived
'
understand the term of one substance as
'
among us, was unwilling to kill Him, some formerly interpreted it who signed their
and when they begged for His death, names with feigned adhesion nor as some ;
turned to the East,^ asked water for his who now-a-days call the drafters of the old
hands and washed his hands, saying I am in- creed Fathers, but make the meaning of the
nocent of the blood of this righteous man.- word of no eftect, following the authors of the
Thus our majesty has invariably charged statement that " of one substance" means
that those who are working in the field ot
"
like," with the understanding that since the
Christ are not to be persecuted, oppressed, or Son is comparable to no one of the creatures
ill treated nor the stewards of the great made by Him, He is like to the Father alone.
;
King driven into exile lest to-day under our For those who thus think irreverently define
;
Sovereign you may seem to flourish and the Son "as a special creation of the Father,"
abound, and then together with your evil but we, with the present synods, both at
counsellor trample on his covenant,^ as in the Rome and in Gaul, hold that there is one and
case of the blood of Zacliarias,'' but he and the same substance of Father, Son, and Holy
his were destroyed by our Heavenly King Ghost, in three persons, that is in three per-
Jesus Christ after (at) His coming, being defect essences.^ And we confess, according to
livered to death's judgment, they and the the exposition of Nicaâ, that the Son of God
deadly fiend who abetted them. We
have being of one substance, was made flesh of
given these orders to Amegetius, to Ceronius, the Holy Virgin Mary, and hath tabernacled^
to Damasus, to Lampon and to Brentisius among men, and fulfilled all the economy
by word of mouth, and we have sent the for our sakes in birth, in passion, in resurrec-
actual decrees to you also in order that you tion, and in ascension into Heaven and that ;
may know what was enacted in the honour- He shall come again to render to us according
able synod. to each man's manner of life, in the day of
To this letter we subjoin the decrees of judgment, being seen in the flesh, and show-
the synod, which are briefly as follows. ing forth His divine power, being God bear-
In accordance with the great and orthodox ing flesh, and not man bearing Godhead.
synod we confess that the Son is of one sub- Them that think otherwise we damn, as
we do also them that do not honestly damn
potentia ohseaiii estis.'' Alias inteq^retationes collegit suam-
him that said that before the Son was begotten
que addidit Valesius." The note of Valesius is as follows
hie locus valde obscurus est. Et Epiphanius quidem scho-
He was not, but wrote that even before He
;
lasticus ita eum vertit et nos quidem subjiciinur ci qui primus

: was actually begotten He was potentially in
est et novissimus vos autem vobismet arrofjâtis. Qua; inter-
:
the Father. For this is true in the case of

pretatio, meo quidem iudicio, ferri non potest. Camerarius
vero sic interpretatur nos quidem ordine a primo ad ultimuni all creatures, who are not for ever with God
processimus tractatione nostra: ipsi vero vosmel ipsos
abalicnastis. At Chnstophersonus ita vertit: nos patientia in the sense in which the Son is ever with
semper a principio usque ad tinem usi sumus: vos contra
animi vestri impotentiw obsecuti estis . . . mihi videtur
verbum xpijo-tfai hoc loco idem significari quod communicare 1
Here for the first time in our author we meet with the word
note on
etcomniercium habere. Cujus modi est illud in Evangelio :
Hypostasis 10 denote each distinct person. Compare
non coiitunlur Judx'i Samaritanis. (Johan IV. 9.) page 36. "Origen had already described Father, Son and Holy
Tlieturniuif to the East is not
'
.nentioncd in the Gospel of Spirit as three \nso(J^6.at^<; or Beings, in opposition to the Mon-
St. Matthew or in the Apocryphal Acts of
I'ilate; and the Im- archians, who s.aw in them only three modes of manifestation
perial Decree seems hereto import a Christian practice into the of one and the same Being. And as Sabellius had used the
pagan Procurator s tribunal. Orientation was sometimes ob- words Tpia wpoo-wTra f<ir these modes of manifestation, this form
serve<l in Pagan temples and the altar placed at the east end ;
of expression naturally fell into disfavour with the Catholics.
perhaps in connexion with the ancient worship of the sun. cf. But when Arius insisted on (virtually) three different hypos-
tEbcIi. Ag. 502; Paus. V. i\. i; Cic. Cat. iii. §43. In. Virg. tases in the Holy 'I'rinity, Catholics began to avoid applying
J&w. viii. 6S /Eneas turns to the East when he prays to the the word hypostases to the Persons of the Godhead. To this
Tiber, cf. Liv 1. iS. But praying towards the East is specially was added a ditVicully arising from tl:e fact, that the Eastern
a primitive Christian custom, among the earliest authorities Church used Greek as the official language of its theology,
being Tertullian (Apol. XVÎ.) and Clemens Al. (Stromat. while the Western Church used Latin, a language at that tiine
VII .7). much less well provided with abstract theological terms. Dis-
2 M.atthew xxvii. 24. putes were Ciiused, says Gregory of Nazianzus (Orat.xxi.p.
s " Locus " tenebris obvolutus "... (cal oioâTuji'
densis," says Valeiius, 395), 5ca orei'dTTjTa t^? irapa TOi? 'IraAoi? yAcoTTTjs
The note of Schulze is "primum o TrapaKeKArjîfi'ot videtur viviav. (Compare Seneca Epist. 5S.) The Latins used essen-
malus genius esse (t^doptâto; tia.iix.iav postea dicitur) qui exci- tia and substantia as equivalent to the Greek ou<ria and vTioa-ra.-
<ri?, but interchanged them, as we have seen
taverat (jrape(caAe<re) cpiscopos ad dissentientes vexandos plane in the translation
ut crudeles Juda;i excitaverant Pilatum ut Christum iiiterime- of the Nicene Creed with little scruple, regarding them as syn-
rent; sic cnim in superioribus Valentinianus dixerat. Porro onyms. They used both expressions to describe the Divine
Valent. non modo ad historiam Zacharix a Jud-tls in templo Xature common to the Three. It followed that they looked
intcrfecti alludit, sed, si quid video, etiam ad verba ea quibus upon the expression "Three Hypostases" as implyinp^ a division
Utitur Paulus, Heb. x. 29 toc vCov toO 0cou Ka.ta.Ka.Tnv xai to of the substance of the Deity, and therefore as Arian. They
" tres Personx." Athanasius also spoke
oina T^5 Sta9riKri<; Koivhv i^yijcrao-Oai, quare placet conjcctura Va- preferred to speak of
lesii narelv
" of rpia TrpocrwTra, and thus the words irpoaioTra and Persona; be-
(the reading adopted in the translation above),
**
TO. TY]^ StaOrJKrjt; auToO ui<; eyrt ToO
Za\apLOV tou a'tfiaTO?, ut tota came current among the Nicene party. But about the year
sentcntia sit ne hodie sub nostro imperio incremenla capiaiis
:
360, the Neo-Niccne party, or Meletians, as they
are sometimes
et cum eo qui vos incitat conculcetis
sanguinem fcederis, fere called, became scrupulous about the use of such an expression
Trpbo-ujjra, which seemed to them to savour
ut Zachariie tempore factum est a Judxis." as Tpca of Sabellian-
< It is to
be observed that the imperial letter does not add ism. Thus a difference arose between the old Athanasian
" "
theprobably interpolated words son of IJarachias which are party and the Meletians." Archd. L heetham in Diet. Christ.
a difficulty in Matt, xxiii.
35, and do not appear in the Codex Biog. Art." Trinity."
Sinaiticus, i
Compare note on page 71.
the Father, being begotten by eternal genera- also been reminded to pen this letter to
tion. you about the present or future appointment
Such was the short summary of the of our fellow ministers as bishops, if there
emperor. I will now subjoin the actual dis- be any sound men among the bishops who
patch of the synod. have already discharged a public office ^ ;
and, if not, from the order of presbyters in :
like manner of the appointment of

pres-
byters and deacons out of the actual priestly
^
CHAPTER VIII.
order that they may be in every way blame-
less, and not from the ranks of the senate
Synodical Epistle of the Synod in Jllyricmn and
army.
concerning the Faith. " We
have been unwilling to pen you a
" The letter at length, because of the mission of
bishops of Illyricum to the churches
of God, and bishops of the dioceses of Asia, of one representative of all, our lord and fellow
labourer Elpidius, to make diligent enquiry
Phrygia, and Carophrygia Pacatiana, greet-
in the Lord. about your preaching, if it really is such as
ing
" After we have heard from our lord and fellow
meeting together and making long
labourer Eustathius.
enquiry concerning the Word of salvation, " In
we have set forth that the Trinity of conclusion, if at any time you have
been in error, put off' the old man and put
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is of one
substance. And it seemed fitting to pen a on the new. The same brother and fellow
labourer Elpidius will instruct you how to
letter to you, not that we write what con-
the true faith that the Holy Trinit}',
cerns the worship of the Trinity in vain preach
of one substance with God the Father, to-
disputation, but in humility deemed worthy
of the duty. gether with the Son and H0I3' Ghost, is hal-
" This letter we have sent lowed, glorified, and made manifest. Father
by our beloved
brother and fellow labourer Elpidius the in Son, Sen in Father, with the Holy Ghost
presbyter. For not in the letters of our for ever and ever. For since this has been
made manifest, we shall manifestly be able
hands, but in the books of our Saviour Jesus
to confess the Holy Trinity to be of one
Christ, is it written '
I am of Paul and I of
substance according to the faith set forth
Apollos and I of Cephas and I of Christ.
Was Paul crucified for you.'' Or were ye formerly at Nicaea which the Fathers con-
firmed. So long as this faith is preached we
baptized in the name of Paul.'"^
" It seemed indeed shall be able to avoid the snares of the deadly
fitting to our humility
not to pen any letter to you, on account of the devil. When he is destroyed we shall be
able to do homage to one another in letters
great terror which your preaching causes to
all the region under your
of peace while we live in peace.
jurisdiction, sepa- " We
have therefore written to you in
rating as you do the Holy Spirit from the
order that ye may know the deposition of
Father and Son. We
were therefore con-
the Ariomaniacs, who do not confess that
strained to send to you our lord and fellow
labourer Elpidius to ascertain if your preach- the Sou is of the substance of the Father nor
the Holy Ghost. subjoin their names, We
ing is really of this character and to carry
this dispatch from the imperial government Polychronius,
—
Telemachus, Faustus, As-
of Rome. clepiades, Amantius, Cleopater.
" Let them who do not "This we thus write to the glory of
regard the Trinity
as one substance be anathema, and Father and Son and Holy Ghost for ever
if
any amen. We
man be detected in communion with them and ever, pray the Father and
let him be anathema. theSon our Saviour Jesus Christ with the
" But for them that that the Trinity Holy Ghost that you may fare well for many
preach
of one substance the vears."
is
Kingdom of Heaven
isprepared.
" 'The is here obscure, and has been altered an din
We
exhort you therefore brethren to teach terpretedoriginal
in various ways.
2 It is noticeable that the
no other doctrine, nor even hold any other aiiToO ToO iepariKoO Tay/aaToy.f'f
word is used here of the clerical order generally, in-
and vain belief, but that always and every- clusiveifpaTiKoi/
of lower ranks, 6uch as the readers, singers, door-
keepers and orphans enumerated in the Apostolic Constitutions
where, preaching the Trinity to be of one from whom deacons and presbyters were to be appointed. For
be able illustrations of the phrases iepan/cr) raî? and iepariKoi' -raytxa
substance, ye may to inherit the
vide Diet. Christ. Ant. ii. 1470. The exclusively sacrificial
Kingdom of Heaven. sense sometimes given to Xtpiv^; and sacerdos, with their cor.
" While relatives, is modified by the fact that derivatively botli only
writing on this point we have mean " the man concerned with the sacred." (.'fpo? z= vigor-
1
ous, divine. îsT; sacer = inviolate, holy, ^SAK", fasten;
I. Cor. 1. 12. of the latter the suffix adds the idea oi giver.
VOL. III. I
114 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 9, 10.
CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X.
Of the heresy of the Audiani. Of the heresy of the Afessaiiani.
The illustrious emperoi- thus took heed of At this time also arose the heresy of
the apostolic decrees, but Audtcus, a Syrian the Messaliani. Those who .translate their
alike in race and in speech, appeared at that name into Greek call them Euchitae.^
time as an inventor of new decrees. He had They have also another designation which
long ago begun to incubate iniquities and arose naturally from their mode of action.
now appeared in his true character. At From theircoming under the influence of a
first he understood in an absurd sense the certain demon, which they supposed to be
" Let us make man in our the advent of the Holy Ghost, they are called
passage image,
after our likeness."
'
From want of appre- enthusiasts.^
hension of the meaning of the divine Scripture Men who have become infected with this
he understood the Divine Being to have a plague to its full extent shun manual
human form, and conjectured it to be envel- labour as iniquitous and, giving themselves ;
oped in
bodily parts for Holy ; Scripture over to sloth, call the imaginations of
frequently describes the divine operations their dreams prophesyings. Of this heresy
under the names of human parts, since by Dadoes, Sabbas, Adelphius, Hermas, and
these means the providence of God is made Simeones were leaders, and others besides,
more easily intelligible to minds incapable of who did not hold aloof from the communion
perceiving any immaterial ideas. To this of the Church, alleging that neither good nor
impiety Audteus added others of a similar harm came of the divine food of which
"
kind. By an eclectic process he adopted Christ our Master said Whoso eateth my
some of the doctrines of Manes ^ and denied flesh and drinketh my blood shall live for
that the God of the universe is creator of ever."^
either fire or darkness. But these and all In their endeavour to hide their un-
similar errors are concealed by the adherents soundness they shamelessly deny it even
of his faction. after conviction, and abjure men whose
They allege that they are separated from opinions are in harmony with their own
the assemblies of the Church. But since secret sentiments.
some of them exact a cursed usury, and Under these circumstances Letoius, who
some live unlawfully with women with- was at the head of the church of Melitine,''
out the bond of wedlock, while those who a man full of divine zeal, saw that many
are innocent of these practices live in free monasteries, or, shall I rather say, brigands'
fellowship with the guilty, they hide the caves, had drunk deep of this disease. He
blasphemy of their doctrines by accounting therefore burnt them, and drove out the
as they do for their living by themselves. wolves from the flock.
The plea is however an impudent one, and In like manner the illustrious Amphi-
the natural result of Pharisaic teachinsr, lochius* to whom was committed the charge
for the Pharisees accused the Physician of of the metropolis of the Lycaonians and
souls and bodies in their question to the holy who ruled all the people, no sooner learnt
" How is it that
Apostles your Master that this pestilence had invaded his diocese
eateth with publicans and sinners.''"^ and, than he made it depart from his borders and
through the prophet, God of such men says freed from its infection the flocks he fed.
" Which come not near me for I am
'
Flavianus,^ also, the far famed high-priest
say,
' *
pure this is smoke of my wrath." But of the Antiochenes, on learning that these
this is not a time to refute their unreasonable men were living at Edessa and attacking
error. I therefore pass on to the remainder of with their peculiar poison all with whom
my narrative.* '
The name whence comes " Messaliani " or " Mas-
Syriac
saliani" means praying people /p^yjj, {<7^ Dan. vi. i\
1Gen. I. 26.
' Vide note on page 75. Epiphanius rendered the name €ux''/^'''°'> but they were soon
3Mark ii. 16. Observe verbal inaccuracy of quotation. generally known in Greek as euv^roi or (vxiTai.
65. 5. The Greek of the text is oi AeyovTcs xaSapiSt
- The form
tr9ou<TiacrTr)s is ecclesiastical, and late Greek, but
* Is ;
eiî,
/Aij aiTTou oJto? KaTTTOs ToG Su/ioO /lou.
/iou In the Sept. the the verb ecfloucridêii' occurs at least as early as .^schylus.
passajje stanrl oi AeyocTt? Troppco an-' f\i.ov, firi eyyio-/)? /^toi on (Kr.64.a.)
(caflapo? (itii, etc. The O. T. is ciuotcd as loosely as the New.
3 and the citation as before is in-
Compare John vi. 54 51 ;
"
Anthropomorphism, or the attribution to God of a human exact.
form is the frequent result of an unintelligent anthropopath- •Melitine (Malatia). metropolis of lesser Armenia; the
ism, which ascribes to God human Jeelings. Paganism did scene of the defeat of Chosroes Nushirvan by the Romans
not rise higher than the material view. Judaism, sometimes A.D.S77.
apparently anthropomorphic, lauglit a Spiritual God. Ter- "Archbishop of Iconium, the friend of Basil and first cousin
tuUian uses expressions which exposed him to the charge of of Gregory of Nazianzus, B. probably about 344. He is not
anthropomorphism, and the Pseudo Clementines (xvii. 2) go mentioned after the beginning of the 5th century.
farther. The Au(la;us of the text appears to be the first " cf. ii.
19, and iv, a, lie was not consecrated bishop
founder of anything like an anthropomorphic sect. until 3S1.
IV. II, 12.] OF THEODORET. 115
they came in contact, sent a company of distinguished by his fidelity to apostolic doc-
monks, brought them to Antioch, and in the trine. But when the Goths had crossed the
following manner convicted them in their de- Danube and were ravaging Thrace, he de-
nial of their heresy. Their accusers, he said, termined to assemble an army and march
were calumniating them, and the witnesses against them and accordingly resolved not
;
giving false evidence and Adelphius, who

;
to take the field without the garb of divine
was a very old man, he accosted with expres- grace, but first to protect himself with the
sions of kindness, and ordered to take a seat panoply of Holy Baptism.^ In forming
at his side. Then he said " O venerable
We, this resolution he acted at once well and
sir, who have lived to an advanced age, have wisely, but his subsequent conduct betrays
more accm-ate knowledge of human nature, very great feebleness of character, resulting
and of the tricks of the demons who oppose in the abandonment of the truth. His fate
us, and have learnt by experience the char- was the same as that of our first father,
acter of the gift of grace. But these younger Adam for he too, won over by the argu-
;
men have no clear knowledge of these mat- ments of his wife, lost his free estate and
ters, and cannot brook to listen to spiritual became not merely a captive but an obedient
teaching. Wherefore tell me in what sense listener to woman's wily words. His wife^
you say that the opposing spirit retreats, and had already been entrapped in the Arian
the grace of the Holy Ghost supervenes." snare, and now she caught her husband, and
The old man was won over by these words persuaded him to fall along with her into
and gave vent to all his secret venom, for he the pit of blasphemy. Their leader and
said that no benefit accrues to the recipients initiator was Eudoxius, who still held the
of Holy Baptism, and that it is only by tiller of Constantinople, with the result that
earnest prayer that the in-dwelling demon is the ship was not steered onwards but sunk ^
driven out, for that every one born into the to the bottom.
world derives from his first father slavery to
the demons just as he does his nature but
that when these are driven away, then comes
;
CHAPTER XII.
the Holy Ghost giving sensible and visible How Valens exiled the virtuous bishops.
signs of His presence, at once freeing the At .
the very time of the baptism of Valens

body from the impulse of the passions and Eudoxius bound the
unhappy man by an
wholly ridding the soul of its inclination to oath to abide in the
the worse with tlie result that there is no
;
impiety of his doctrine,
and to expel from every see the holders of
more need for fasting that restrains the body,
Thus Valens abandoned
nor of teaching or training that bridles it and contrary opinions.
the apostolic teaching, and went over to the
instructs it how to walk aright. And not
opposite faction nor was it long before he
only the recipient of this gift libei-ated
is
;
of his oath
fulfilled the rest for from Anti-
from the wanton motions of the body, but ;
och he expelled the great Meletius, from Sa-

also clearly foresees things to come, and with
mosata the divine Eusebius, and deprived
the eyes beholds the Holy Trinity.
Laodicea of her admirable shepherd Pela-
In this wise the divine Flavianus dug into
the foul fountain-head and succeeded in lay- gius.'' Pelagius had taken on him the yoke
of wedlock when a very young man, and in
ing bare its streams. Then he thus addressed the very bridal chamber, on the first day of
the wretched old man. "O
thou that hast
his nuptials, he persuaded his bride to prefer
grown old in evil days, thy own mouth con-
victs thee, not I, and thou art testified against chastity to conjugal intercourse, and taught
her to accept fraternal affection in the place
by thy own
lips." After their unsoundness
of marriage union. Thus he gave all honour
had been thus exposed they were expelled
to temperance, and possessed also within
from Syria, and withdrew to Pamphylia,
himself the sister virtues moving in tune
which they filled with their pestilential doc-
with her, and for these reasons he was unan-
trine.
imously chosen for the bishopric. Neverthe-
less not even the bright beams of his life and
CHAPTER XI.
awed
conversation the enemy of the truth.
In what manner Valens fell into heresy. Him, Valens relegated to Arabia, the
too,
divine Meletius to Armenia, and Eusebius,
I WILL now pursue the course of my nar-
rative, and will describe the beginning of 1 Valens was baptized in 36S. 2 Albia Dominica.
Tiie use of tlie word baptized for submerged is significant.
3
the tempest which stirred up many and great
Polyb. I 51. 6 uses it of sinking a ship. It first appears with
:
billows to buffet the Church. Valens, when the teclinical sense oi baptized in the Evangelists.
4 Present at Antiocli in 363; banished to Arabia in 367.
he first received the imperial dignity, was Present at Constantinople in 3S1.
I 2
ii6 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 13.
that unflagging labourer in apostolic work, tratesand authorities.^ When they had
to Thrace. Unflagging he was indeed, for heard him some brought him gold, some
when apprised that many churches were now some clothes, and others servants, as
silver,
deprived of their shepherds, he travelled about though he were starting for some strange, and
Syria, Phoenicia and Palestine, wearing the distant land. The bishop refused to take
garb of war and covering his head with a anything but some slight gifts from his more
tiara, ordaining presb3'ters and deacons and intimate friends, and then gave the whole
filling up the other ranks of the Church and company his instruction and his prayers, and
;
if haply he lighted on bishops with like senti- exhorted them to stand up boldly for the
ments with his own, he appointed them to apostolic decrees. ." . •.
empty churches. Then he set out for the Danube, while his
friends returned to their own town, and en-
CHAPTER XIII. couraged one another as they waited for the
assaults of the wolves.
Of EusehiuSf bishop of Samosata, and others. In the belief that I should be
wronging
Of the courage and prudence shewn by them were the warmth and sincerity of their
Eusebius after he had received the imperial faith to lack commemoration in my history I
edict which commanded him to depart into shallnow proceed to describe it.
Thrace, I think all who have been hitherto The Arian faction, after depriving the
flock of their right excellent shepherd, set
ignorant should hear.^
The bearer of this edict reached his desti- up another bishop in his place; but not an
nation in the evening, and was exhorted by inhabitant of the city, were he herding in
Eusebius to keep silent and conceal the indigence or blazing in wealth, not a ser-
cause of his coming. "For," said the vant, not a handicraftsman, not a hind, not
" the multitude has been nurtured in a gardener, nor man nor woman, whether
bishop,
divine zeal, and should they learn why you young or old, came, as had been their wont,
have come they will drown you, and I shall to gatherings in church. The new bishop
be held responsible for your death." After lived all alone not a soul looked at him, or
;
thus speaking and performing evening ser- exchanged a word with him. Yet the re-
vice, as he was wont, the old man started out port is that he behaved with courteous
alone on foot, at nightfall. He confided his moderation, of which the following instance
intentions to one of his household servants is a proof. On one occasion he had ex-
who followed him carrying nothing but a pressed a wish to bathe, so his servants shut
cushion and a book. When he had reached the doors of the bath, and kept out all who
the bank of the river (for the Euphrates wished to come in. When he saw the
runs along the very walls of the town) he crowd before the doors he ordered them to
embarked in a boat and told the oarsmen to be thrown open, and directed that every one
vow to Zeugma.- When it was day the should freely use the bath. He exhibited
bishop had reached Zeugma, and Samosata the same conduct in the halls within for on ;
was full of weeping and wailing, for the observing certain men standing by him
above mentioned domestic reported the while he bathed he begged them to share
orders given him to the friends of Eusebius, the hot water with him. They stood silent.
and told them whom he wished to travel Thinking their hesitation was due to a
with him, and what books tliey were to con- respect for him, he quickly arose and made
Then all the congregation bewailed his way out, but these persons had really
vey.
the removal of their shepherd, and the stream been of opinion that even the water was
of the river was crowded with voyagers. aflected with the pollution of his heresy, and
When they came where he was, and saw so sent it all down the sinks, while they
their beloved pastor, with lamentations and ordered a fresh supply to be provided for
groanings they shed floods of tears, and tried
themselves. On being informed of this the
to persuade him to remain, and not abandon intruder departed from the city, for he.
the sheep to the wolves. But all was of no iudgcd that it was insensate and absurd on
his part to continue to reside in a city which
avail, and he read them the apostolic law
which clearly bids us be subjects to magis- detested him, and treated him as a common
foe. On the departure of Eunomius (for this
1
Samosata, the capitnl of Conimagcnc on the Hiiphrates, is was his name) from Samosata, Lucius, an
of interest as the biitliphice of Lucian (c. uo) as well as the
see of this Eusebius, the valued fricml of I?asil anil of Gregory unmistakable wolf, and enemy of the sheep,
of Nazianzus. We shall *in(l him mentioned au:;iin v. 4.
2
Zeugma was on the right bank of the Euplnates, nearly was appointed in his place. But the sheep,
opposite the ancient Apamea and Seloicia and the modern
" "
Biredjik. The name is derived from the Zeugma or I!i idge
of Boats built here by Alexander. Strabo xvi. 2. 3. .1 Titus, UK J.
IV. 14, 15.] OF THEODORET. 117
all shephercUess as they wei'e, shepherded Thrace and

besieging cities, as is described
themselves, and persistently preserved the in his own woiks.
apostolic doctrine in all its purity. How
the new intruder was detested the following CHAPTER XIV.
relation will set forth.
Some lads were playing ball in the mar- Of the holy Barses, and of the exile of the
ket place and enjoying the game, when bishop of Edessa and his companions.
Lucius was passing by. It chanced that
Barses, whose fame is now great not only
the ball was dropped and passed between in his own of Edessa, and in neighbouring
the feet of the ass. The boys raised an towns, but city in Phoenicia, in
Egypt, and in the
outcry because they thought that their ball Thebaid, through all which
was polluted. On perceiving this Lucius travelled with a regions he had
high reputation won by his
told one of his suite to stop and learn what
virtue, had been relegated by Valens
was going on. The boys lit a fire and great
to the island of Aradus,^ but when the
tossed the ball through the flames with the
emperor learnt that innumerable multitudes
idea that by so doing they purified it. I
streamed thither, because Barses was full of
know indeed that this was but a boyish act,
apostolic grace, and drove out sicknesses
and a survival of the ancient ways but it with a ;
word, he sent him to Oxyrynchus ^ in
is none the less sufficient to
prove in what Egypt but there too his fame drew all men
;
hatred the town held the Arian faction. to him, and the old man,
Lucius however was no follower of the was led oft' to a remote castle worthy of heaven,
near the coun-
mildness of Eunomius, but persuaded the
try of the barbarians of that district, by name
authorities to exile many others of the cler- Pheno. It is said that in Aradus his bed
gy, and despatched the most distin-
has been preserved to this day, where it is
guished champions of the divine dogmas held in very great honour, for
to the furthest confines of the Roman Em-
many sick
persons lie down upon it and by means of
pire ;Evolcius, a deacon, to Oasis, to an their faith recover.
abandoned village Antiochus, who had the
;
honour of being related to the great Eusebius,

for he was his brother's son, and further CHAPTER XV.
distinguished by his own honourable char- Of the
persecution which took place at Edessa^
acter, and of priestly rank, to a distant part and of Eulogius andProtogenes, presbyters of
of Armenia. How boldly this Antiochus Edessa.
contended for the divine decrees will be
seen from the following facts. When the Now a second time Valens, after depriv-
divine Eusebius after his many conflicts, ing the flock of their shepherd, had set over
whereof each was a victory, had died a mar- them in his stead a wolf. The whole popu-
lation had abandoned the city, and were
tyr's death, the wonted synod of the people
was held, and among others came Jovinus assembled in front of the town, when he
then bishop of Perrha ^ who for some little arrived at Edessa. He had given orders
time had held a communion with the to the prefect, Modestus by name, to as-
Arians. Antiochus was unanimously chosen semble the troops under his orders who
as successor to his uncle. When brought were accustomed to exact the tribute, to
before the holy table and bidden there to take all who were present of the armed
bend the knee, he turned round and saw force, and by inflicting blows with sticks
that Jovinus had put his right hand on his and clubs, and using if need be their other
head. Plucking the hand away he bade weapons of war, to disperse the gathering
him be gone from among the consecrators, multitude. Early in the morning, while the
saying that he could not endure a right hand prefect was executing this order, on his way
which had received mysteries blasphemously through the Forum he saw a woman holding
celebrated. an infant in her arms, and hurrying along at
These events happened somewhat later. great speed. She had made light of the
At the time I am speaking of he was re- troops, and forced her way through their
moved to the interior of Armenia. ranks for a soul fired with divine zeal
:
The divine Eusebius was living by the knows no fear of man, and looks on terrors
Danube where the Goths were ravaging of this kind as ridiculous sport. When the
1 An island off the coast of Phoenicia; nowRuad. The town
Jovinus was a friend of Basil (Ep. on the opposite mainland was Antaradus.
1
i:S) as well as of
Eusebius of Samosata. 2
Oxyrynchus on the Nile, at or near the modern Behnese ( f)
Perrha, a town of Euphratensis, is more likely to have been was so called because the inhabitants worshipped the ' sharp
Perga of the commoner reading;.
his see than the snout," or pike, Strabo xvii. i .
40.
ii8 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 15.
prefect saw her, and understood what had tions, and so eighty of them were arrested,
happened, he ordered her to be brought and exiled to Thrace. On their way thither
before him, and enquired whither she was they were everywhere received with the
going. "I have heard," said she, "that greatest possible distinction, cities and vil-
assaults are being phuined against the ser- lages coming out to meet them and honour-
vants of the Lord I want to join my friends ing them as victorious athletes.
; But envy
in the faith that I may share with them the armed their antagonists to report to the
" But the
slaughter inflicted by you." baby," emperor that what had been reckoned dis-
said the prefect, " what in the world are grace had really brought great honour on
you carrying that for?" "That it may these men thereupon Valens ordered that
;
share with me," said she, " the death I long they were to be separated into pairs and
for." sent in different directions, some to Thrace,
When the prefect had heard this from the some to the furthest regions of Arabia, and
woman and through her means discovered others to the towns of the Thebaid ; and the
the zeal which animated
all the people, saying was that those whom nature had
he made it known
the emperor, and joined together savage men had
to
put asunder,
pointed out the uselessness of the intended and divided brother from brother. Eulo-
massacre. " We
shall only reap," said he, gius their leader with Protogenes the next in
" a harvest of discredit from the deed, and
rank, were relegated to Antinone.^
shall fail to quench these people's spirit." Even of these men I will not sufier the
He then would not allow the tnultitude to virtue to fall into oblivion. They found that
undergo the tortures which they had ex- the bishop of the city was of like mind with
pected, and commanded their leaders, the themselves, and so took part in the gather-
priests, I mean, and deacons, to be brought ings of the Church but when they saw very
;
before him, and offered them a choice of small congregations, and on enquiry learnt
two alternatives, either to induce the flock that the inhabitants of the city were pagans,
to communicate with the wolf, or be ban- they were grieved, as was natural, and de-
ished from the town to some remote region. plored their unbelief. But they did not think
Then he summoned the mass of the people it enough to grieve, but to the best of their
before him, and in gentle terms endeavoured ability devoted themselves to making these
to persuade them to submit to the imperial men whole. The divine Eulogius, shut up in
decrees, urging that it was mere madness for a little chamber, spent day and night in put-
a handful of men who might soon be counted ting up petitions to the God of the universe ;
to withstand the sovereign of so vast an and the admirable Protogenes, who had re-
empire. The crowd stood speechless. Then ceived a good education

-
and was practised
the prefect turned to their leader Eulogius, in rapid writing, pitched on a suitable spot
an excellent man, and said, " do you which he made into a boys' school, and, set-
Why
make no answer to what you have heard me ting up for a schoolmaster, he instructed his
say?" "I did not think," said Eulogius, pupils not only in the art of swift penman-
"that I must answer, when I had been ship, but also in the divine oracles. He
asked no question." " But," said the pre- taught them the psalms of David and gave
" I have used
fect, many arguments to urge them to learn the most important articles of
you to a course advantageous to yourselves." the apostolic doctrine. One of the lads fell
Eulogius rejoined that these pleas had sick, and Protogenes went to his home, took
been urêd on all the multitude and that he the sutlercr by the hand and drove away the
thought it absurd for him to push himself malady by prayer. When the parents of the
forward and reply; "but," he went on, other boys heard this they brought him to
" should
you ask me my individual opinion their houses and entreated him to succour
I will give it you." "Well," said the the sick but he refused to ask God for the
;
" communicate with the

prefect, emperor. expulsion of the malady before the sick had
With pleasant irony Eulogius contiiuicd, received the gift of baptism urged by their ;
" Has he then received the

pricsthootl as longing for the children's health, the parents
well as the empire.''" The prefect then readily acceded, and won at last salvation
perceiving that he was not speaking seri- both for body and soul. In every instance
ously took it ill, and after heaping reproaches wliere he persuaded any one in health to re-
on the old man, added, " I did not say so, ceive the divine grace, he led him ofl' to
you fool I exhorted you to communicate Eulogius, and knocking at the door besought
;
with those with whom the Emperor commu- him to open, and put the seal of the Lord on
nicates." To this the old man replied that
Antinoopolis, now Ensench on the right bank of the Nile.
1
they had a shepherd and obeyed his direc- The manuscripts here vary considerably.
-
IV. i6.] OF THEODORET. 119
the pi'ey. When Eulogius was annoyed at web. For the stories told of old were quite
the interruption of his prayer, Protogenes enough for the rest of the episcopate, and
used to say that it was much more essential they kept the wall of the faith unmoved like
to rescue the wanderers. In this he was bastions in the circle of its walls.
an object of admiration to all who beheld The prefect, however, on his arrival at
his deeds, doing such wondrous works, im- Caesarea, sent for the great Basil. He
parting to so many the light of divine know- treated him with respect, and, addressing
ledge and all the while yielding the first him with moderate and courteous language,
place to another, and bringing his prizes to urged him to yield to the exigencies of the
Eulogius. They rightly conjectured that the time, and not to forsake so many churches
virtue of Eulogius was by far the greater on account of a petty nicety of doctrine. He
and higher. moreover promised him the friendship of the
On the quieting of the tempest and resto- emperor, and pointed out that through it he
ration of complete calm, they were ordered might be the means of conferring great ad-
to return home, and were escorted by all vantages upon many.
" This sort of
talk,"
the people, wailing and weeping, and spe- said the divine man, " is fitted for little boys,
cially by the bishop of the church, who was
for they and their like easily swallow such
now deprived of their husbandry. When they inducements. But they who are nurtured
reached home, the great Barses had been re- by divine words will not suffer so much as a
moved to the life that knows no pain, and syllable of the divine creeds to be let go, and
the divine Eulogius was entrusted with the for their sake are ready, should need require,
rudder of the church which he had piloted ^ to embrace every kind of death. The em-
;
and to the excellent Protogenes was assigned peror's friendship I hold to be of great value
the husbandry of Charrte,- a barren spot if conjoined with true religion otherwise I ;
full of the thorns of heathendom and need- doom it for a deadly thingf."
ing abundant labour. But these events Then the prefect was moved to wrath, and
happened after peace was restored to the declared that Basil was out of his senses.
"
churches. But," said the divine man, "this madness
I pray be ever mine." The bishop was
CHAPTER XVI. then ordered to retire, to deliberate on the
course to be pursued, and on the morrow to
Of the holy Basilitis, Bishop of Ccesarea, declare to what conclusion he had come.
and the measures taken against him by Intimidation was moreover
joined with
Valens and the prefect Modesties. The reply of the illustrious
argument.
is related to have been
" I for
Valens, one might almost say, deprived bishop my
shall come to you tomorrow the same
every church of its shepherd, and set out for part
the Cappadocian Caesarea,'' at that time the man that I am today do not yourself change,
;
see of the great Basil, a light of the world. but carry out your threats." After these
Now he had sent the prefect before him with discussions the prefect met the emperor and
orders either to persuade Basil to embrace reported the conversation, pointing out the
the communion of Eudoxius, or, in the bishop's virtue, and the undaunted manliness
event of his refusal, to pvmish him by exile. of his character. The emperor said nothing
and passed in. In his palace he saw that
Previously acquainted as he was with the ^
bishop's liigh reputation, he was at first un- plagues from heaven had fallen, for his son
willing to attack him, for he was apprehen- lay sick at the very gates of death and his
sive lest the bishop, by boldly meeting and wife ^ was beset by many ailments. Then
he recognised the cause of these sorrows, and
withstanding his assault, should furnish an
entreated the divine man, whom he had
example of bravery to the rest. This artful
threatened with chastisement, to come to his
stratagem was as ineffective as a spider's
house. His officers performed the imperial
1
Eulogius was at Rome in 369, at Antioch in 379, and Con- behests and then the great Basil came to the
stantinople in 3S1.
2
CharrDB, now Harran, in Mesopotamia, on the point of di- palace.
verg;enci" of the main caravan routes, is the Haran to which After seeing the emperor's son on the
Terah travelled from Orfah. It was afterwards made famous
by the defeat of the Romans in B.C. 53, when point of death, he promised him restoration
" miserando funere to life if he should receive holy baptism at
Crassus,
"Assyrias Latio maculavit sanguine Carras." the hands of the pious, and with this pledge
Lucan. i. 104.
3 Caesarea Ad
Argseum (now Kasaria) at the foot of Mount went his way. But the emperor, like the
Arggeus, was made a Roman province by Tiberius A.D. iS. foolish remembered his and
The progress of Valens had hitherto been successful, and tlie Herod, oath,
Catholic cause was endangered. Bithynia had been coerced,
and the mobile Galatians had given in. "The fate of Cappa- 1 Galates. cf. Soc. iv. 26.
docia depended on Basil." cf. Diet. Ch. Biog. i.
289.
2 Dominica, cf.Soc, iv. »6,
I20 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 17, 18.
ordered some of the Ariau faction who were proclaimed abroad the courage of good men.
present to baptize the boy, who immediately Thus Valens was disappointed in his attack.
died. Then Valens repented he saw how ;
fraught with danger the keeping of his oath CHAPTER XVII.

had been, and came to the divine temple and
received the teaching of the great Basil, and 0/ the death of the great Athanasius and the
offered the customary gifts at the altar. The electio7i of Petrus.
bishop moreover ordered him to come
within the divine curtains where he sat and At Alexandria, Athanasius the victorious,
after all his struggles, each rewarded with a
talked much with him about the divine de-
crees and in turn listened to him. crown, received release from his labours and
Now there was present a certain man of passed away to the life which knows no toil.
the name of Demosthenes,^ superintendent of
Then Peter, a right excellent man, received
the imperial kitchen, who in rudely chiding
the see. His blessed predecessor had first
selected him, and every suffrage alike of the
the man who instructed the world was guilty
and of men of rank and office con-
of a solecism of speech. Basil smiled and clergy
said " we see here an illiterate Demosthenes " curred,
and all the people strove to show
and on Demosthenes losing his temper and
;
their delight by their acclamations. He had
" shared the heavy labours of Athanasius at
uttering threats, he continued your business ;
is to attend to the
home and abroad he had been ever at his
seasoning of soups you ;
cannot understand theology because your side, and with him had undergone manifold
ears are stopped up." So he said, and the perils.
Wherefore the bishops of the neigh-
was so that he him bourhood hastened to meet and those who ;
emperor delighted gave
some fine lands which he had there for the dwelt in schools of ascetic discipline left
them and joined the company, and all joined
poor under his care, for they being in griev- in
ous bodily affliction were specially in need begging that Peter might be chosen to suc-
of care and cure.
ceed to the patriarchal chair of Athanasius.^
In this manner then the great Basil

avoided the emperor's first attack, but when CHAPTER XVIII.
he came a second time his better judgement
was obstructed by counsellors who deceived On the overthrow of Petrus and the introduc-
him he forgot what had happened on the
;
tion of Lucius the Arian.
former occasion and ordered Basil to gfo No sooner had they seated him on the
over to the hostile faction, and, failing to
episcopal throne than the governor of the
persuade hi in, commanded the decree of exile province assembled a mob of Greeks and
to be enforced. But when he tried to affix his Jews, surrounded the walls of the church,^
signature to it he could not even form one and bade Peter come forth, threatening him
tittle of a word,^ for the
pen broke, and when with exile if he refused. He thus acted on
the same thing happened to the second and the plea that he was fulfilling the emperor's
to tlic third pen, and he still strove to sign
good pleasure by bringing those of opposite
that wicked edict, his hand shook he quaked, ; sentiments into trouble, but the truth was that
his soul was filled with fright he tore the ; he was carried away by his impious passion.
paper with both his hands, and so proof was For he was addicted to the service of the
given by the Ruler of the world that it was idols, and looked upon the storms which be-
He Himself who had permitted these sufler- set the Church as a season of brilliant fes-
ings to be undergone by the rest, but had tivity. The admirable Peter, however, when
made Basil stronger than the snares laid he beheld the unforeseen conflict, secretly
against him, and, by all the incidents of withdrew, and embarked in a vessel bound
Basil's case, had declared His own almighty for Rome.
power, while on the other hand He had After a few days Euzoius came from An-
tioch with Lucius, and handed over the
'
If this Demosthenes " is the same person with the Demos- churches to him. This was he of whose im-
thenes who four years later held the office of vicar of I'ontus
wc have in him one of the many examples presented by the
' "
history of the Kastern empire of the manner in which base The discussions about the year of his death may be con-
arts raised the meanest persons to llie highest dij^nities." Diet. sidered as practically closed; the Festal Index, although its
Chris. Biog. s. v. But the chief cook may have been a high chronology is sometimes faulty, confirming the date oi 373,
functionary like the chief baker at the court of the Pharaohs given in the MatTeian fragment. The exact day, we may be-
or the Lord High Steward at that of St. James's. Of the eleva- lieve, was Thursday, May 2, on which day of the month Ath-
tion of a menial to power many parallels may be found. De- anasius is venerated in the Western Church. He liad sat on
mosthenes of Pontus afterwards became a partisan of the Semi- the Alexandrian throne forty-six complete years. He died
arians and accused Basil's brother, Gregory of Nyssa, of dis- tranquilly in his own house." Canon Bright in Diet. Clirist.
honesty. Basil. Epist. 264, 3S5, 405. Biog^S.V.
= 2 The church
o'Toixeioi' is a simple sound of the voice as distinguished Thconas, where Syrianus nearly seized Atha-
from ypnixna, a letter. nasius in 356.
had already "

piety and lawlessness Samosata women, saying, Alas for your power, ye
had experience. But the people nurtured in servants of the Christ everywhere we have
;
the teaching of Athanasius, when they now been driven forth by you from town and
saw how different was the spiritual food hamlet, from hill and height, from wastes
oflered them, held aloof from the assemblies where no men dwell in yon islet we had
;
of the Church. hoped to live out of the reach of your shafts,

Lucius, who employed idolators as his at- but our hope was vain hither you have been
;
tendants, went on scourging some, imprison- sent by your persecutors, not to be harmed
ing others some he drove to take to flight,
; by them, but to drive us out. We are quit-
others' homes he rifled in rude and cruel ting the island, for we are being wounded by
fashion. But all this is better set forth in the the piercing rays of your virtue." With
letter of the admirable Peter. After recount- these words, and words like these, they
ing an instance of the impious conduct of dashed the damsel to the ground, and them-
Lucius I shall insert the letter in this work. selves all fled together. But that divine com-
Certain men in Egypt, of angelic life and pany prayed over the girl and raised her up,
conversation, fled from the disquiet of the and delivered her to her father made whole
state and chose to live in solitude in the wil- and in her right mind.
derness. There they made the sandy and The spectators of the miracle flung them-
barren soil bear fruit for a fruit right sweet
;
selves at the feet of the new comers and im-
and fair to God was the virtue by whose law plored to be allowed to participate in the
they lived. Among many who took the lead means of salvation. They destroyed the
in this mode of life was the far-famed Anto- idol's grove, and, illuminated by the bright
nius, most excellent master in the school of rays of instruction, received the grace of
mortification, who made the desert a training holy baptism. On these events becoming
place of virtue for his hermits. He after all known in Alexandria all the people met to-
his great and glorious laboui's had reached gether, reviling Lucius, and saying that
the haven where the winds of trouble blow no wrath from God would fall upon them, were
more, and then his followers were persecuted not that divine company of saints to be set
by the wretched and unhappy Lucius. All free. Then Lucius, apprehensive of a tu-
the leaders of those divine companies, the mult in the city, suflered the holy hermits to
famous Macarius, his namesake, Isidorus, go back to their dens. Let this suffice to
and the rest ^ were dragged out of their caves give a specimen of his impious iniquity.
and despatched to a certain island inhabited The sinful deeds he dared to do will be more
by impious men, and never blessed with any clearly set forth by the letter of the admirable
teacher of piety. When the ship drew near Peter. I hesitate to insert it at full length,
to the shore of the island the demon rever- and so will only quote some extracts from it.
enced by its inhabitants departed from the
image which had been his time-old home, CHAPTER XIX.

and filled with frenzy the daughter of the
priest. She was driven in her inspired fury
Narrative of events at Alexandria in the time
to the shore where the rowers were bringing
the ship to land. the of the of Lucius the Arian, taken from a letter oj
Making tongue
Petrus, Bishop of Alexandria.
girl his instrument, the demon
shouted out
through her the words uttered at Philippi Palladius governor of the province, by
by the woman possessed with the spirit of sect a heathen,^ and one who habitually
Python,- and was heard by all, both men
and had fre-
prostrated himself before the idols,
quently entertained the thought of waging
1 There are traces of some confusion about the saints and
" There were two her- war against Christ. After collecting the
solitaries of this name at this period.
mits or monks of this name both of the 4th c, both living in forces
character and deeds are almost indistinjfuish- already enumerated he set out against
Egypt, whose
able." " One of them is said to have been the disciple of the Church, as though he were pressing for-
Anthony, and the master of Evagrius." "The name of Ma- ward to the
carius, like a double star, shines as a central light in the subjugation of a foreign foe.
monkish history, and is enshrined alike in the Roman martyr- Then, as is well known, the most shocking
and in the legends of the Greek church. Macarius is
ologies,
a favourite saint in Russia." (Canon Fremantle, Diet. Christ. deeds were done, and at the bare thought of
Biog. iii. 774.) cf. Soc. iv. 23. In iv. 24 Soc. describes both
telling the story, its recollection
fills me with
the Macani as banished to the island "which had not a single
Christian inhabitant." Sozomen (vi. 20) has the same story. ano-uish. I have shed floods of tears, and I
There was an Isidorus, bishop of Cyrus in 37S, mentioned by
Theodoretus in his Religious History (1143), and an Isidorus, " foreigner " a " gentile." Another common term
bishop of Athribis in Egypt, cf. Diet. Christ. Biog. s. v. But
1
iBviKo^,
" in ecclesiastical Greek is" EAArjf, but neither
the Isidorus of the text appears to have been a monk. for " heathen
2 Acts xvi.
16, where the reading irvevtia
nvOuiva recommended "Gentile "nor " Greek" expresses the required sense so well as
on the overwhelming authority of {<ABCD is adopted by the "Heathen," which, like the cognate 'Pagan," simply denotes
"
R. V.,and rendered in the margin a spirit, a python." In a countryman and villager, and marks the age when Christian-
the text it is to irvivna tov irvduivoi. ity was found to
be mainly in towns.
122 THE ECCLESIASTICAT. HISTORY [IV. 19.
should long remained thus bitterly he had been at the front of some disreputa-
have
aflected not assuaged my grief by ble stage, on the holy altar itself where we
had I
divine meditation. The crowds intruded call on the coming of the Holy Ghost, while
into the churcli called Thconasând there the by-standers laughed aloud and rudely
instead of holy words were uttered the raised unseemly shouts. But as this seemed
of idols there where the Holy Scrip- to them really rather decorous than im-
praises ;
tures had been read might be heard imscemly proper, they went on to proceedings which
clapping of hands with unmanly and inde- they reckoned in accordance with their in-
cent utterances there outrages were oflered decency'
; they picked out a man who was ;
to the Virgins of Christ which the tongue very famous for utter baseness, made him
refuses to utter, for "
it is a shame even to once all his clothes and all his
strip oft' at
speak of them."
^
On only hearing of these shame, and set him up as naked as he was
wrongs one of the well disposed stopped born on the throne of the church, and dubbed
his ears and prayed that he might rather him a vile advocate against Clirist. Then
become deaf than have to listen to their for divine words he uttered shameless wick-
foul language. Would that they had been edness, for awful doctrines wanton lewdness,
content to sin in word alone, and had not for piety impiety, for continence fornication,
surpassed the wickedness of word by deed, adulter)', foul lust, theft teaching that glut-
;
for insult, however bad it be, can be borne by tony and drunkenness as well as all the rest
them in whom dwells Christ's wisdom and were good for man's life.^ In this state of
His holy lessons. But these same villains, things when even I had withdrawn from the
vessels of wrath fitted for destruction,^ church^ — for how could I remain where
screwed up their noses and poured out, if I troops were coming in where a mob was —
may so say, as from a well-head, foul noises —
bribed to violence where all were strivingfor
through their nostrils, and rent the raiment gain
— where mobs of heathen were making
from Christ's hoi}' virgins, whose conversa- mighty promises?
— forth, forsooth, is sent
tion gave an exact likeness of saints they ;
a successor in my place. It was one named
dragged them in triumph, naked as when Lucius, who had bought the bishopric as he
they were born, through all the town they ; might some dignity of this world, eager to
made indecent sport of them at their pleas- maintain the bad character and conduct of a
ure ;
their deeds were barbarous and cruel. wolf.^ No synod of orthodox bishops had
Did any one in pity interfere and urge to chosen him * no vote of genuine clergy no
; ;
mercy he was dismissed with wounds. Ah !

laity had demanded him as the laws of the ;
woe is me. Many a virgin underwent church enjoin.

brutal violation many a maid beaten on the
;
Lucius could not make his entrance into
head with clubs lay dumb, and even their the city without parade, and so he was ap-
bodies were not allowed to be given up for propriately escorted not by bishops, not by
burial, and their grief-stricken parents can- presbyters, not by deacons, not by multi-
not find their corpses to this day. But why tudes of the laity no monks preceded him
;
recount woes which seem small when com- chanting psalms from the Scriptures
;
but
pared with greater.'' Why linger over these there was Euzoius, once a deacon of our
and not hurry on to events more urgent.? cit}'
of Alexandria, and long since degraded
When you hear them I know that you will along with Arius in the great and holy
wonder and will stand with us long dumb, synod of Nicasa, and more recently raised to
amazed at the kindness of the Lord in not rule and ravage the see of Antioch, and
bringing all things utterly to an end. At the there, too, was Magnus the treasurer," notori-
very altar the impious perpetrated what, as ous for every kind of impiety, leading a vast
it is written,* neither happened nor was body of troops. In the reign of Julian this
heard of in the days of our fathers. Magnus had burnt the church at Berytus,®
A boy who had forsworn his sex and
Greg. Naz. Oral. xxv. 12. p. 464 Ed. Migne.
> cf.
would pass for a girl, with eyes, as it is » cf. Soc. 21.
written, smeared with antimony,* and face 3 Observe the pun.

• On the subject of episcopal election, vide Diet. Christ.
reddened with rouge like their idols, in wo- Bio),'. iy. 335.
man's dress, was set up to dance and wave '•
o Tu)i'Koî)TaTj)(n(oi'5e AapyiTid>'<oi'Kd/xT)?. Valesius says,"lhc-
sauri principis.dui vulgo sacra; largitiones dicebantur, alii urant
his hands about and whirl round as though per siiifjulas dittceses quibus pra.'erant comitcs. Alii erant in
Cdinitatu una cum principc, qui comitatenses largitioncs dice-
bantur. His pmcerat comes largitionum coniitatensium."
• Vide note on page 120. "
Beyrout, between the ancient Byblus and Sidon. Near
-
Epii. V. xii. here St. (jcorge killed the dragon, according to ihe legend.
3 Romans ix. ta. Our patron saint's dragon does not seem to have been, as may
possibly have been the case in some similar stories, a surviv-
* a.
loci I.
f'
I adopt Iho readiiie aTt/S/j for (TTtlilJH, cf. Kz. xxiu. 40 ing Saurian, but simply a materialization of some picture of
(Sept.). itrriîivv To6f o4>0a\n6ui <xov.
at George vanquishing the old'dragon, the Devil.
the famous city of Phoenicia and, in the ;

introduced him by name) "being well as-
reign of Jovian of blessed memory, after sured that if you obey you will have wealth
barely escaping decapitation by numerous and honour from your prince, while if you
appeals to the imperial compassion, had refuse you will be punished by chains, rack,
been compelled to build it up again at his torture, scourge and cruel torments you will
;
own expense. be deprived of your property and posses-

Now I invoke your zeal to rise in our sions you will be driven into exile and con-
;
vindication. From what I write you ought demned to dwell in savage regions."
to be able to calculate the character and Thus this noble character mixed intimi-
extent of the wrongs committed against the dation with deceit and so endeavoured to
Church of God by the starting up of this persuade and compel the people to aposta-
Lucius to oppose us. Often rejected by tise from true religion. They however
your piety and by the orthodox bishops 01 knew full well how true it is that the pain
every region, he seized on a city which had of treachery to right religion is sharper than
just and righteous cause to regard and treat any torment they refused to lower their ;
him as a foe. For he does not merely say virtue and noble spirit to his trickery and
like the blasphemous fool in the psalms threats, and were thus constrained to answer
" Christ is not true God." ^ " Cease, cease
But, corrupt him. trying to frighten us
himself, he con-upted others, rejoicing in with these words, utter no more vain words.
the blasphemies uttered continually against We
worship no God of late arrival or of
the Saviour by them who worshipped the new invention. Foam at us if you will
creature instead of the Creator. The in the vain tempest of your fury and dash
scoundrel's opinions being quite on a par yourselves against us like a furious wind.
with those of a heathen, why should he not We
abide by the doctrines of true religion
venture to worship a new-made God, for even unto death we have never regarded ;
these were the phrases with which he was God as impotent, or as unwise, or untrue,
publicly greeted "Welcome, bishop, be- as at one time a Father and at another not
cause thou deniest the Son. Serapis loves a Father, as this impious Arian teaches,
thee and has brought thee to us." So they making the Son a being of time and transi-
named their native idol. Then without an tory. For if, as the Ariomaniacs say, the
interval of delay the afore-named Magnus, Son is a creature, not being naturally of one
inseparable associate in the villainy of Lu- substance with the Father, the Father too
cius, cruel body-guard, savage lieutenant, will be reduced to non-existence by the non-
collected together all the multitudes com- existence of the Son, not being as they
mitted to his care, and arrested presbyters assert at one period a Father. But if He is
and deacons to the number of nineteen, some ever a Father, his offspring being truly of
of whom were eighty years of age, on the Him, and not by derivation, for God is im-
charge of being concerned in some foul passible, how is not he mad and foolish who
violation of Roman law. He constituted a says of the Son through whom all things
public tribunal, and, in ignorance of the came by grace into existence, "there was
laws of Christians in defence of virtue, en- a time when he was not."
deavoured compel them to give up the
to These men have truly become fatherless
which had been handed
faith of their fathers by falling away from our fathers throughout
down from the apostles through the fathers the world who assembled at Nicsea, and
to us. He even went so far as to maintain anathematized the false doctrine of Arius,
that this would be gratifying to the most now defended by this later champion. They
merciful and clement Valens Augustus. laid down that the Son was not as you are
" Wretched man" he shouted " now compelling us to say, of a different
accept, ac-
cept the doctrine of the Arians God will ; substance from the Father, but of one and
pardon you even though you worshij? Vvîth the same. This their pious intelligence
a true worship, if you do this not of your clearly perceived, and so from
an adequate
own accord but because you are compelled. collation of divine terms they owned Him
There is always a defence for irresponsible to be consubstantial.
compulsion, while free action is responsible Advancing these and other similar argu-
and much followed by accusation. Consider ments, they were imprisoned for many days
well these arguments come willingly away ; ;
in the hope that they might be induced to
with all delay subscribe the doctrine of
;
fall away from their right mind, but the
Arius preached now by Lucius," (so he rather, like the noblest of the athletes in a
Stadium, they crushed all fear, and from
1 Ps. xiv. I. The Sept. reads EiTref a4>/>(ov ev KapSia auroC ovk
«»-Ti which admits of the translation *'
He is not God." time to time as it were anointing themselves
©edy,
124 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 19.
with the thought of the bold deeds done by The whole city groaned, and is lament-
their fathers, through the help of holy ing to this day. Some men beating on
thoughts maintained a nobler constancy in their breast with
one hand after another
the rack as a training raised a mighty noise others lifted up at
piety, and treated ;
place for virtue. While they were thus once their hands and eyes to heaven in testi-
of the wrong inflicted on them, and so
struggling, and had become, as writes the mony "
blessed Paul, a spectacle to angels and to saying in all but words, Hear, O heavens,
men,^ the whole city ran up to gaze at and give ear, O earth,"
^
what unlawful
Christ's athletes, vanquishing by stout en- deeds are being done. Now all was weeping
durance the scourges of the judge who was and wailing; singing and sighing sounded
torturing them, winning by patience trophies through all the town, and from ever}' eye
against impiety, and exhibiting triumphs flowed a river of tears which threatened to
against Arians. So their savage enemy overwhelm the very sea with its tide. There
thought that by threats and torments he was the aforesaid Magnus on the port order-
could subdue and deliver them to the ing the rowers to hoist the sails, and up went
enemies of Christ. Thus therefore the sav- a mingled cry of maids and matrons, old
age and inhuman tyrant evilly entreated men and young, all sobbing and lamenting
them by inflicting on them the tortures that together, and the noise of the multitude
his cruel ingenuity devised, while all the overwhelmed the roar raised by the waves
people stood wailing and shewing their on the foaming sea. So the martyrs sailed
sorrow in various ways. Then he once more oft' for Heliopolis, where every man is given
mustered his troops, who were disciplined over to w'here flourish the
superstition,"
in disorder, and summoned the martyrs to devil's pleasure, and where the sit-
ways of
trial, or as it might rather be called, to a uation of the cit}', surrounded on all sides by
foregone condemnation, by the seaport, mountains that approach the sky, is fitted for
while after their fashion liired cries were the terrifying lairs of wild beasts. All the
raised against them by the idolaters and friends they left behind now alike in public
the Jews. On their refusal to yield to the in the middle of the town and each in private
manifest heresy of the Ariomaniacs they apart groaned and uttered words of grief,
were sentenced, while all the people stood and were even forbidden to weep, at the
in tears before the tribunal, to be deported order of Palladius, prefect of the city, who
from Alexandria to the Phcenician Heliopo- happened himself to be a man quite given
lis," a place where none of the inhabitants, over to superstition. Many of the mourners
who are all given over to idols, can endure were first arrested and thrown into prison,
so much as to hear the name of Christ. and then scourged, torn with carding combs,
After giving them the order to embark, tortured, and, champions as they wêre of
Magnus stationed himself at the port, for the church in their holy enthusiasm, were
^
he had delivered his sentence against them despatched to the mines of Phennesus and
in the neighbourhood of the public baths. Proconnesus.''
He showed them his sword unsheathed, Most of them were monks, devoted to a
thinking that he could thus strike terror into life of ascetic solitude, and were about
men who had again and again smitten hos- twenty-three in number. Not long after-
tile demons to the ground with their two- wards the deacon who had been sent by our
edged blade. So he bade them put out to beloved Damasus, bishop of Rome, to bring
sea, though they had got no provisions on us letters of consolation and communion,
board, and were starting without one single was led publicly through the town by
comfort for their exile. Strange and almost executioners, with his hands tied behind his
incredible to relate, the sea was all afoam ;
back like some notorious criminal. After
grieved, I think, and unwilling, if I may so sharing the tortures inflicted on murderers,
say, to receive the good men upon its sur-
he was terribly scourged with stones and
face, and so have part or lot in an unright- bits of lead about his ver}' neck.* He went
eous sentence. Now
even to the ignorant on board ship to sail, like the rest, with the
was made manifest the savage purpose of
the judge and it may truly be said " at this 1
Isaiah 1.2.
"*
2 Here the obvious sense of Seio-iSai/j.oi'uii' matches the "su-
the heavens stood astonished." perstitious" of A. V. in Acts 17. 22.
3 Valesius identifies Phennesus with Phynon in Arabia
'
I. Cor.iv. g. Petr;ea, now 'rafileh.
' In Syria, near tlie sources of the Orontes, where the
Cdic The island of Marmara in the sea of that name.
ruins of tlie temple of the sun built bv Antoninus I'ius are ''The Roman " I'"laf^cllum " was a frightful instrument of
known by tlie modern equivalent of the older title —
Baal- torture, and is distin<;uislied from the
"
"
scutica," or whip, and
" It was knotted with bones and bits of metal.
Bek, the city of the sun." virf;a," or rod.
•^
ii. 12. A y. "Be astonished, O ye heavens.'* and sometimes ended in a hook. Horace (Sat. I. lii. 119)
jer. " horribile."
But in Sept. as in text ffiart} 6 ovpavbi inl tovtcji. calls it
IV,. 20,] OF THEODORET. 125
mark upon his brow with

of the sacred cross ;
all from every quarter to impiety, going
none and none to tempt him he was
to aid about in all directions, and like the devil, the
despatched to the copper mines of Phen- proper father of heresy, they sought whom
nesus. During the tortures inflicted by the they might devour.^
In all, after many fruitless eflbrts, they
magistrate qn the tender bodies of little
boys, some have been left lying
on the drove into exile to Dio-Caesarea,^ a city in-
habited by Jews, murderers of the Lord,
spot deprived of holy rites of burial, though
eleven of the bishops of Egypt, all of them
parents and brothers and kinsfolk, and
in-
deed the whole city, begged that this one con- men who from childhood to old age had
solation might be given them. But alas for lived an ascetic life in the desert, had sub-
the inhumanity of the judge, if indeed he dued their inclinations to pleasure by reason
can be called judge who only condemns ! and by discipline, had fearlessly preached
They who had contended nobly for the true had imbibed the the true faith of piety,
relisfion were assigned a worse fate than a pious doctrines, had again and again won
murderer's, their bodies lying, as they did, victory against demons, were ever putting
unburied. The glorious champions were the adversary out of countenance by their
thrown to be devoured by beasts and birds virtue, and publicly posting the Arian heresy
of prey.^ Those who were anxious for con- by wisest argument. Yet like Hell,'^ not
science' sake to express sympathy with the satisfied with the death of their brethren,
parents were punished by decapitation, as fools and madmen
as they were, eager to win
though they had broken some law. What a reputation by their evil deeds, they tried to
Roman law, nay what foreign sentiment, leave memorials in all the world of their
ever inflicted punishment for the expression own cruelty. For lo now they roused the
of sympathy with parents? What instance imperial attention against certain clerics of
is there of the perpetration of so illegal a the catholic church who were living at An-
deed by any one of the ancients ? The male tioch, together with some excellent monks
children of the Hebrews were indeed once who came forward to testify against their evil
ordered to be slain by Pharaoh, but his edict deeds. They got these, men banished to
was suggested by envy and by fear. How Neoccesarea in Pontus, where they were
^
far greater the inhumanity of our day than soon deprived of life in consequence of the
of his. How preferable, if there be a choice sterility of the countiy. Such tragedies
in unrighteousness, their wrongs to ours. were enacted at this period, fit indeed to be
How much better if what is illegal can be consigned to silence and oblivion, but given a
;
called good or bad, though in truth iniquity place in history for the condemnation of the
is always iniquity. men who wag their tongues against the Only
I am writing what is incredible, inhuman, begotten, and infected as they were with the
awful, savage, barbarous, pitiless, cruel. raving madness of blasphemy, strive not
But in all this the votaries of the Arian only to aim their shafts at the Master of the
madness pranced, as it were, with proud universe, but further waged a truceless war
exultation, while the whole city was lament- against His faithful servants.
" there
ing for, as it is written in Exodus,
;
was not a house in which there was not one

2
CHAPTER XX.
dead."
the Saracens, and the
The men whose was Of Mavia,^ Queen of
appetite for iniquity
ordination^ of Moses the monk.
never satisfied planned agitation. Ever new
wreaking their evil will in evil deeds, they At this time ' the Ishmaelites were devas-
darted the peculiar venom of their iniquity tating the country in the neighbourhood of
at the bishops of the province, using the I I. Peter v.S.
aforesaid treasurer Magnus as the instrument • Now Sefurieh, anciently Sepphoris; an unimportant place
of their unrighteousness.
till erected by Herod Antipas into Ihe capital of Galilee.
3 Proverbs xxvii. 20.
Some they delivered to the Senate, some ^ Now Niksar, on the river Lykus, the scene of two councils ;
(i.) a.d. 315, when the first canon ordered every priest to forfeit
they trapped at their good pleasure, leaving his orders on marriage (Mansi ii.
539) (ii.) a.d. 350, when
no stone unturned in their anxiety to hunt in Eustathius of Sebastu was condemned (Mansi, iii. 291).
5 cf. Soz. and Soc. iv. 36.
vi. 38,
The word used is xf'poToj'ia, of which it is well to trace the
6
varying usages. These are given by the late Rev. E, Hatch

*cf. Soph. Ant. Where the corpse of Polyneikes is
30,
(Diet. Christ. Ant. ii. 1501) as follows. "This word is used
described as left
in the N. T. Acts
" (a) xiv, 24, x^'Pororrjo-ai'Te? hk aurois kot'
unwept unsepulchred iKKKi\aia.v vpecrpvTipov<; II. Cor. viii. 19 (of Titus) xecpoTOfrjSel;
A
prize full rich for birds." (Plumptre.) VTTO Tiif iKK\r]<Ti.oji' ;
:
(b) in sub-apostolic Greek, Ignat. ad

Christian sentiment is still affected by the horror felt by the Philad. c. 10; (c) in the Clementines, Clement. Ep. ad Jacob,
Greeks at deprivation of the rites of burial which finds striking c. 2; (d) in the Apostolical Constitution; (e) in the Canon
expression in the dispute between Teucer and Menelaos about Law; (f) in the Civil Law. Its meaning was
originally "to
the burial of Ajax.
2 Ex. xii. - - -
•
1 7i. e. about 375. -•
30, .
;I26 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 21, 22.
the Roman They were led by

frontier. These then were the deeds done by Lucius
Mavia, a princess who
regarded not the sex in Alexandria under the dispensation of the
which nature had given her, and disphiyed providence of God.
the spirit and courage of a man. After
many engagements she made a truce, and, CHAPTER XXL
on receiving the light of diviîe knowledge, At Constantinople the Arians filled a boat
begged that to the dignity of high priest of with pious presbyters and drove her without
her tribe might be advanced one, Moses by ballast out to
sea, putting some of their own
name, who dwelt on the confines of Egypt men on another craft with orders to set the
and Palestine. This request Valens granted,
presbyters' boat on fire. So, fighting at the
and ordered the holy man to be conveyed to same time both sea and flames, at
against
Alcwindria, and there, as the most con- last
they were delivered to the deep, and
venient place in the neighbourhood, to receive won the
martyrs' crown.
episcopal grace. When he had arrived and At Antioch Valens spent a considerable
saw Lucius endeavouring to lay hantls on
him —
" God forbid " said he '' that I should time, and gave complete license to all who,
under cover of the Christian name, pagans,
be ordained by thine hand the grace of :
and the rest, preached doctrines contrary
Jews
the Spirit visits us not at thy calling." to those of the
gospel. The slaves of this
"Whence," said Lucius, "are you led to error even went so far as to perform pagan
conjecture this.''" He rejoined "I am not
rites, and thus the deceitful fire which, after
speaking of conjecture but of clear know- Julian, had been quenched by Jovian, was
ledge for thou fightest against the apostolic now rekindled by permission of Valens. The
;
decrees, and speakest words against them, rites of

and for thy blasphemous utterances thy law- were now Jews, of Dionysus, and of Demeter
no longer performed in a corner,
less deeds are a match. For what impious as would be in a pious reign, but by
they
man has not on thy account mocked the revellers
running wild in the forum. Valens
meetings of the Church.'' What excellent was a foe to none but them that held the
man has not been exiled.'' What barbarous
First he drove them
apostolic doctrine.
savagery is not "thrown into the shade by from their churches, the illustrious
So the brave man said, Jovian
thy daily deeds .^
having given them also the new built church.

and the murderer heard him and desired And when they assembled close up to the
to slay him, but was afraid of kindling
mountain clift' to honour their Master in
once again the war which had come to an and enjoy the word of God, putting
end. Wherefore he ordered other bishops hymns, with all the assaults of the weather, now
to be produced whom Moses had up
requested. of rain, now of snow and cold, and now of
After receiving the episcopal grace of the violent
heat, they were not even suffered this
right worthy faith Moses returned to the and troops were sent to
poor protection,
people who had asked for him, and by his scatter them far and wide.
apostolic teaching and miracles led them in
^
the way that leads to truth.
it came afterwards to mean even in classical Greek,

CHAPTER XXII.
elect," but
simply "to appoint to otlice," without itself indicating the
particular mode of appointment (cf. Schomann de Comitiis, p.
How Flaviamis and Diodorus gathered the
\2i) . That the latter was its ordinary meaninj^ in Hellenistic church of the orthodox in Antioch.
Greek, and consccpiently in the (irst ages of church history, is
clear from a large number of instances; e. g. in Josephus vi.
II, 9, it is used of the appointment of Davia as King by God;
Now Flavianus and Diodorus, like break-
id. xiii, 22, of the appointment of Jonathan as High Priest by broke the force of the advancing
waters,
Alexander; in Philo li, 76 it is used of the appointment of
Joseph as governor by I'haraoli in Lucian, de" morte Pere-
;
waves. Meletius their shepherd had been
griru c. 41 of the appnintinent of ambassadors. In Sozomen
constrained to sojourn far away. But these
vii, 24 of the appointment of Arcadius as Augustus by Theo-
dosius." " In later times a new connotation apiiears of which looked after the flock, opposing their own
there is no early trace; it was used of the stretching out of the
bighop's hands in the rite of imposition of hands." The writer courage and cunning to the wolves, and
bestowing due care upon the sheep. Now
of the above seems hardly to do justice to its early use for or-
dination as well as for appointment. In the Pseudo-Ig. ad.
Her. c. iii, it is said of bishops exeii'oi xf'PO''o»'0"<'''i X"P°^*''°'''''' that they were driven away from under the
antl Up. Lightfoot comments " while x^'po^f"''" 'S used of
laying on of hands, e. g. in confirmation, xfiporovia is said of
cliff'
they fed their flocks by the banks of the
'
ordination, c. g. Ap. Const, viii. 27. e'lrio-KOTro! vtto rpLuiv 17
neighbouring river. They could not brook,
&V0 inKTKonMV yîpoTovtlaeto.' Referring originally to the
election of the Clergy xfi-porovia Came afterwards to be applied like the captives at Babylon, to hang their
commonly, as here, to their ordination." Thendoretus uses
the word in both senses, and sometimes either will fit in with de episcopo Saracenis dato et de pace cum iisdem facta,
the context. desumpsit quidem Socrates, ex Rufini lib. ii. 6." Lucius was
* Sozomen
(vi. 3S) describes Lucius as remonstrating in ejected from Alexandria when the reign of Valens ended with
moderate language. " Do not judge of mc before you know his death in37S. Theodoretus appears to confound this Lucius
what my creed is." Socrates (iv. 36) makes Moses charge with an Arian Lucius who usurped the see of Samosata. Vide
Lucius with condemning the orthodo.x to exile, beasts, and chap, xviii.
"
burning. On Socrates Valesius annotates Banc narrationem iCf. ante, ii. 19. page 85.
harps upon the willows,^ but they continued towers on either side. Between the palace
to hymn their maker and benefoctor in all and the river lies a publicway open to
places of his dominion.- But not even in passengers from the town, through the gate
this spot was the meeting of the pious pas- in this quarter, and leading to the country in
tors of them that blessed the Lord sufiered the suburbs. The godly Aphraates vvâs once
by the foe to be assembled. So again this passing along this thoroughfare on his way
to the soldiers' training ground, in order to
pair of excellent shepherds gathered their
sheep in the soldiers' training ground and perform the duty of serving his flock. The
there tried to show them their spiritual food emperor happened to be looking down
in secret. Diodorus, in his wisdom and from a gallery in the palace, and saw him
courage, like a clear and mighty river, going by wearing a cloak of undressed
watered his own and drowned the blasphe- goat's skin,^ and walking rapidly, though of
mies of his opponents, thinking nothing of advanced age. On its being remarked that
the splendour of his birth, and gladly under- this was Aphraates to whom all the town
going the sufferings of the faith. was then attached, the emperor cried out
The excellent Flavianus, who was also of " Where are you going.-* Tell us." Readily
the highest rank, thought piety the only and cleverly he answered "To pray for
and, like some trainer for the your empire."
nobility,'^
"You had better stop at
" " and
games, anointed the great Diodorus" as home said the emperor pray alone
though he had been an athlete for five con- like a monk." "Yes," said the divine
tests.* man, " so I was bound to do and so
At
that time he did not himself preach at I always did till now, as long as the
the services of the church, but furnished an Saviour's sheep were at peace but now ;
abundant supply of arguments and scriptural that they are grievously disturbed and in
thoughts to preachers, who were thus able great peril of being caught by beasts, I
to aim their shafts at the blasphemy of needs must leave no means untried to save
Arius, while he as it were handed them the nurslings. For tell me, sir, had I been
the arrows of his intelligence from a quiver. a girl sitting in my chamber, and looking
Discoursing alike at home and abroad he after the house, and had seen a flash of
easily rent asunder the heretics' nets and flame fall and my father's house on fire,
showed their defences to be mere spiders' what ought I to do Tell me sit within
.''
;
webs. He was aided in these contests by and never mind the house being on fire, and
that Aphraates whose life I have written in wait for the flame to approach ? or bid my
my Religious History,^ and who, preferring bower good bye and run up and down and
the welfare of the sheep to his own rest, get water and try to quench the flame.'' Of
abandoned his cell of discipline and retire- course you will say the latter, for so a quick
ment, and undertook the hai'd toil of a and spirited girl would do. And that is
shepherd. Having written on these matters what I am doing now, sir. You have set
in another work I deem it now superfluous fire to our Father's house and we are run-
to recount the wealth of virtue which he ning about in the endeavour to put it out."
amassed, but one specimen of his good So said Aphi'aates, and the emperor threat-
deeds I will proceed now to relate, as spe- ened him and said no more. One of the
cially appropriate to
this history. grooms of the imperial bedchamber, who
threatened the godly man somewhat more
met with the following fate. He
CHAPTER XXIII. violently,
was entrusted with the charge of the bath,
Of the holy monk Aphraates. and immediately he
after this conversation
On
the north of the river Orontes lies the came down to get ready for the emperor.
it
On the South a vast two storied On entering he lost his wits, stepped into
palace.
the boiling water before it was mixed with
portico is built on the city wall with lofty
the cold, and so met his end. The emperor
1 Psalm cxxxvii.
2 Psalm ciii. 22.
sat waiting for him to announce that the
" Virtus sola nobilitas."
3 cf.
bath was ready for him to enter, and after a
Diodorus was now a presbyter. Chrysost. (Laus Diodori
* considerable time had gone by he sent other
tom. iii. p. 749) describes how the whole city assembled
§ 4.
and were fed by his tongue flowing- with milk and honey, officers to report the cause of the delay.
themselves meanwhile supplyintj his necessities with their After they had gone in and looked all about
gifts. Valens retorted with redoubled violence, and antici-
pated the
"
noyades
" of Carrier at
Lyons, cf. Socrates iv. 17 the room they discovered the chamberlain
and Diet. Christ. Biog. ii. 529.
"The five contests of the complete athlete are summed up
in the line 'The word Sisura was used for a common upper garment,
oXjia, TTOoioKeir)^, SivKOV, aKOvra, nd\riv. but according to the grammarian Tzetzes (Schol. Ad. Lye.
'
Relig. Hist, viii. 634) its accurate meaning is the one given in the text.
128 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 24, 25;
filainby the heat, and lying dead in the Arian faction were enemies of the truth. So
boiling water. On this becoming known to those godly men knew how to adapt them-
the emperor they perceived the force of the selves to each particular opportunity, when
prayers of Aphraates. Nevertlieless they to remain inactive, and at rest, and when to
did not depart from the impious doctrines leave the deserts for towns.
but hardened their heart like Pharaoh, and
the infatuated emperor, though made aware
of the miracle of the holy man, persisted in CHAPTER XXV.
his mad rage against piety.
Of what other monks were distinguished at
this pe7-iod.
CHAPTER XXIV. There were also other men at this period

the holy monk who emitted the bright rays of the philoso-
Of Jiilianus. ^
phy of solitary life. In the Chalcidian des-
At this time too the celebrated Julianus, Avitus, Marcianus^ and Abraames,' and
ert
whom I have already mentioned, was forced more besides whom I cannot easily enumer-
to leave the desert and come to Antioch, for ate, strove in their bodies of sense to live a
when the foster children of lies, the facile life superior to sense. In the district of
framers of calumny, I mean of course the
Apamea,^ Agapetus,^ Simeon,^ Paulus and
Arians, were maintaining that this great others reaped the fruits of the highest wis-
man was of their faction, those lights of the dom.
truth Flavianus, Diodorus, and Aphraates sent In the district of the Zeugmatenses' were
Acacius,^ an athlete of virtue who afterwards Publius** and Paulus. In the Cyrestian*
very wisely ruled the church at Beroea, to the famous Acepsemas had been shut
the famous Julianus^ with the entreaty that
up in a cell for sixty years without being
he would take pity on so many thousands of either seen or spoken to. The admirable
men, and at the same time convict the enemy Zeumatius, though bereft of sight, used to go
of lies and confirm the proclamation of the about confirming the sheep, and fighting
truth. The miracles worked by Julianus with the wolves; so they burnt his cell, but
on his way to and from Antioch and in that the right faithful general Trajanus got an-
vast city itself are described in my Religious other built for him, and paid him besides
History, which is easily accessible to all who other attentions. In the neighbourhood of
wish become acquainted with them. But
Antioch, Marianus,^" Eusebius,'^ Ammia-
to
I amsure that no one who has enquired into
nus,'- Palladius,^'^ Simeon," Abraames,'* and
human nature will doubt that he attracted all others, preserved the divine image unim-
the population of the city to our assembly, for
paired but of all these the lives have been
;
the extraordinary is generally sure to draw all recorded by us. But the mountain which is
men after it. The fact of his having wrought in the neighbourhood of the great city was
great marvels is attested even by the enemies decked like a meadow, for in it shone Petrus,
of the truth. the Galatian, his namesake the Egyptian,
Before this time in the reign of Constan-
^
tius the great Antonius had acted in the •
i.e. the district round Chalcis in Syria, to be distinguished
from the Macedonian Chalcidice.
same way in Alexandria, for he abandoned 2 Native of Theodoret's see of
Cyrus. He built himself a
" Little Ease " of the Tower of London, and
the desert and went up and down
that city, cell like the
promoted orthodoxy by the inHuence of his austerities. \ c.
telling all men
that Athanasius was the 385. cf. Tilleinont, viii. 483.
s A. went on
missionary journeys disguised as a pedlar, and
preacher of the true doctrine and that the eventually unwillingly became bishop of Carras. Theod.
Relig. Hist. 3.
1
A monk of Gindarus near Antiocli (Theod.Vit. Pat. ii.) af- *
Presumably Apamea ad Orontem. (Famiah.)
Bishop of Apamea, a comrade and disciple
terward envoy from the Syrian churches to Rome, and Bishop of Marcianus.
of Berffia, (Aleppo) A.D. 37S. He was at Constantinople in (Relig. Hist, iii.)
"Also a disciple of Marcian. For fifty years he maintained
3S1, (cf. V. S.) and is famous for his opposition to Chrysos-
tom. a school of ascetic philosophy, cf Chrysost. Ep. 55. and Til-
.
-
Julianus Sabas (i.e. Abba) an ascetic solitary of Osrhoene, lemont. ix. 304. Apparently not the same as Simeones Priscus
the district south of the modern Harran. He is the second of of Relig. Hist. vi.
" KcliKious on
tlie saints of Theodoret's History," where we read 'i.e. near Zeugma, the Euphrates, opposite Apamea.
8 vide
tliat he lived on millet bread, which he ate once a week, and Relig. Hist. v.
" i.e. round Theodoret's see of
performed various miracles, which are recorded by Theodoret Cyrus.
" faithful
on the authority of Acacius. "> Uncle of
Eusebius, a servant of God." Relig.
3
Antonius, St. Anthony, the illustrious and illiterate as- Hist. iv.
" Relig. Hist. iv. Abbot of Mt. Coryphe, nephew of Mari-
i. 13), the
cetic, friend and correspondent of Constantino (Soc.
centre of many wild le<;ends, was born in 250 A.D. in upper anus. He chained his neck to his girdle that he might be
Egypt. Athanasius calls him the " founder of Asceticism." compelled to violate the prerogative of his manhood (cf. Ovid.
In 33s he revisited Alexandria to oppose the Arians, as nar- Met i. 8^) and keep his eyes on the ground.
He died in his cell in 355, bequeathing,^ his
12 Vide Hist. iv. He had a monastery near Antioch.
r,itid
" hair
in the text.
shirt, his two woollen tunics, and his bed, among
" Relig.Relig.
Hist. vii.
Amathas and Macarius who watched his last hours, Serapion, i< cf. the
Symeoncs Priscus of Relig. Hist. vi.
and Athanasius." "The disciple of Ephrem Syrus, Vide Soz. iii. 16, and
Vide Ath. Vit. S. Ant. Eph. Syr. Act. S. Abraam.
IV. 26-28.] OF THEODORET. 129
Romanus Severus, Zeno,

-
^
Moses, and the one of Nazianzus and the other of
^
Malchus,^ and many others of whom the Nyssa,^ the latter the brother and the former
world is ignorant, but who are known to the friend and fellow worker of the ereat
God. Basilius. These were foremost champions
of piety in Cappadocia and in front rank
CHAPTER XXVI. with them was Peter, born of the same
;
Of Didynuts of Alexandria a?id Ephraiin parents with Basilius and Gregorius, who
the Syrian. though not having received like them a for-
eign education, like them lived a life of bril-
At that period atEdessa flourished the liant distinction.
admirable Ephraim, and at Alexandria In Pisidia Optimus,'^ in Lycaonia Amphi-
Didymus,* both writers against the doc- lochius,''fought in the front rank on behalf
trines that are at variance with the truth. of their fathers' faith, and repelled the ene-
Ephraim, employing the Syrian language, mies' assaults.
shed beams of spiritual grace. Totally un- In the West Damasus,* Bishop of Rome,
tainted as he was by heathen education ^ and Ambrosius, entrusted with the govern-
he was able to expose the niceties of ment of Milan, smote those who attacked
heathen error, and lay bare the weakness them from afar. In conjunction with these,
of all heretical artifices. Harmonius^ the
bishops forced to dwell in remote regions,
son of Bardesanes^ had once composed cer- confirmed their friends and undid their foes
tain songs and by mixing sweetness of by writings —
thus pilots able to cope with
melody with his impiety beguiled the the greatness of the storm were granted b}'
hearers, and led them to their destruction. the governor of the universe. Against the
Ephraim adopted the music of the songs, violence of the foe He set in battle array the
but set them to piety, and so gave the
virtue of His captains, and provided means
hearers at once great delight and a healing meet to ward oft' the troubles of these diffi-
medicine. These songs are still used to en- cult times, and not only were the churches
liven the festivals of our victorious martyrs.
granted this kind of protection by their lov-
Didymus, however, who from a child had ing Lord, but deemed worthy of yet another
been deprived of the sense of sight, had kind of guidance.
been educated in poetry, rhetoric, arith-
metic, astronomy, the logic of
geometry,
Aristotle, and the eloquence of Plato. In- CHAPTER XXVIII.
struction in all these subjects he received by
the sense of hearing alone, —
not indeed as Of the letter written by Valens to the great Val-
conveying the truth, but as likely to be entinianus about the war, and how he re-
weapons for the truth against falsehood. Of plied.
holy scriptures he learnt not only the sound The Lord roused the Goths to war, and
but the sense. So among livers of ascetic
lives and students of virtue, these men at
drew on to the Bosphorus him who knew
that time were conspicuous. only how to fight against the pious. Then
for the first time the vain man became aware
of his own weakness, and sent to his brother
CHAPTER XXVII. to ask for troops. But Valentinian replied
that it were impious to help one fighting
Of what bishops were at this time distinguished
against God, and right rather to check his
in Asia and Pontiis. rashness. By this the unhappy man was
Among the bishops were the two Gregorii, filled with yet greater infatuation, yet he did
not withdraw from his rash undertaking,
1 Born at Rhosus. His life is given in Relig-. Hist. xi.
2
Relig. Hist. xii. He lived "without bed, lamp, fire,
Gregorius of Nazianzus (in Cappadocia, on the Halys)
^
pitcher, pot, box, or book, or anything."
3 Met in his old
age by Jerome, to whom he told the story was so called not as bishop of Nazianzus. He was bisho;!
of his life. Born at Edessa, he ended his days at Maronia, successively of Sasima,
" a detestable little —
village," (Carm.
near Antioch. Vide Jer. vita Malchi. xi. 439-446)— and of Constantinople, and was called " Nazi
^ Flourished c. 309-399. Blind from the age of four, he edu- anzenus" because his father and namesake was bishop ot
cated himself witii marvellous patience, and was placed "by that see. On his acting as bishop at Nazianzus after his with-
Athanasius at the head of the catechetical school of Alex- drawal from Constantinople, vide note on page 136.
andria. Jerome called liim his teacher and seer and translated 2A younger brother of Basil, bishop of Ccesarea, born about
his Treatise on the Holy Spirit. Jer. de Vir. Illust. log. 335; he was bishop of Nyssa, an obscure town of Cappadocia.
5 " His ignor.ance of languages
TratSeia; 'EAArjj'iK^T." from 372 to 395. Their parents were Basil, an advocate^ and
weakens the force of his dialectic and illustrations. Vid. Diet. Emmelia. 'Petrus, the youngest of ten children, was bisho])
Christ. Biog. s. v. of Sebaste.
Harmonius wrote about the end of the 2nd century, both in 3
Bishop of Antioch in Pisidia; was presenl at Constant!
<>
Greek and in Syriac. cf. Theod. Ha;ret. Fabul. Compend. i. nople in 3S1. He was a witness to the will of Gregory ot
22, where he is said to have learned Greek at Athens. Nazianzus.
Bar ^ Vide note on
'
Bardesanes, or Daisan, the great Syrian gnostic, was p. 114.
born in 155. cf. the prologue to the " Dialogues." Vide note on p. 82.
VOL. HI, K
130 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [IV. 29-32.
and persisted in ranging himself against CHAPTER XXXI.

1
the truth.
Of Isaac
^
the jnojik of Constantinople and Bre-
CHAPTER XXIX.
tanio the Scythiaî Bishop.
Of the piety of Count Terentius.
It is related that Isaac, who lived as a
Terentius, an excellent general, distin- solitary at Constantinople, when he saw
guished for his piety, had set up trophies
of Valens
marching out with his troops, cried
victory and returned from Armenia. On aloud, "Whither goest thou, emperor.'* O
being ordered by Valens to choose a boon, To fight against God, instead of having Him
he mentioned one which it was becoming in as thy ally.'' 'Tis God himself who has
a man nurtured in piety to choose, for he roused the barbarians against thee, because
asked not gold nor yet silver, not land, not thou hast stirred many tongues to blasphemy
one church
dignity, not a house, but that against Him and hast driven His worship-
might be granted to them that were risking pers from their sacred abodes. Cease then
their all for the Apostolic doctrine. Valens
thy campaigning and stop the war. Give
received the petition, but on becoming ac- back to the flocks their excellent shepherds
in a and thou shalt win
quainted with its contents he tore it up victory without trouble,
rage, and bade Terentius beg some other but if thou lightest without so doing thou
boon. The count, however, picked up the shalt learn how hard it is to
by experience
''
I have my kick
pieces of his petition, and said, against the pricks.^ Thou shalt never
reward, sir, and I will not ask another. The come back and shalt destroy thy army."
Judge of all things is Judge of my inten- Then in a passion the emperor rejoined,
tion." " I shall come back and I will kill thee, ;
CHAPTERXXX. and so exact punishment for thy lying

prophecy." But Isaac undismayed by the
Of the bold titterance of Trajanus the general. threat exclaimed, " If what I say be proved
After Valens had crossed the Bosphorus false, kill me."
and come into Thrace he first spent a consid- Bretanio, a man distinguished by various
and entrusted with the episcopal
erable time at Constantinople, in alarm as to virtues,
of the war. He had sent government of all the cities of Scythia, fired
the issue Trajaiuis
in command of troops against the barbarians.
his sold with enthusiasm, and protested
came back the corruption of doctrines, and the
When the general beaten, the against
lawless attacks upon the saints,
emperor reviled him sadly, and charged him emperor's in the words of the godly David,
"I
with infirmity and cowardice. Boldly, as crying
testimonies also before Kings and
became a brave man, Trajanus replied ''I spoke of thy :
have not been beaten, sir, it is thou who was not

ashamed."^
hast abandoned the victory by fighting
God and transferring His support to
against
the barbarians. Attacked by thee He is CHAPTER XXXII.
taking their side, for victory is on God's side
the expedition of Valetis against the Goths
and comes to them whom God leads. Dost Of
he went "whom thou and hoiv he paid the penalty of his impiety.
thou not know," on,
hast expelled from their churches and to Valens, however, spurned these excellent
whose government these churches have been counsellors, and sent out his troops to join
delivered by thee.?" Arintheus and Victor,^ battle while he himself sat in a waiting
confirmed the truth hamlet for the
generals like Trajanus, victory. His troops could
of what he said, and implored the emperor not stand against the barbarians' charge,
not to be angered by reproaches which were turned tail and were slain one after another
founded upon fact.'^ as they fled, the Romans fleeing at full
1
On this Valesius remarks that Valcntininn was already speed and the barbarians chasing them with
dead (t57S) when tlie Goths crossed the Danube and ravaged " all their might. When Valens heard of the
Thrace'(376). Theodoretus sliould have written "Gratianus
" " brother."
for " Valentinianus," and nepliew" for defeat he strove to conceal himself in the
2 Amin. xxxi. 7.
Mai;îster equitum.
3 Gibbon
(chap, xxvi) records tlie conduct of the
war by village where he lay, but when the. barba-
"Trajan and Profuturus, two generals who indulged themselves rians came up they set the place on fire and
in a very false and favourable opinion of their own abilities."
" Anhelantes allius. sed imbellcs." Amm.
together with it burnt the enemy of piety.
The battle alluded to is presumably the doubtful one of
Salices. Ammianus does not, as Gibbon supposes, imply that
he had himself visited this particular battlefield, but speaks
1
Possibly the Isaac who opposed Chrysostom. Soz. viii. 9.
" adsuotx illo tempore cada- 2 Acts ix. J.
generally of carrion birds as The
text quotes the Sept. i\a.\ovv Iv toiS
vcribus pasci, ut indicant nunc usqiu albentes ossibtts campi"
3 Psalm cxix. 46.
Amm. xxxi. 7. 16, ôpTupioi5 (Tou kvavriov fia(n.\eu>v Kat ovK jjax,"VOiJ.riv.
IV. 33-] OF THEODORET. 131
Thus in this present life Valens paid the

At the period in question their
fathers.
penalty of his errors.^ Ulphilas was implicitly obeyed by
Bisliop
them and they received his words as laws
CHAPTER XXXIII. which none might break. Partly by the
fascination of his eloquence and
partly by
Hojii the Goths became tainted by the Ana7i the bribes with which he baited his
pro-
erfor. posals Eudoxius succeeded in inducing him
To those ignorant of the circumstances it to persuade the barbarians to embrace com-
munion with the emperor, so Ulphilas won
may be worth while to explain how the
them over on the plea that the quarrel
Goths got the Arian plague. After they
between the different parties was really one
had crossed the Danube, and made peace
of personal rivalry and involved no difference
with Valens, the infamous Eudoxius, who
was on the spot, suggested to the emperor
in doctrine. The result is that up to this
to persuade the Goths to accept communion day the Goths assert that the Father is
greater than the Son, but they refuse to
with him. They had indeed long since describe the Son as a creature, although
received the rays of divine knowledge and they
are in communion with those who do so.
had been nurtured in the apostolic doctrines,
"but now," said Eudoxius, " community of Yet they cannot be said to have altogether
abandoned their Father's teaching, since
opinion will make the peace all the firmer."
Valens approved of this counsel and pro- Ulphilas in his efforts to persuade them to
join m communion with Eudoxius and
posed to the Gothic chieftains an agreement Valens denied that there was any difference
in doctrine, but they replied that they would
in doctrine and that the difference had arisen
not consent to forsake the teaching of their
from mere empty strife.^
1
"On
the 9th August, 37S, a'daylongf and fatally memorable
1
in tlie annals of the empire, the legions of Valens moved Christianity is first found among the Goths and some
forth from their entrenched camp under the walls of Hadrian- German tribes on the Rhine about A.D. 300, the Visigoths
ople, and after a march of eight miles under the hot sun of taking the lead, and being followed by the Ostrogoths. They
August came ia sight of the barbarian vanguard, behind were converted under Arian influences, and simply accepted an
which stretched the circlingline of the waggons that guarded Arian creed. So Salvian writes of them with singular
charity,
the Gothic host. The soldiers of the empire, hot, thirsty, in a passage partly quoted
by Milman (Lat. Christ. I. p.
wearied out with hours of waiting under the blaze of an " IL-eretici sunt sed
349.) non scientes. Denique apud nos
August sun, and only half understanding that the negotiations sunt hsretici, apud se non sunt. Nam in tantum se
were ended and the battle begun, fought at a terrible disad- catholicos esse judicant ut nos ipsos titulo hasretica; appella-
vantage but fought not ill. The infantry on the left wing tionis infament. Qiiod ergo illi nobis sunt, hoc nos illis.
seem even to have pushed back their enemies and penetrated Nos eos injuriam divinse generationis facere certi sumus,
to the Gothic waggons. But they were for some reason not
quod_ minorem patre filium dicant. Illi nos injuriosos patri
covered as usual by a force of cavalry and they were jammed existimant, quia Kquales esse credamus. Veritas apud
into a too narrow space of ground where they could not use nos est. Sed illi apud se esse proesumunt. Honor Dei
their spears with effect, yet presented a terribly easy mark to apud nos est, sed illi hoc arbitrantur honorem divinitatis
the Gothic arrows. They fell in dense masses as they had esse quod credunt. Inofliciosi sunt; sed illis hoc est
stood. Then the whole weight of the enemy's attack was summum religionis oflScium. Impii sunt; sed hoc putant
directed against the centre and right. When the evening veram esse pietatem. Errant ergo, sed bono animo
began to close in, the utterly routed Roman soldiers were errant, non odio, sed affectu Dei, iionorare se dominum
rushing in disorderly flight from the fatal field. The night, atque amare credentes." (Salvianus de Gub. Dei V. p.
dark and moonless, may have protected some, but more met The spirit of this good Presbyter of Marseilles of the 87.) 5th
their death rushing blindly over a rugged and unknown century might well have been more often followed in Christian
country. controversy.
" Meanwhile Valens had " Of the
sought shelter with a little knot of early Arian missionaries the Arian Records, if they
soldiers (the two regiments of " Lancearii and Mattiarii"), ever existed, have almost
entirely perished. The church was
who still remained unmoved amidst the surging sea of ruin. either ignorant of or disdained to preserve their
memory.
When their ranks too were broken, and when some of his Ulphilas alone," —
himself a semi-Arian, and accepter of the
bravest officers had fallen around him, he joined the common creed of Ariminum, " —
the apostle of the Goths, has, as it were,
soldiers in their headlong flight. Struck by 9. Gothic arrow forced his way mto the Catholic records, in which, as in the
he fell to the ground, but was carried off^ by some of the fragments of his great work, his translation of the Scriptures
eunuchs and life-guardsmen who still accompanied him, to a into the Mceso-Gothic language, this admirable man has de-
peasant's cottage hard by. The Goths, ignorant of his rank, scended to posterity." " While in these two great divisions, the
but eager to strip the gaily-clothed guardsmen, surrounded Ostrogoths and Visigoths, the nation gathering its descend-
the cottage and attempted in vain to burst in the doors. Then ants from all quarters, spread their more or less rapid con-
mountmg to the roof they tried to smoke out the imprisoned quests over Gaul, Italy, and Spain Ulphilas formed a
inmates, but succeeding beyond their desires, set fire to the peaceful and populous colony of shepherds and herdsmen on
cottage, and emperor, eunuchs, and life-guardsmen perished the pastures below Mt. Hjemus. He became the primate of
in the flames. Only one of the body-guard escaped, who a simple Christian nation. For them he formed an alphabet of
climbed out through one of the blazing windows and fell into twenty- four letters, and completed all but the fierce books
the hands of the barbarians. He tolcfthem when it was too of Kings " —
which he omitted, as likely 10 whet hi.; wild folks'
late what a prize they had missed in their cruel
eagerness, warlike passions, —
"his translation of the Scriptures." Mil-
nothing less than the emperor of Rome. man Lat. Christ. III. Chap. ii.
Ecclesiastical historians for generations delighted to point The fragments of the work of Ulphilas now extant are (i)
the moral of the story of Valens, that he who had seduced the Codex Argenteus, at Upsala. (2) Codex Carolinus. (3)
whole Gothic nation into the heresy of Arius, and thus caused Ambrosian fragments published by Mai. cf. Philost. ii. 5,
them to suflFer the punishment of everlasting fire, was himself Soc. ii. and iv. 33.
W those very Goths burned alive on the terrible 9th of August.
41
On Eudoxius, who baptized Valens, and was " the worst of
Thomas Hodgkin — "The Dynasty of Theodosius," page 97. the Arians," cf. note on page S6.
K 2
132 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [V. I-:
BOOK V.
CHAPTER L CHAPTER III.
Gratianus. Of caused by Paulinus ; of the

the dissensio7i
Of the piety of the emperor
innovation by Apoilinarius of Laodicea, and
Howthe Lord God is long suffering
towards those who rage against him, and of the philosophy of Meletius.
chastises those who abuse his patience, is It has been already related how the de-
plainly taught by the acts and by the fate of fenders
of the apostolic doctrines were
Valens. For the loving Lord uses mercy divided into two parties how immediately ;
and justice like weights and scales when- after the conspiracy formed against the great
;
ever he sees any one by the greatness of his Eustathius, one section, in abhorrence of
errors the bounds of the Arian abomination, assembled together
over-stepping loving
kiiulness, by just punishment He hinders him by themselves with Paulinus for their bishop,
from being carried to further extremes. while, after the ordination of Euzoius, the
Now Gratianus, the son of Valentinianus, other party separated themselves from the
and nephew of Valens, acquired the whole impious with the excellent Aleletius, under-
Roman Empire. He had already assumed went the perils previously described, and
the sceptre of Europe on the death of his were guided by the wise instructions which
father, in whose life-time he had sliared the Meletius gave them. Besides these Apoilin-
throne. On the death of Valens without arius of Laodicea constituted himself leader
issue he acquired in addition Asia, and the of a third party, and though he assumed a
portions of Libya.
^
mask of piety, and appeared to defend apos-
tolic doctrines, he was soon seen to be an
CHAPTER II. open foe. About the divine nature he used

unsound arguments, and originated the idea
Of the return of the bishops. of certain degrees of dignities. He also had
the hardihood to render the mystery of the in-
Theemperor at once gave plain indica-
tions of his adherence to true religion, and
carnation^ imperfect and affirmed that the rea-
offered the first fruits of his kingdom to the
sonable soul, which is entrusted with tlie
Lord of all, by publishing an edict com- guidance of the body, was deprived of the
salvation effected. For according to his ar-
manding the exiled shepherds to return,
and to be restored to their flocks, and order- gument God the Word did not assume this
soul, and so neither granted it His liealing
ing the sacred buildings to be delivered to
nor gave it a portion of His dignity.
congregations adopting communion with gift,
Damasus.- Thus the earthly body is represented as wor-
This Damasus, the successor of Liberius shipped by invisible powers, while the soul
is made in the image of God has re-
in the see of Rome, was a man of most which
mained below invested with the dishonour of
praiseworthy life and by his ov^^n choice
alike in word and deed a champion of sin.^ Many more errors did he utter in his
To put his edict in and blindedstumbling At one intelligence.
Apostolic doctrines.
force Gratianus sent Sapor the general, time even he was ready to confess that of the
a very famous character at that time, with Holy Virgin the flesh had been taken, at an-
orders to expel the preachers of the blasplie- other time he represented it to have come
mies of Arius like wild beasts from the down from heaven with God the Word, and
sacred folds, and to efiect the restoration of yet again that He had been made flesh and
the excellent shepherds to God's flocks. took nothing from us. Other vain tales and
trifles which I have thought it superfluous to
In every instance this was effected without
dispute except in Antioch, the Eastern capi- repeat he mixed up with God's gospel prom-
tal, where a quarrel was kindled which I
ises. By arguments of this nature he not
shall only filled his own friends with dangerous
proceed to describe.
• TO T)J9 oiKoroHia? Vide note on page 72.
\s.vuTr\p\.ov,
'
Gratian was proclaimed Auffustus by Valcntininn in 367. -
Adopting I'iatonic and Pauline psychology giving body,
(Soc. iv. II. Soz. vi. 10.) He came to the throne on the death soul and sjiiiit (cf. I. Thess. v. 23, and Gal. v. 17) Aiiolli-
of Valentinian at Hreêtio, Nov. 17,375. He associated liis narius attributed to Christ a human body and a human soul or
brother Valentinian H. with him, and succeeded his uncle annua aiiimaiis shared by man with brutes, but not the re.ison-
Valens Aug. 9, 378. On Jan. 19, 379 he nominated Tlieodosius able soul, spirit or aiiima rationalis. In [ilace of this he put
Augustus. the Divine I>ogos. The Word, he said, was made Flesh not
*Cf. note on page Sa. Spirit, God was manifest in the Flesh not Spirit.
V. 4] OF THEODORET. 133
doctrine but even imparted it to some among dispute about the leading of them, and,
ourselves. As time went on, when they saw feeding the sheep together, let us tend them
their own insignificance, and beheld the in common. If the chief seat is the cause
splendour of the Church, all except a few of strife, that strife I will endeavour to
put
were gathered into the Church's communion. away. On the chief seat I will put the
But they did not quite put away their former Holy Gospel let us take our seats on each
;
unsoundness, and with it infected many of side of it ;

should I be the first to pass away,
the sound. This was the origin of the you, my friend, will hold the leadership of
growth in the Church of the doctrine of the the flock alone. Should this be your lot
one nature of the Flesh and of the Godhead, before it is mine, I in my turn, so far as I
of the ascription to the Godhead of the am able, will take care of the sheep." So
Passion of the only begotten, and of other gently and kindly spoke the divine Meletius.
points which have bred differences among Paulinus did not consent. The officer
the laity and their priests. But these belong passed judgment on what had been said and
to a later date. At the time of which I am gave the churches to the great Meletius.
speaking, when Sapor the General had Paulinus still continued at the head of the
arrived and had exhibited the imperial edict, sheep who had originally seceded.
Paulinus atlirmed that he sided with Dama-
sus, and Apollinarius, concealing his un-
soundness, did the same. The divine Mele- CHAPTER IV.
tius, on the other hand, made no sign, and
put up with their dispute. Flavianus, of
^
Of Etisebius Sishop of Satnosata.
high fame for his wisdom, who was at that
time still in the ranks of the presbyterate, at Apollinariusafter thus failing to get the
first said to Paulinus in the hearing of the government of the churches, continued, for
'^
dear the future, openly to preach his new fangled
officer If, my you accept
friend,
communion with Damasus, point out to us doctrine, and constituted himself leader of
clearly how the doctrines agree, for he
the heresy. He resided for the most part at
though he owns one substance of the Trinity Laodicea but at Antioch he had already
;
openly preaches three essences.^ You on the ordained Vitalius, a man of excellent charac-
contrary deny the Trinity of the essences. ter, brought up in the apostolic doctrines,
Shew us then how these doctrines are in har- but afterwards tainted with the heresy. Dio-
mony, and receive the charge of the chui'ches, dorus, whom have already mentioned,^
I
as the edict enjoins." After so silencing who storm had saved the ship
in the great
Paulinus by his arguments he turned to of the church from sinking, had been ap-
" am pointed by the divine Meletius, bishop of
Apollinarius and said, I astonished, my
friend, to findyou waging such violent war Tarsus, and had received the charge of the
against the truth, when all the while you Cilicians. The see of Apamea^ Meletius
know quite clearly how the admirable Da- entrusted to John, a man of illustrious birth,
masus maintains our nature to have been more distinguished for his own high qualities
taken in its perfection by God the Word ;
than for those of his forefathers, for he was
but you persist in saying the contrary, for conspicuous alike for the beauty of his teach-
you deprive our intelligence of its salvation. ing and of his life. In the time of the tem-
If these our charges against you be folse, pest he piloted the assembly of his fellows
deny now the novelty that you have origi- in the faith
supported by the worthy Stepha-
nated embrace the teaching of Damasus, and
;
nus. The latter was however translated by
receive the charge of the holy shrines." the divine Meletius to carry on another con-
Thus Flavianus in his great wisdom test, for on the arrival of intelligence that
stopped their bold speech with his true Germanicia had been contaminated by the
reasonmg. Eudoxian pest he was sent thither as a phy-
Meletius, who ot all men was most meek, sician to ward off' the disease, thoroughly
thus kindly and gently addressed Paulinus. trained as he had been in a complete heathen
" The Lord of the
sheep has put the care of education as well as nurtured in the Divine
these sheep in my hands :
you have received doctrines. He did not disappoint the ex-
the charge of the rest our little ones are in pectations formed of him, for by the power
:
communion with one another in the true

religion. Therefore, my dear friend, let us '
cf. page 93.
let us have done with our

- Vide
pages Sj and 126.
join our flocks ; 3 Ad
Orontem, now Famiah. This John was prefect at Con.
stantinople in 3S1. A better known John of Apamea is an
ascetic of the 5th c, fragments of whose works are among the
Syriac MSS. in the British Museum.
1
rpels U7ro<rTa<7«i?.
i34 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [V. 5.
of his spiritual instruction he turned the barians in Thrace, but he did not escape the
wolves into sheep.
^
violence of impious heretics, and by their
^
On the return of the great Eusebius from means won the martyr's crown.
exile he ordained Acacius whose fame is These events happened after the return of
o-reat at Beroea,- and at Hierapolis Theodo- the bishops, and now Gratian learnt that
tus,'"* whose
ascetic life is to this day in all Thrace was being laid waste by the barbari-
men's mouths. Eusebius was moreover ap- ans who had burnt Valens, so he left Italy
*
°
the see of Chalcis, and Isidorus and proceeded to Pannonia.
pointed to
to our own city of Cyrus ; both admirable
men, conspicuous for tiieir divine zeal. CHAPTER V.
Meletius is also reported to have ordained
to the pastorate of Edessa, where the godly 0/ the campaign of Theodosius.
Barses had already departed this life, Eulo- Now at this time Theodosius, on account
gius," the well known champion
of apostolic
alike of the splendour of his ancestry,^ and
doctrines, who had been sent to Antinone of his own
courage, was a man of high
with Protogenes. Eulogius gave Protogenes,*^ For this reason being from time
repute.
his companion in hard service, the charge of
to time stricken by the envy of his rivals,
Carrae, a healing physician for a sick city. he was living in Spain, where he had been
Lastly the divine Eusebius ordained Maris, born and The emperor,
brought up.^
Bishop'of Doliche,' a little city at that time being at a loss what measures to take, now
infected with the Arian plague. With the that the
barbarians, puffed up by their vic-
intention of enthroning this Maris, a right both were and seemed well nigh invin-
tory,
worthy man, illustrious for various virtues, cible, formed the idea that away out of his
in the episcopal chair, the great Eusebius
difficulties would be found in the appoint-
came to Doliche. As he was entering into ment of Theodosius to the
supreme com-
the town a woman thoroughly infected with mand. He therefore lost no time in sending
the Arian plague let fall a tile from the roof, for him from ^
Spain, appointing him com-
which crushed in his head and so wounded mander in chief and
despatching him at the
him that not long after he departed to the head of the assembled forces.
better life. As he lay a-dying he charged Defended by his faith Theodosius marched
the bystanders not to exact the slightest forth. On entering Thrace,
confidently
penalty from the woman who had done
the
and beholding the barbarians advanc-
deed, and bound them under oaths to obey to meet him, he drew up his troops in
ing
him. Thus he imitated his own Lord, who order of battle. The two lines met, and the
of them that crucified Him said "Father
enemy could not stand the attack and broke.
forgive them for they know not what they A rout ensued, the foe taking to flight and
"
do." the conquerors pursuing at full speed.
Thus, too, he followed the example of There was a great slaughter of the barba-
vStephanus, his fellow slave, who, after the rians, for they were slain not only by
stones had stormed upon him, cried aloud, Romans but even
" Lord " by one another. After
lay not this sin to their charge." the greater number of them had thus fallen,
So died the great Eusebius after many and and a few of those who had been able to es-
various struggles. He had escaped the bar-
cape pursuit had crossed the Danube, the
This sccrns to be all that is known of Stcplianus of Ger- great captain dispersed the troops which
1
he
manicia (now Marash or Banicia in Svria) mentioned also as commanded the neighbouring towns,
tlie sec of Eudoxius. cf. Hook II. p. §6.
among
2 Acacius of Berota
(Aleppo) was later an opponent of and forthwith rode at speed to this emperor
but in his old age reconciled John of
Chrysostoni and of Cyril, himself the messenger of his own
Antioch with Cyril, and died at the age of more than loo in Gratianus,
triumph. Even to the emperor himself,
3 Theodotus is mentioned also in the Relig. Hist. c. iii. as
an Easter visit to the hermit Marcian. Hierapolis, or astounded at the event, the tidings he car-
paying
Bainhyce, is now Bumbouch
in tlie Pachalic of Aleppo. ried seemed incredible, while others stung
« mentioned in Kclig. Hist. c. iii. Chalcis is in
Similarly
Coele Syria. . „ ^,
Also one of Marcian's Easter party. As well as these
i"'
1
The Martyrdom of Eusebius is commemorated in the East-
rank and position, ern Churches on June 22; in the Roman Kalendar on June 2i.
bishops there were present some men of hiijh
who wore earnest Christians. When all were seated, Marcian We compare tlie fate of Abimelech at Thebez (Judges ix.
was asked to address them. " But he fetched a deep sigh and S3, and II. Sam. xi. 21) and Pyrrhus, VJ\x\^, of Epirus, at Argos,
said 'the God of all dav by dav utters his voice by means of B.C. 272. " Inter confertissimos violentissime dimicans, saxo
the visible world, and iii the divine scriptures discourses with do nuiris ictus occiditur." Justin, xxv. j. The story is given
us, urpincr on us our duties, telling us what is befitting,
tern, at greater length
by Plutarcn. V'it Pyrrh
: :
and all tlie wlule 'i

His father, a distinguished general in Britain and else-
lying us bv threats, winning us by promises,
we get nogood. Marcian turns awav this good like the rest wliere, was treacherously slain in 376, probably because an
nf his kind, and docs not care to enjoy its b cssNing. AA hat oracle warned Valens of a successor with a name beginning
" 0EOA." cf. Soc. iv.
could be the use of his lifting up his voice?"' Relig. Hist. 19. Soz. vi. 35. Amniian. xxix. 1 29.
.
3 At his
paternal estate at Cauca in Spain; to the east of the
"oVide Book iv. 15, 'Doliche is In Commagene. Vaccxi in Tarraconensis.
p. 1x8.
•Luke xxUi. 34. »Act8vii. S9-
*
X«'/'OToc>j(7os. Vide note on page 125.
V. 6-S.] OF THEODORET. 135
with envy, gave out that he had run away and fact that Constantlne the eldest of Constan-
lost his army. His only reply was to ask tine's sons, and Constans tjie youngest, had
his gainsayers to send and ascertain the preserved their father's faith in its
integrity,
number of the barbarian dead, " For," said and that Valentin ian, emperor of the West,
" even from their had also kept the true religion undefiled.
he, spoils it is easy to learn
their number." At these words the em-
peror gave way and sent officers to investi- CHAPTER VII.
gate and report on the battle.^
Of famous leaders of the Arian faction.
CHAPTER VI. The Eastern section of the empire had
received the infection from many quarters.
0/ the reign of Theodosius and of his dream. Arius, a presbyter of Alexandria in Egypt,
Thegreat general remained, and then
there begat the blasphemy. Eusebius, Patro-
saw a wonderful vision clearly shewn him philus, andAetius of Palestine, Paulinus and
by the very God of the universe himself. Gregorius of Phoenicia, Theodotus of Lao-
In it he seemed to see the divine Meletius, dicea and his successor Georgius, and after
chief of the church of the Antiochenes, him Athanasius and Narcissus of Cilicia,
investing him with an imperial robe, and
had nurtured the seeds so foully sown.
covering his head with an imperial crown. Eusebius and Theognis of Bithynia Men- ;
The morning after the night in which he ophantus of Ephesus Theodorus of Perin-
;
had seen the vision he told it to one of his thus and Maris of Chalcedon, and some
intimate friends, who pointed out that the others of Thrace famous only for their vices,
dream was plain and had nothing obscure or had for a long time gone on watering and
ambiguous about it. tending the crop of tares. These bad
A
few days at most had gone by when the husbandmen were aided by the indifference
commissioners sent to investigate the battle of Constantius and the malignity of Valens.
returned and reported that vast multitudes For these reasons only the bishops of his
of the barbarians had been shot down. own empire were summoned by the emperor
Then the emperor was convinced that he to meet at Constantinople. They arrived,
had done right well in selecting Theodosius being in all one hundred and fifty in number,
for the command, and and Theodosius forbade any one to tell him
appointed him em-
peror and gave him the of the which was the great Meletius, for he wished
sovereignty
share of Valens. the bishop to be recognized by his dream.
Upon this Gratian departed for Italy and The whole companyof the bisho^DS entered the
despatched Theodosius to the countries com- imperial palace, and then without any notice
mitted to his charge. No sooner had of all the rest, Theodosius ran up to the
Theodosius assumed the imperial dignity great Meletius, and, like a boy who loves his
than before everything else he gave heed to father, stood for a long space gazing on him
•the harmony of the churches, and ordered the with filial joy, then flung his arms around
bishops of his own realm to repair with him, and covered eyes and lips and breast and
haste to Constantinople. That division of head and the hand that had given him the
the empire was now the only region in- crown, with kisses. Then he told him of
fected with the Arian plague, for the west his dream. All the rest of the bishops were
had escaped the taint. This was due to the then courteously welcomed, and all were
bidden to deliberate as became fathers on
'
Theodoret's is the sole authority for this connexion of the the
association of Theodosius in the Empire with a victory,
subjects laid before them.
and liis alleged facts do not fit in with others which are better
supported. Gratian, a vigorous and sensible lad of nineteen,

seems to have felt that the burden was too big for his shoul- CHAPTER VIII.
ders, and to have looked out for a suitable colleague. For the
choice which he made, or was advised to make, he had good
ground in the reputation already won by Theodosius in The council assembled at Constantinople.
Britain and in the campaign of 373 against the Sarniatians and
Qîadi, and the elevation of the young genera! (born in 346, he At this time the recent feeder of the flock
was thirty-two when Grali; declared him Augustus at Sir-
Nazianzus^ was living
1
at at Constantino-
mium, Jan. 19, 379) was sptedily vindicated. Theodoret, with
his contempt for exact chronology, may have
exaggerated one
of the engagements of the guerrilla warfare waêd ' "
by the new Cave credas episcopum Nazianzi his verbis deslgnari,"
emperor after his accession, when he carefully avoided the says Valesius ;
—
because before 3S1 the great Gregory of Nazi-
error of Valens in risking all on a pitched brittle. anzus had at the most first helped his father in looking after the
By the end of
379 he had driven the barbarians over tlie Balkan range. Dr. church at Nazianzus, and on his father's death taken tenijio-
Stokes (Diet. Christ. Biog. iv. 960) points out that Detween rary and apparently informal charge of the see. But in tlic
Aug. 9, 37S, and Jan. ig, 379, there was not time for news to latter part of his note Valesius suggests that ra reAeuraia
may
travel from Hadrianople to Mitrovitz, where Gratian was, refer to the episcopate of Gregory at Nazianzus in his last
for couriers to fetch Theodosius thither from remoter
for Theodosius then in the winter montlis to
Spain, davs,
"
after his abdication of the see of
Constantinople, —
organize and Atque hie sensus magis placet, magis enim convenire vide-
carry out a campaign. tur verbis Theodoreti;" " Recent feeder," then, or "he who
136 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [V. 8.
pie,' continuallywithstanding the blasphemies The council was also attended by Pelagius
'
of the Arians, watering the holy people with of Laodicea, Eulogius of Edessa,- Acacius,"*
the teaching of the Gospel, catching wan- our own Isidorus,^ Cyril of Jerusalem,
derers outside the flock and removing them Gelasius of Cajsarea in Palestine," who was
from poisonous pasture. So that flocl-c once renowned alike for lore and life and many
small he made a great one. When the di- other athletes of virtue.
vine Mclctius saw hini, knowing as he did All these then whom I have named sepa-
full well the object which the makers of the rated themselves from the Egyptians and
canon - had before them when, with the celebrated divine service with the great
view of preventing the possibility of am- Gregory. But he himself implored them,
bitious eflbrts, they forbade the translation assembled as they were to promote harmony,
of bishops, he confirmed Gregory in the to subortlinate all question of wrong to an
episcopate of Constantinople. individual to the promotion of agreement
'^
Shortly af-
terwards tlie divine Meletius passed away to with one another, " For," said " I shall
he,
the life that knows no pain, crowned by the be released fi"om many cares and once more
praises of the funeral eloquence of all the lead the quiet life I hold so dear; while you,
great orators. after your long atid painful warfare, will
Timotheus, bishop of Alexandria, who obtain the longed for peace. What can be
liad followed Peter, the successor of Atha- more absurd than for men who have just
nasius in the patriarchate, ordained in place escaped the weapons of their enemies to
of the admirable Gregorius, Maximus — a waste their own strength in wounding one
cynic who had but recently suffered his another by so doing we shall be a laughing
;
cynic's hair to be shorn, and had been car- stock to our opponents. Find then some
ried away by the flimsy rhetoric of Apolli- worthy man of sense, able to sustain heavy
narius. But this absurdity was beyond the responsibilities and discharge them well, and
endurance of the assembled bishops — ad- make him bishop." The excellent pastors
mirable men, and full of divine zeal and moved by these counsels appointed as bishop
wisdom, such as Helladius, successor of the of that mighty city a man of noble birth and
great Basil, Gregorius and Peter, brothers of distinguished for every kind of virtue as well
Basil, and Amphilochius from Lycaonia, Op- as for the splendour of his ancestry, by name
timus from Pisidia, Diodorus from Cilicia.* Nectarius. Maximus, as having partici-
most recently fed," will nie;in " he who after the events at Con- pated in the insanity of Apollinarius, they
stantinople which ;iin about to relnte, acted as bishop of N:i-
I
of his episcopal rank and rejected.
zianziis." Gregory left Constantinople in June 3S1, repaired stripped
to N'azianzus, and aftcrfindiusi; a suitable man to occupy the
They next enacted canons concerning the
see, retired to Ariarizus, but was pressed to return and take a
leading post in order to check ApoUmarian heretics. His good government of the church, and pub-
health broke down, and he wished to letire. He would have lished a confirmation of the faith set forth at
voted in the election of his successor, but his opponents ob-
jected on the ground that he either was bishop of Nazianzus, Nictea. Then they returned each to his
or not; if he was, there was no vacancy; if he was not, he
had no vote. Eulalius was chosen in 3S3, and Gregory spent
own country. Next summer the greater
six weary years in wanderings and troubles, and at last found number of them assembled again in the same
rest in 3SC).
1
It was probably in 379 tliat Gregory first went to Constanti- city, summoned once more by the needs of
no]ile and preached in a private house whieli was to him a the church, and received a synodical letter
"
Sliiloh, where the ark re^^ted, an Anastiisia, a place of resur-
rection " (Orat.42.6). Hence the name "Anastasia" given from the bishops of the west inviting them to
to the famous church built on the site of the too strait house.
"
i.e. the xvtii of
come to Rome, where a great synod was
Nica;a, forbidding any bishop, presbyter
or deacon, to pass from one city to another. Gregory him-
self classes it among " N6/xous TraAot TfflijjKoTas "
being assembled. They begged however to
(Carm. be excused from travelling thus far abroad
iSio-ii). ;
3
Gregory had been practically acting as bishop, when an their doing so, they said, would be useless.
intriguing party led by Peter of Alexandria tried to force
Maximus, a cynic professor, who was one of Gregory's ad-
" At this They wrote however both to point out the
miring hearers, on the (.'onstaiilinoiiolitan Church. storm which had risen against the churches,
time," i.e. probably in the middle of 3S0, and certainly before
Nov. 24, when Theodosius entered the capital, "A priest and to hint at the carelessness with which
from Thasco had come to Constantinople willi a larsrc sum of
money to buy Froconnesian marble for a church. He too was
the western bishops had treated it. They
beguiled by the specious hope held out to him. Maximus and also included in their letter a summary of tlê
his party thus gained the jiower of purchasing the service of
a mob, which was as forward to attack (jregory as it had been apostolic doctrine, but the boldness and wis-
It was night, and the bishoj) was ill in bed,
to praise liim.
when Maximus with liis followers went to the church to be dom of tiicir expressions will be more clearly
consecrated by five suffragans who had been sent from Alex- sliown b\- the letter itself.
andria for the purpose. Day began to dawn while they were
still
preparing for the consecration. They had but half fin- was orthodox, but on important occasions clashed unhappily
ishcn the tonsure of the cynic philosopher, who wore the flow- with each of the two great Gregories of Nyssa and Nazianzus.
ing hair common to his sect, when a mob, excited by the sud- On Gregorius of Nyssa and Petrus his brother, vide page
den news, rushed in upon them, and drove them from the 129. .Vmphilochius, vide note on page 114. Optimus, vide note
church. They retired to a (lute jilaycr's shop to complete their on page 129. Diodorus, vide note on pages 85, 126 and 133.
work, and Maximus, compelled to flee from Constantinople, 1 cf. note on Chap. iv. 12, page 115.
went to Thessalonica with the hope of gaining over Theodosius 2 cf. note on iv. 15, page 119.
himself." Archdeacon Watkins. Diet. Christ. Biog. ii. 752. 3 Of Berci-a, vide page 12S. * I.e. of Cyrus, cf. p. 134.
*
Helladius, successor of Basil at the Cappadocian Cxsurca, ^ For fragments of his writings vide Dial. i. and iii.
V. 9-] OF THEODORET. 137
CHAPTER IX. the whole we seem to have been delivered

from the violence of our persecutions and to
Synodical kiier from the council at be just now recovering the churches which
Consta n tin ople. have for a long time been the prey of the
" To the honourable lords our right heretics. But wolves ai"e troublesome to us
right
reverend brethren and colleagues Damasus, who, though they have been driven from the
Ambrosius, Britton, Valerianus, Ascholius, byre, yet harry the flocks up and down the
Anemius, Basilius and the rest of the holy glades, daring to hold rival assemblies, stirring
seditions among the people, and shrinking
bishops assembled in the great city of Rome,
the holy synod of the orthodox bishops from nothing which can do damage to the
assembled at the great city of Constantinople, churches.
"
sends greeting in the Lord. So, as we have ah-eady said, we needs
" To recount all the inflicted on must labour all the longer. vSince how-
sufferings
us by the power of the Arians, and to attempt ever you showed your brotherly love to us
to give information to your reverences, as by inviting us (as though we were your own
of our most religious
though you wei"e not already well acquainted members) by the letters
with them, might seem superfluous. For we emperor to the synod which you are gather-
do not suppose your piety to hold what is being by divine permission at Rome, to the
folling us as of such secondary importance as
end that since we alone were then con-
that vou stand in any need of information on demned to suffer persecution, you should not
matters which cannot but evoke your sympa- now, when our emperors are at one with us
as to true religion, reign apart from us, but
thy. Nor indeed were the storms which beset
us such as to escape notice from their insignifi- that we, to use the apostle's phrase,' should
cance. Our persecutions are but of yesterday. reign with you, our pra}er was, if it
The sound of them still rings in the ears alike were possible, all in company to leave our
of those who suflered them and of those whose churches, and rather gratify our longing to
love made the sufterers' pain their own. It see you than consult their needs. For who
was but a day or two ago, if I may so say, will give us wings as of a dove, and we will
that some released from chains in foreign fly and be at rest.''^ But this course seemed
lands returned to their own churches through likely to leave the churches who were just
manifold afllictions of others who had died recovering quite undefended, and the under-
;
in exile the relics were brought home others taking was to most of us impossible, for, in
;
again, even after their return from exile, accordance with the letters
sent a year ago
found the passion of the heretics still at from your holiness after the synod at
boiling heat, and, slain by them with stones as Aquileia to the most pious emperor Theo-
was the blessed Stephen, met with a sadder dosius, we had journeyed to Constantinople,
fate in their own than in a stranger's land. equipped only for travelling so far as Con-
Others, worn away with various cruelties, stantinople, and bringing the consent of the
still bear in their bodies the scars of their bishops remaining in the provinces for this
wounds and the marks of Christ.^ synod alone. We had been in no expecta-
" Who could tell the tale of fines, of disfran- tion of any longer journey nor had heard a
chisements, of individual confiscations, of word about it before our arrival at Con-
intrigues, of outrages, of prisons? In truth stantinople. In addition to all this, and on
all kinds of tribulation were wrought out account of the narrow limits of the appointed
beyond number in us, perhaps because we time which allowed of no preparation for a
were paying the penalty of sins, perhaps longer journey, nor of communicating with
because the merciful God was trying us by the bishops of our communion in the prov-
means of the multitude of our sufferings. inces and of obtaining their consent, the jour-
For these all thanks to God, who by means ney to Rome was for the majority impossible.
of such afflictions trained his servants and, We have therefore adopted the next best
according to the multitude of his mercies, course open to us under the circumstances,
brought us again to i"efreshment. We indeed both for the better administration of the
needed long leisure, time, and toil to restore church, and for manifesting our love towards
the church once more, that so, like physi- you, by strongly urging our most venerated,
cians healing the body after long sickness and honoured colleagues and brother bishops
and expelling its disease by gradual treat- Cyriacus, Eusebius and Friscianus, to con-
ment, we might bring her back to her ancient sent to travel to you.
"
health of true religion. It is true that on Through them we wish to make it plain
» 1
Cor. iv. 8. » Ps. Iv. 6.
Gal. vi. 17. 1.
138 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [V. 9-
that our disposition is all for peace with churches have been administered by us and
unity for its sole object, and that we are full the priests of the most famous churches pub-
of zeal for the rii^ht faith. For wc, whether licly appointed. Accordingly over the new
we sullered persecutions, or afflictions, or made (if the expression be allowable) church
the threats of emperors, or the cruelties at Constantinople, which, as
though from a
of 231'iiices or any other trial at the hands of lion's mouth, we have lately snatched
by
heretics, have undergone all for the sake of God's mercy from the blasphemy of the
the evangelic faith, ratified by the three heretics, we have ordained bisliop the right
hundred and eighteen fatliers at Nicaeu in reverend and most religious Nectarius, in
Bithvnia. This is the faith which ou<iht to the presence of the oecumenical council,
be suthcient for you, for us, for all who with common consent, before the most relie-
wrest not the word of the true faith ;
for lous emperor Theodosius, and with the
it is the ancient faitli it is the faith of our
;
assent of all the clergy and of the whole
baptism ;
it is the faith that teaclies us to
city. And over the most ancient and truly
believe in the name of the Father, of the apostolic church in Syria, where first the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost. noble name of Christians ^ was given them,
"According to this faith there is one God- the bishops of the province and of the east-
head, Power and Substance of the Father ern diocese - have met together and canoni-
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost the ; cally ordained bishop the right reverend
dignity being equal, and the majesty being and most religious Flavianus, with the con-
equal in three perfect essences and three sent of all the church, who as though with one
^
perfect persons.- Thus there is neither room voice joined in expressing their respect for
for the heresy of Sabellius by the confusion him. This rightful ordination also received
of the essences or destruction of the indi- the sanction of the general council. Of the
vidualities ;
thus the blasphemy of the Eu- church at Jerusalem, mother of all the
nomians, of the Arians, and of the Pneu- churches, we make known that the right
matomachi is nullified, which divides the reverend and most religious Cyril is bishop,
substance, the nature and the godhead and who was some time ago canonicallv ordained
superinduces on the uncreated consubstantial by the bishops of the province, and has in
and co-eternal trinity a nature posterior, several places fought a good fight against
created and of a different substance. We the Arians. We beseech your reverence to
moreover preserve unpcrverted the doctrine rejoice at what has thus been rightly and
of the incarnation of the Lord, holding the canonically settled by us, by the intervention
tradition that the dispensation of the flesh is of spiritual love and by the influence of the
neither soulless nor mindless nor imperfect ;
fear of the Lord, compelling the feelings of
and knowmg full well that God's Word was men, and making the edification of churches
perfect lêfore the ages, and became perfect of more importance than individual grace or
man in the last days for our salvation. favour. Thus since among us there is
" Let this suffice for a
summary of the doc- agreement in the faith and Christian charity
trine which is fearlessly and frankly preached has been established, we shall cease to use
by us, and concerning whicli you will be able the phrase condemned by the apostles, I
'
to be still further satisfied if you will deign to am of Paul and I of

Apollos and I of
road the report of the synod of Antioch, and Cephas,'*' and all appearing as Christ's, who
also that issued last year bv the oecumenical in us is not divided, by God's grace we will
council held at Constantinople, in which we keep the body of the church unrent, and
have set forth our confession of the faith at will boldlv stand at the judgment seat of
greater length, and have appended an anathe- the Lord.''
ma against the heresies which innovatoi's have These things they wrote against the mad-
recently inscrilêd. ness of Arius, Aetius, and Eunomius and ;
" Now as to the

particular administration moreover against Sabellius, Photinus, Mar-
of individual churches, an ancient custom, as cellus, Paul of Samosata, and Macedonius.
you know, has obtained, confirmed by the Similarly they openly condemned the inno-
enactment of the holy fatliers at Nicêa, that, vation of ApoUinarius in the phrase, "And
in every province, the bishops of the province, we preserve the doctrine of the incarnation
and, with their consent, the neighbouring of the Lord, holding the tradition that the
l)ishops with them, should perfjrm ordina- dispensation of the flesh is neither soulless,
tions as expediency may require. In con- nor mindless, nor imperfect."
forming with these customs note tiiat other
1
Acts xi. 26.
^
uTToaTaaetrt, ' Vide note on p. 53.
* 3
TrpovuTTOCf. I. Cor. i. 13.
V. 10, II.] OF THEODORET. 139
"
CHAPTER X. Why then do you again ask me for the
condemnation of Timotheus.'' Here, by the
Synodical letter of Damasiis bishop of Rome judgment of the apostolic see, in the pres-
against Apollinarius and ence of Peter, bishop of Alexandria, he was
Timotheus.
When the most praiseworthy Damasus condemned, together with his teacher,
had heard of the rise of this heresy, he Apollinarius, who will also in the day of
pro-
due punishment and
claimed the condemnation not only of Apol- judgment undergo
torment. But if he succeeds in persuading
linarius but also of Timotheus his follower.
The letter in which he made this known to some less stable men, as though having
some hope, after by his confession changing
the bishops of the Eastern empire I have
the true hope which is in Christ, with him
thought it well to insert in my history. shall likewise perish whoever of set purpose
Letter of Damasus bishop of Rome. withstands the order of the Church, May
"Most honourable sons: Inasmuch as God keep you sound, most honoured sons."
your love renders to the apostolic see the The bishops assembled in great Rome
reverence which is its due, accept the same also wrote other things against other heresies
in no niggard measure for yourselves.' For which I have thought it necessary to insert
even though in the holy church in which the in my history.
holy apostle sat, and taught us how it be-
comes us to manage the rudder which has CHAPTER XI.
been committed to us, we nevertheless con-
fess ourselves to be unworthy of the honour,
A confession of the Catholic faith which Pope
we yet on this very account strive by every Damasus sent to Bishop Paulinus in Mace-
means within our power if haply we may be donia luheti he was at Thessalonica.
able to achieve the glory of that blessedness. After the Council of Nicsea there sprung
Know then that we have condemned Timo- up this error. Certain men ventured with
theus, the unhallowed, the disciple of Apol- profane mouths to say that the Holy Spirit
linarius the heretic, together with his impious is made
through the Son. We therefore
doctrine, and are confident that for the future anathematize those who do not with all
his remains will have no weight whatever. freedom
preach that the Holy Spirit is of
But if that old serpent, though smitten once one and the same substance and power
and again, still revives to his own destruc- with the Father and the Son. In like
tion, who though he exists without the church manner we anathematize them that follow
never ceases from the attempt by his deadly the error of Sabellius and say that the
venom to overthi'ow certain unfaithful men, Father and the Son are the same. We
do you avoid it as you would a pest, mind- anathematize Arius and Eunomius who
ful ever of the apostolic faith —
that, I mean, with equal impiety, though with differences
which was set out in writing by the Fathers of phrase, maintain the Son and the Holy
at Nicaea do you remain on steady ground, Spirit to be a creature.
; We
anathematize the
firm and unmoved in the faith, and hence- Macedonians who,
produced from the root of
forward sufter neither your clergy nor laity Arius, have changed the name but not the
to listen to vain words and futile questions,
impiety. We
anathematize Photinus who,
for we have already given a form, that he
renewing the heresy of Ebion, confessed
who professes himself a Christian may keep that our Lord Jesus Christ was only of
it, the form delivered by the Apostles, as Mary.^ We
anathematize them that main-
says St. Paul, if any one preach to you
'
another gospel than that you have received lAs to who this Paulinus was, and when this confession
sent to him, there has been some confusion. Theodoret
let him be Anathema.'
^
For Christ the Son was
has been supposed to write
"
bishop of Thessalonica," and
of God, our Lord, gave by his own passion then has been found fault with by Baronius for describing the
Paulinus the Euslathian bishop of Antioch as of Thessalonica
abundant salvation to the race of men, that in order to conceal the fact of Damasus and the Antiochene
he might free from all sin the whole man in- Paulinus being in communion. But the patronage ol tliis
Paulinus by Damasus was notorious, and if Theodoret wanted
volved in sin. If any one speaks of Christ to ignore it, he need not have inserted this document at all.
But, as Valesius points out, all that Theodoret says
is that
as having had less of manhood or of Godhead, Damasus sent it to bishop Paulinus, when he was at Thessa-
and attention to the of this by
he is full of devils' spirits, and proclaims lonica, calls recognition
Baronius (ann. 37S. 44). The letter is in the Holsteinian Col-
himself a child of hell. lection, with the heading " Dilectissimo fratri Paulino
Damasus." Paulinus was probably at Thessalonica on his
I This
rendering seems ihe sense of the somewhat awkward way from Rome in 3S3.
Greek o' the text, and obviates the necessity of adopting^ Vale- -
Photinus, the disciple of Marcellus of Ancyra, was con.
" nobis " of the demned at the synod of Sirmium in 349. Diet. Christ. Ant.
sius' cor.jecture that the original Latin had
been altered by a clerical error into " vobis." If we read (" Sirmium, Councils of.") Sulpicius Severus writes (II. 52)
" " Photinus vero novam hajresmi jam ante protulerat, a Sabellio
nobis, we may translate you shew it in no niggard measure
to ourselves." quidem in unions dissentiens, sed initiura Christi ex Maria
>
Gal. i. S. praedicabat."
140 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [V. II.
tain that there are two sons one before — the Son is of the cli\ ine substance and
very
the ages and another after the assumption God of God,' let liim be anathema.
of the flesh from Mary. anathematize We If any one deny that the Holy .Spirit is
also all who maintain that the Word of omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, as
God moved in human flesh instead of a rea- also the vSon of the Father, let him be anath-
sonable soul. For this Word of God Him- ema.
self was not in His own body instead of a If any one say that the Holy Spirit is a
reasonable and intellectual soul, but assumed created being or was made through the Son,
and saved our soul, both reasonable and in- let him be anathema.
tellectual, without sin.^ anathematize We
If any one den}' that the Father made all
also them that say that the Word of God things visible and invisible, through the Son
is separated from the Father by extension who was made Flesh, and the Holy Spirit,
and contraction, and blasphemously afiirm let him be anathema.
that He is without essential being or is des- If any one deny one Godhead and power,
tined to (lie. one sovereignty and glory, one lordship, one
Them gone from churches to kingdom, will and truth of the Father and
that have
other churches we so far hold alien from of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, let him
our communion till tbey shall have re- be anathema.
turned to those cities in which they were If any one deny three very persons of the
first ordained. Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,
If any one, when another has gone from living for ever, containing all things visible
place to place, has been ordained in his stead, and invisible, omnipotent, judging all things,
let him who abandoned his own city be held giving life to all things, creating all things
deprived of his episcopal rank until such and preserving all things,^ let him be an-
time as his successor shall rest in the athema.
Lord. any one denies that the Holy Ghost
If
If any one denies that the Father is eternal is be worshipped by all creation, as the
to
and the .Son eternal and the Holy Ghost eter- Son, and as the Father, let him be anathema.
nal, let him be anathema. If any one shall think aright about the
If any one denies that the Son was be- Father and the Son but does not hold aright
gotten of the Father, that is of His divine about the Holy Ghost, anathema, because he
is a heretic, for all the heretics who do not
substance, let him be anathema.
If any one denies that the Son of God is think aright about God the Son and about
the Holy Ghost are convicted of being in-
very God, omnipotent and omniscient, and
equal to the Father, let him be anathema. volved in the unbelief of the Jews and the
If any one says that the Son of God, living heathen and if any one shall divide God-
;
in the flesh when he was on the earth, was head, saying that the Father is God apart
not in heaven and with the Father, let him and the Son God, and the Holy Ghost God,
be anathema.^ and should persist that they are called Gods
If any one says that in the Passion of the and not God, on account of the one Godhead
Cross the Son of God sustained its pain by and sovereignty which we believe and know
Godhead, and not by reasonable soul and there to be of the Father and of the Son
flesh which He had assumed in the form of and of the Holy Ghost —
one God in three
a servant,^ as saith the Holy Scripture, let essences,^ —
or withdrawing the Son and the
him be anathema. Holy Ghost so as to suggest that the Father
If any one denies that the Word of God alone is called God and believed in as one
suffered in the flesh and tasted death in the God, let him be anathema.
flesh, and was the first-born of the dead,"^ For the name of gods has been bestowed
as the Son is life and giver of life, let him be by God upon angels and all saints, but of the
anathema. Father and of the Son and of the Holy
If any one deny that He sits on the right Ghost on account of their one and equal
Godhcatl, not the names of " gods
"
hand of the Father in the flesh which He as- but the
" "
sumed, and in which He shall come to judge name of our God is predicated and pro-
quick and dead, let him be anathema. claimed, that we may believe that we are
If any one deny that tlie Holy Spirit is baptized in Father and Son and Holy Ghost
and not in the names of arcliangels or
truly and absolutely of the Father, and that
'
Valesius siipposcs the Greek translator to have read Detent
verbiiiii (or Den in z'l/iim, which is found in Col. Rom,, and
'
Vide note on ApoUinarlus, p, 13a. whiili 1 liavc folUnvcd.
2 "
John in, 13. -Latin, Oiniua qua; sunt salvanda salvantes."
8 ^ Stof fva (V
Phil, ii- 7. Tpttrtv xjiroaTauiaiv. The last iliree words are
*Coloss. i. iS. Rev. i.
g. wantintr in the Latin version.
V. 12-14.] OF THEODORET. 141
angels, like the heretics or the Ambrosius, however, strove

Jews or over the rest.
foolish heathen. remind him of his father's piety, and ex-
to
This is the salvation of the Christians, horted him to keep inviolate the heritage
which he had received. He explained to
that believing in the Trinity, that is in the
Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, and him also how one doctrine differed from the
being baptized into the same one Godhead other,
how the one is in agreement with the
and power and divinity and substance, in teaching of the Lord and with the teaching
Him we may trust. of his apostles, while the other is totally op-
These events happened during the of posed to it and at war with the code of the
life
Gratianus. laws of the spirit.

The young man, as young men will,
CHAPTER
XII.
spurred on moreover by a mother herself
Of the death of Gratianus and the sovereignty' the victim of deceit, not only did not assent
to the arguments adduced, but lost his tem-
of Maxinuts.
per, and, in a passion, was for surrounding
Gratianus in the midst of his successes the to the church with companies
approaches
in war and wise and prudent government
of legionaries and targeteers. When, how-
ended his life by conspiracy.^ He left no
ever, he learnt that this illustrious champion
sons to inherit the empire, and a brother of was not in the least alarmed at his
proceed-
the same name as their father, Valentinianus,"
ings, for Ambrosius treated them all like the
who was quite a youth. So Maximus,^ in Sfhosts and hobgoblins with which some
contempt of the youth of Valentinianus, seized men try to frighten babies, he was exceed-
the throne of the West.
ingly angry and publicly ordered him to de-
part from the church. "I shall not," said
CHAPTER
XIII. Ambrosius, "do so willingly. I will not
the sheepfold to the wolves nor betray
Of Justina, the ivife of Valentinianus, and yield
God's temple to blasphemers. If you wish
of her plot against Amb?'osius.
to me drive sword or
slay your your spear
At time Justina,* wife of Valentini- into me here within.
this I shall welcome such
anus the great, and mother of the young a death."!
prince, made know^n to her son the seeds of
the Arian teaching which she had long ago CHAPTER XIV.
received. Well knowing the wârmth of her
consort's faith she had endeavoured to conceal Of the information given by Maximus the
her sentiments during the whole of his life, tyra7it to Valentinianus.

but perceiving that her son's character was
After a considerable time Maximus^
gentle and docile, she took courage to bring was informed of the attacks which were being
her deceitful doctrine forward. The lad
made upon the loud-voiced herald of the
supposed his mother's counsels to be wise truth, and he sent dispatches to Valentini-
and beneficial, for nature so disposed the
anus charging him to put a stop to his war
bait that he could not see the deadly hook
below. He first communicated on the sub- against true religion and exhorting him not
to abandon his father's faith. In the event
ject with Ambrosius, under the impression of his advice being disregarded he further
that, if he could persuade the bishop, he
threatened war, and confirmed what he
would be able without difficulty to prevail
wrote by what he did,^ for he mustered his
' Gratianus
made himsel-f unpopular (i) by his excessive ad- forces and marched for Milan where Valen-
iction to sport, playing- the Coinmodus in the "Vivaria," when
not even a Marcus Aurelius could have answered all the calls
tinianus was then residing. When the latter
of the Empire. (Anim. xxxi. x. ig) and (ii) by affecting the heard of his approach he fled into Illyri-
society and customs of barbarians (Aur. Vict, xlvii. 6). The
troops in Britain rose agâinst him, gathered aid in the Low
Countries, and defeated him near Paris. He fled to Lyons,
1 This contest is described
by Ambrose himself in letters to
where he was treacherously assassinated Aug. 25, 383. He Valentinian and to his sister Marcellina, Epp. xx. xxi, and
was only twenty-four. in the " Sermo de basilicis tradcndis." On the apparent error
(Soc. v. 11.)
2 Valentinianus IL, son of Valentinianus I. and Justina of Gibbon in confusing the " vela" which were hung outside a
was born c. 371. building to mark it as claimed for the imperial property, with
3
Magnus Maximus reigned from 3S3 to 3S8. Like Theodo- the state liangings of the emperor's seat inside, vide Diet.
sius, he was a Spaniard. Christ. Biog.i. 95.
^Justina, left widow bv Magnentius in 353, was married to
2 After
Easter, 3S7.
Valentinian I. (we may dismiss the story ot Socrates (iv. 31) 3 The motives here stated seem to have had little to do witli
tnat he legalized bigamy in order to marry her in the lifetime the march of Maximus over the Alps. Indeed so far from
of Severa) probably in 36S. Her first conflict with Ambrose enthusiasm for Ambrose and the Ambrosian view of the faith
was probably in 3S0 at Sirmium. On tlie murder of Gratian in being conspicuous in the invader, he had received the bishop
3S3 Maximus for four years left the young Valentinian in pos- at Treves as envoy from Valentinian, had refused to lie
session of Italy, in deference to the pleading of Ambrose. It diverted from his purpose, and had moreover taken offence at
was during this period, at Easter, 3S5, that Justina ungratefully the objection of Ambrose to communicate with the bishops
attacked the bishop and demanded a church for Arian wor- who had been concerned in the first capital punishment of a
ship.
heretic — i.e. Priscillian.
142 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [V. 15, 16.
cum.' He had learnt by experience what tered the Palace and beheld standing at the
good he had got by following his mother's emperor's side his son Arcadius, who had
advice. lately been appointed emperor, he saluted
CHAPTER XV. Theodosius as was his wont, but did no
honour to Arcadius. The emperor, thinking
Of the Letter written by the Emperor Theo- that this neglect was due to forgetfulness,
dosius concerning the same. commanded Amphilochius to approach and
When the illustrious emperor Theodo- to salute his son. "Sir," said he, " the
sius had heard of the emperor's doings and honour which I have paid you is enough."
what the tyrant Maximus had written to him, Theodosius was indignant at the discourtesy,
he wrote to the fugitive youth to this effect and said, " Dishonour done to my son is a
:
You must not be astonished if to you has rudeness to myself." Then, and not till then,
come panic and to your enemy victory for the very wise Amphilochius disclosed the
;
of his conduct, and said with a loud

you have been fighting against piety, and object "
he on its side. You abandoned it, and are voice, You see, sir, that you do not brook
running away naked. He in its panoply is dishonour done your son, and are bitterly
with those who are rude to him. Be-
getting the mastery of you stripped bare of angry
lieve then that the God of all the world
it, for He who hath given us the law of true
abominates them that blaspheme the Only
religion is ever on its side.
So wrote Theodosius when he was yet begotten Son, and hates them as ungrateful
afar of^', but when he had heard of Valen- to their Saviour and Benefactor."
tinian's flight, and had come to his aid, and Then the emperor understood the bishop's
saw him an exile, taking refuge in his own drift, and admired both what he had done
his first was to suc-
and what he had said. Without further de-
empire, thought give
cour to his soul, drive out the intruding lay he put out an edict forbidding the congre-
pestilence of impiety, and win him back to gations of heretics.^
Then But to escape all the snares of the common
the true religion of his fathers.
he bade him be of good cheer and marched enemy of mankind is no easy task. Often it
against the tyrant. He gave the lad his happens that one who has kept clear of las-
civious passion is fixed fast in the toils of
empire again without loss of blood and
slew Maximus. For he felt that he should avarice and if he prove superior to greed
;
be guilty of wrong and should violate the there on the other side is the pitfall of envy,
terms of his treaty with Gratianus were he and even if he leap safe over this he will find
not to take vengeance on those who had a net ofpassion waiting for him on the other
caused his ally's death. ^ side. Other innumerable stumblinsr blocks
the enemy sets in men's paths, trying to catch
CHAPTER XVI. them to their ruin.^
Then he
has at his disposal the bodily
Of Afnphilochius, bishop of Iconium. passions to help the wiles which he lays
On the emperor's return the admirable against the soul. The mind alone, if it
the better of him, frus-
Amphilochius, whom I have often mentioned, keep awake, gets
came to beg that the Arian congregations trating the assault of his devices by its incli-
nation to what is Divine. Now, since this
might be expelled from the cities. The em-
admirable emperor had his share of human
1
peror thought the petition too severe, and

refused it. The very wise Amphilochius at nature,^ and was not free from its emotions,
his righteous anger passed the bounds of
the moment was silent, for he had hit upon
a memorable device. The next time he en- moderation, and caused the perpetration of
a savage and lawless deed. I must tell this
1 Valentininn and his mother fled to
Thcssalonica.
story for the sake of those into whose hands
(iv. 44) represents Theodosius, now fur two years
2 Zosiinus
it does not, indeed,
widowed, as won over to the cause of Valeiitiiii;in by the it will fall ;
only involve
loveliness of the younjj princess Galla, whom lie iiKuried. blame of the admirable emperor, but so re-
"He was some time in preparinjf for the camjiaifin, but,
when it was opened, he conducted it with vis'our and decision. dounds to his credit as to deserve to be re-
His troops passed up the Save Valley, defeated those of Maxi-
mus in two engafjements, entered i-Emona (Laybach) in tri-
membered.
umph, and soon stood before the walls of Aquileia, behind
which Maximus was sheltering himself. . . The soldiers of
.
• Arcadius was
declared Augustus early in3S3 (Clinton Fast.
Theodosius
poured into the city, of which the gates had been Rome, I. !>. 504). Theodosius issued his edict against the
opened to them by the mutineers, and dragged off the heretics in September of same year. Sozomen (7. 6) tells the
usurper, barefooted, with tied hands, in slave's attire, to the story of an anonymous old man, priest of an obscure city,
tribunal of Theodosius and his young brother in law at the simple and
unworldly; "this," remarks Bishop Iîghtfoot
third milestone from the city. After Theodosius had in a short (Die. Christ. Hiog. i. io6),"is as unlike Amphilochius as it can
harangue reproaclied him with the evil deeds whicli he had possibly he."
wrought against the Roman Commonwealth, he handed him -
"avptuoji"." cf. Mark xii. 13.
over to the executioner," Hodgkin, " 3"irasci sane rebus indigms, sed flecti ctto," Aur, Vict,
Dynasty of Theodo-
sius," p. 127. xlviii.
V. 17.] OF THEODORET. 143
CHAPTER XVII. still your hands

dripping with the blood of
unjust slaughter.? in such hands will How
Of the massacre of Thessalonica; the boldness you receive the all holy Body of the Lord ?
of Bishop Ambrosias, and the piety of the How
will you who in your rage
unrighteously
E?nperor, poured forth so much blood lift to your
Thessalonica is a large and very popu- lips the precious Blood.? Begone. Attempt
lous city, belonging to Macedonia, but the not to add another crime to that which you
have committed. Submit to the restriction
capital of Thessaly and Achaia, as well as
of many other provinces which are gov- to which the God the Lord of all agrees that
erned by the prefect of Illyricum. Here arose you be sentenced. He will be your physi-
a great sedition, and several of the magis- cian. He will give you health."^
trates were stoned and violently treated.^ Educated as he had been in the sacred
The emperor was fired with when oracles, Theodosius knew clearly what be-
anger
to priests and what to
he heard the news, and unable to endure longed emperors.
the rush of his passion, did not even check He therefore bowed to the rebuke of
its onset by the curb of reason, but allowed Ambrose, and retired sighing and weeping
his rage to be the minister of his to the palace. After a considerable time,
vengeance.
When the imperial passion had received its when eight months had passed away, the
festival of our Saviour's birth came round
authority, as though itself an independent
it broke the bonds and of and the emperor sat in his palace
prince, yoke reason, shedding
unsheathed swords of injustice right and left a storm of tears.
without distinction, and slew innocent and Now Rufinus, at that time controller of
No the household,^ and, from his
guilty together. trial preceded the sen- familiarity
tence. No condemnation was passed on the with his imperial master, able to use great
freedom of speech, approached and asked
perpetrators of the crimes. Multitudes were
mowed down like ears of corn in har- him why he wept. With a bitter groan
vest-tide. It is said that seven thousand
and yet more abundant weeping " You are
per- " be-
ished. trifling, Rufinus," said the emperor,
News of this lamentable calamity reached cause you do not feel ray troubles. I am
Ambrosius. The emperor on his arrival at groaning and lamenting at the thought of
Milan wished according to custom to enter my own calamity for menials and for
;
the church. Ambrosius met him outside beggars the way into the church lies open ;
the outer porch and forbade him to step over they can go in without fear, and put up
the sacred threshold. "You seem, sir, not their petitions to their own Lord. I dare
to know," said he, "the not set my foot there, and besides this for me
magnitude of the
the door of heaven is shut, for I remember
bloody deed that has been done. Your rage
has subsided, but your reason has the voice of the Lord which plainly
not says,
Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall have
'
yet recognised the character of the deed. "

Peradventure your Imperial power prevents been bound in heaven.'
^
the and stands Rufinus replied "With your permission

your recognising sin, power
in the light of reason. We must however I will hasten to the bishop, and by ray en-
know how our nature passes away and treaties induce him to remit your penalty."
" He will not "
said the emperor. " I
is
subject to death we must know the an-
;
yield
cestral dust from which we sprang, and to know the justice of the sentence passed by
which we are swiftly returning. We must Ambrose, nor will he ever be moved by
not because we are dazzled by the sheen of respect for my imperial power to transgress
the purple fail to see the weakness of the the law of God."
body Rufinus urged his suit again and again,
that it robes. You are a sovereign, Sir, of
men of like nature with your own, and who promising to win over Ambrosius and at ;
are in truth your fellow slaves for there is last the emperor commanded him to go
;
one Lord and Sovereign of mankind, Creator with all despatch. Then, the victim of false
of the Universe. With what eyes then will
A wel
:ell-known picture of Vandyke in the National Gallery,
'
you look on the temple of our common a copy wi kfith some variations of a larger picture at Vienna
Lord — Rubens, represents the famous scene of the excommunication

with what feet will you tread that of Theodosius.
by
holy threshold, how will you stretch forth 2" "

mayicTTpos," i.e. magister officiorum."
3 Matt, xviii. iS. In its primary sense the binding and
1 " Botheric, the Gothic loosing of the Gospels is of course the binding and loosing of
general, shut up in prison a certain the great Jewish schools, i.e. prohibition and permission.
scoundrel of a charioteer who had vilely insulted him. At the The moral and spiritual binding and loosing of the scribe,
next races the mob of Thessalonica tumultuously demanded to whom a key was given as a symbol of his authority to
the charioteer's liberation and when Botheric refused rose in open the treasures of divine lore, has already in the time of
insurrection and slew both him and several magistrates of the Theodoret become the dooming or acquitting of a Janitor
City." Hodgkin m. This was in 390. commanding the gate of a more material heaven.
hopes, Theodosius, in reliance on the prom- that wrote the sentences exhibit their orders,
ises of Rufinus, followed in person, himself. and then, and not till then, when passion lias
No sooner did the divine Ambrose perceive calmed down, reason acting as sole judge
Rufinus than he exclaimed, " Rufinus, your shall examine the sentences and will see
impudence matches a dog's, for you were whether they be right or wrong. If it find
the adviser of this terrible slaughter; you them wrong it will cancel the deeds if
they ;
have wiped shame from your brow, and be righteous it will confirm them, and the
guilty as you are of this mad outrage on tlie interval of time will inflict no wronsf on them
image of God you stand here fearless, with- that have been rightly condemned."
out a blush." Then Rufinus began to beg This suggestion the emperor accepted and
and pray, and announced the speedy approach thought it admirable. He ordered the edict
of the emperor. Fired with divine zeal to be put out forthwith and gave it the
the holy Ambrosius exclaimed " Rufinus, authority of his sign manual. On this the
I tell you beforehand I shall prevent him
;
divine Ambrosius loosed the bond.
from crossing the sacred threshold. If he is the very faithful Now
emperor came
for changing boldly within the holy temple but did not
his sovereign power into that
of a tyrant I too will gladly submit to a pray to his Loid standing, or even on his
violent death." On this Rufinus sent a knees, but lying prone upon the ground he
"
messenger to inform the emperor in what uttered David's cry My soul cleaveth unto
mind the archbishop was, and exhorted him the dust, quicken thou me according to thv
to remain within the palace. Theodosius word." 1
liad already reached the middle of the forum He plucked out his hair; he smote his
when he received the message. " I will head he
besprinkled the ground with drops
;
" and When the

go," said he, accept the disgrace I of tears and prajed for pardon.
deserve." He advanced to the sacred pre- time came for him to bring his oblations to
cincts but did not enter the holy building. the holy table, weejoing all the while he
The archbishop was seated in the house of stood up and approached the sanctuary.^
salutation' and there the emperor approached After making his ofiering, as he was wont,
liim and besought that his bonds might be he remained within at the rail, but once
loosed. more the great Ambrosius kept not silence
"Your coming" said Ambrose "is the and taught him the distinction of places.
coming of a tyrant. You are raging against First he asked him if he wanted anything;
God; you are trampling on his laws." and when the emperor said that he was
"No," said Theodosius, "I do not attack waiting for participation in the divine mys-
laws laid down. I do not seek wrongfully to teries, Ambrose sent word to him by the
cross the sacred threshold but I ask you to chief deacon and said, " The inner place,
;
loose my bond, to take into account the sir, is open only to priests to all the rest it ;
mercy of our common Lord, and not to shut is inaccessible go out and stand where ;
against me a door which our master has others stand; purple can make emperors, but
"
opened for all them that repent. The not priests." This instruction too the faithful
"
What repentance have emperor most gladly received, and inti-
archbishop replied
you shown your tremendous crime? mated in reply that it was not from any
since
You iiave inflicted wounds right hard to audacity that he had remained within the
heal; what salve have you applied.^" rails, but because he had understood that
" Yours " said the " is the " I
emperor duty this was the custom at Constantinople.
alike of pointing out and of mixing the salve. owe thanks," he added, " for being cured
It is for me to receive what is given me." too of this error."
Then said the divine Ambrosius " You let So both the archbishop and the emperor
your passion minister justice, your passion showed a mighty shining light of virtue.
not your reason gives judgment. Put forth Botli to me are admirable the former for ;
therefore an edict which shall make the sen- his brave words, the latter for his docility ;
tence of your passion null and void let the ;
sentences which have been published inflict-

Ps. cxix. 25. '
ing death or confiscation be suspended for Tujv ai'aKTopMf. AfOLKTopov in classical Greek =^ temple or
-
shrine, e. g. Eur. And. 43 " ©fTi6o5 aroiicTopoi'." Archd.

thirty days awaiting the judgment of reason. Cheetham fDict. Christ. Ant. quoting: Lobcck, says
i.
When the days shall have elapsed let them "also the innermost recess of a 79), temple." Eusebius (Orat.
of
ix) uses it great church built by Constantine at
the
Antioch. Theodoretus in the text applies it to " the innermost
'
Valesius says that this " house of salutation " according recess," for Theodosius was alre.idy within the Church. The
to Scaligcr was the episcopal hospitium or g:uest quarters. His sacrarium was in Greek commonly to ayioi', or to icpoTfioi'.
own opinion however is that it was tlic audience chamber or The 31st canon ot the first Council of Braga ordains " ingredi
chapter-house of the church where the bishop with his presby- sacrarium ad communicanduin non liceat iaicis nisi Untum
ters received the faithful who came to his church. clericis."
V. i8, 19.] OF THEODORET. 145
the archbishop for the warmth of his zeal, always to bethink you what you were once
and the prince for the purity of his faith. and what you have become now by keeping ;
On his return to Constantinople Theodosius this constantly in mind you will never grow
kept within the bounds of piety which

he ungrateful to your benefactor, but will guide
had learnt from the great archbishop. For in accordance with law the empii'e bestowed
when the occasion of a feast brought him upon you, and thus you will worship Him
once again into the divine temple, after who gave it." By ever using language of
bringing his gifts to the holv table he this kind, she with fair and wholesome care,
as it were, watered the seeds of vii'tue planted
straightway went out. The bishop at that
time was Ncctarius, and on his asking the in her husband's heart.
emperor what could possibly be the reason She died before her husband, and not long
of his not remaining within, Theodosius after the time of her death events occurred
answered with a sigh " I have learnt after which showed how well her husband loved
great difficulty the diflerences between
an her.
emperor and a priest. It is not easy to find a CHAPTER XIX.
man capable of teaching me the truth. Am-
brosius alone deserves the title of bishop." 0/ the sedition of Antioeh}
So great is the gain of conviction when In consequence of his continual wars the
brought home by a man of bright and shin-
emperor was compelled to impose heavy
ing goodness. taxes on the cities of the empire.^
The city of Antioeh refused to put up
CHAPTER XVIII. with the new tax, and when the people saw
the victims of its exaction subjected to tor-
0/ the Empress Placilla} ture and indignity, then, in addition to the
Yet other oi:)portunities of improvement usual deeds which a mob is wont to do when
for his wife
lay within the emperor's reach, it isseizing an opportunity for disorder, they
used constantly to put him in mind of the pulled down the bronze statue of the illus-
divine laws in which she had first carefully trious Placilla, for so was the empress
educated herself. In no way exalted by her named, and dragged it over a giêat part of
imperial rank she was rather fired by
it with the town.^ On being informed of these
greater longing for divine things.
The great- events the emperor, as was to be expected, was
ness of the good gift given her made her love indignant. He then deprived the city of her
for Him who gave it all the greater, so she privileges, and gave her dignity to her
bestowed every kind of attention on the neighbour, with the idea that thus he could
maimed and the mutilated, declining all aid inflict on her the greatest indignity, for Anti-
from her household and her guards, herself oeh from the earliest times had had a rival in
visiting the houses where the sufferers lodged, Laodicea.* He further threatened to burn and
and providing one with what he
every destrov the town and reduce it to the rank
required. went about the guest
She also of a village. The magistrates however had
chambers of the churches and ministered to arrested some men in the very act, and had
the wants of the sick, herself handling pots put them to death before the tragedy came
and pans, and tasting broth, now bringing to the emperor's ears. All these orders had
in a dish and breaking bread and ofieri ng been given by the Emperor, but had not
morsels, and washing out a cup and going been carried out because of the restriction
through all the other duties which are sup- imposed by the edict which had been made
posed to be proper to servants and maids. by the advice of the great Ambrosius.^ On
To them who strove to restrain her from the arrival of the commissioners who
doing these things with her own hands she 1 Flaccilla
died, as has been said, in Sept. 385. The revolt at
would say, " It befits a sovereign to distribute Thessalonica was in 390, and the disturbances at Antioeh in
'^''^ chapters of Theodoret do not follow chronological
gold ;I, for the sovereign power that has 3S7-
order.
been given me, am giving my own service to 2 More
probably the money was wanted to defray
the ex-
the Giver." To her husband, too, she was penses of magnificent fetes in honour of the young Arcadius,
including a liberal donation to the army. On the whole inci-
ever wont to say, " Husband, you ouglit dent see'Chrysostom's famous Homilies on the Statues.
3 The mob looted the baths, smashed the hanging lamps,
attacked the pra;torium, insulted the imperial portrait, and
1 Valesius remarks on this " Vera
quidem sunt qnee de tore down the bronze statues of Theodosius and his deceased
FlaccillcE AtigHstce znrtulibus hie refert Tlieodorctns. Sed wife from their pedestals, and dragged them through the
7iihil perlinetil ad hitnc loctim ; 7iam Flaccilla diti ante cladem streets. A " whiff" of arrows from the guard calmed the
Thessalonicensium ex hac luce migraverat, et post ejus ubituin oriental Paris of the 4th century.
Theodosius Gallam uxorem dttxerat." 1 i.e. the Laodicea on the
Syrian co.ast, so called after the
JEVi^x Flaccilla Augusta, Einpre^^s and Saint, is Plakilla in mother of Seleucus Nicator, and now Latakia.
the Greek historians, Placidia in Philostorgius. She died at Theodoret apparently refers to the advice given by Am-
Scituinis in Thrace, Sept. 14, 3S5. The outbreak at Thessa- brosius after the massacre of Thessalonica, which, as we have
at Antioeh.
lonica occurred in 390, said, took place three years (7/j(e;-the insurrection
VOL. III.
146 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [V. 20, 21.
brought the emperor's tlireats, Elebichus, executed by the magistrates. In relating

then a mihtary commander, and Ca^sariiis these events I have had a twofold object. I
prefect of the palace, styled by tlic Romans did not think it right to leave in oblivion the
magister ojficioriiin^ tlie whole popula- boldness of the illustrious monk, and I wished
tion shuddered in consternation. But the to point out the advantage of the edict which
athletes of virtue,'' dwelling at the foot of was put out by the advice of the great
the hill, of whom at that time there were Ambrosius.'
many of the best, made many supplica- CHAPTER XX.
tions and entreaties to the imperial officers.
Of the dcsfniction of the tanpks all over the
The most holy Macedonius, who was quite
unversed in the things of this life, and alto- E)npirc.
gether ignorant of the sacred oracles, living Now the right faithful emperor diverted
on the tops of the mountains, and night and his energies to resisting paganism, and
day oflering up pure prayers to the Saviour published edicts in which he ordered the
of all, was not in the least dismayed at the shrines of the idols to be destroyed. Con-
imperial violence, nor at all aiVected by the stantino the Great, most worthy of all eulogy,
power of the commissioners. As they rode was indeed the first to grace his empire with
into the middle of the town he caught hold true religion and when he saw the world
;
of one of them by the cloak and bade both of still given over to foolishness he issued a
them dismount. At the sight of a little old general prohibition against the oflering of
man, clad in common
rags, they were at first sacrifices to the idols. He had not, how-
some of those who were con-
indignant, but ever, destroyed the temples, though he
ducting them informed them of the high ordered them to be kept shut. His sons
character of Macedonius, and then they followed in their father's footsteps. Jidian
sprang from their horses, caught hold of his restored the false faith and rekindled the
knees, and asked his pardon. The old man, flame of the ancient fraud. On the accession
urged on by divine wisdom, spoke to them of Jovian he once more placed an interdict
in the following terms: " Say, dear sirs, to on the worship of idols, and Valentinian the
the emperor you are not only an emperor,
;
Great governed Europe with like laws.
you are also a man. Bethink you, there- Valens, however, allowed every one else to
fore, not only of your sovereignty, but also worship any way they would and to honour
of your nature. You are a man, and you their various objects of adoration. Against
reign over your fellow men. Now the the champions of the Apostolic decrees alone
nature of man is formed after the image and he persisted in waging war. Accordingly
likeness of God. Do not, therefore, thus during the whole period of his reign the altar
fire was lit, libations and sacrifices were
savagely and cruelly order the massacre of
God's image, for by punishing His image oflered to idols, public feasts were celebrated
you will anger the Maker. Think how you in the forum, and votaries initiated in the
are acting thus in your wrath for the sake of orgies of Dionysus ran about in goat-skins,
a brazen image. Now all who are endued mangling hounds in Bacchic frenzy, and
with reason know how far a lifeless image generally behaving in such a way as to show
is inferior to one alive and gifted with soul the iniquity of their master. When the
and sense. Take into account, too, that for right faithful Theodosius found all these
one image of bronze we can easily make evils he pulled them up by the roots, and
many more. Even you yourself cannot make consigned them to oblivion.^
one single hair of the slain."
After the good men had heard these words CHAPTER XXL
they reported them
the emperor, and
to
quenched the flame of his rage. Instead of Of Marcellus, bishop of Apainea, and the idols*
his threats he wrote a defence, and explained temph's destroyed by him.
the cause of his anger. " It was not
right," The first of the bishops to put the edict
said he, " because I was in error, that in-
in force and destroy the shrines in the city
dignity should be inflicted after her death on
a woman so worthy of the highest praise. 1 cf. note on page 145.
Valesius remarks " Lotin't^ hie falh'tur Thcodorcliis quasi
They that were aggrieved ought to have acditio Aniiochcna post TUt-ssaloniccnsem cladem contigerit."
- '" Extal oratio Libanii ad
armed their anger against me." The em- tmperatoretn Theodosium pro
teinplts in qua docet quomodo se gesserint impcraiores
peror further added that he was grieved and Christiani erga paffanos. El ConstantiiiHm quidem Magnum
ait duntaxat spoliasse tcmpla. Const ant turn vera ejus jfilium
distressed when he heard that some had been prohilnnssc Sacrificia : rjusque legem a secutis imperatoribus
et ah ipsomet Tlieodosio esse observatam ; re/iqua vera
' i.e. master of the household, permissa Juissc paganis, id est turificationem et publicas
s i.e. the ascetic monks. epn/as." Valesius.
committed to his care was Marcellus, trust- sleep. Marcellus forthwith hurried to the
ing rather in God than in the hands of a church, ordered water to be poured into a
multitude. The occurrence is remarkable, pail, and placed the water upon the divine
and I shall proceed to narrate it. On the altar. Then, bending his head to the ground,
death of John, bishop of Apamea, whom I he besought the loving Lord in no way to
have already mentioned, the divine Mar- give in to the usurped power of the demon,
cellus, fervent in spirit,^ according to the but to lay bare its weakness and exhibit His
apostolic law, was appointed in his stead. own strength, lest unbelievers should hence-
Nov^ there had arrived at Apamea the pre- forth find excuse for greater
wrong. With
fect of the East'- with two tribunes and their these and other like words he made the
sign
troops. Fear of the troops kept the people of the cross over the water, and ordered
quiet. An
attempt was made to destroy the Equitius, one of his deacons, who was
vast and magnificent shrine of Jupiter, but armed with faith and enthusiasm, to take
the building was so firm and solid that to the water and sprinkle it in faith, and then
break up its closely compacted stones seemed apply the flame. His orders were obeyed,
beyond the power of man for they were ;
and the demon, unable to endure the approach
huge and well and truly laid, and moreover of the water, fled. Then the fire, affected
clamped fast with iron and lead.^ by foe the water as though it had been
its
Whenthe divine Marcellus saw that the caught the wood, and consumed it in an
oil,
prefect was afraid to begin the attack, he instant. When their support had vanished
sent him on to the rest of the towns, while he
the columns themselves fell down, and
himself prayed to God to aid him in the dragged other twelve with them. The
work of destruction. Next morning there side of the temple which was connected
came uninvited to the bishop a man who was with the columns was dragged down by the
no builder, or mason, or artificer of any violence of their fall, and carried away with
them. The crash, which was tremendous,
kind, but only a labourer who carried stones
and timber on his back. " Give me," said was heard throughout the town, and all ran
he, "two workmen's pay; and I promise to see the sight. No sooner did the multi-
you I will easily destroy the temple." The tude hear of the flight of the hostile demon
holy bishop did as he was asked, and the than they broke out into a hymn of praise to
following was the fellow's contrivance. God.
Round the four sides of the temple went a Other shrines were destroyed in like
portico united to it, and on wdiich its upper manner by this holy bishop. Though I have
story rested.* The columns were of great many other most admirable doings of this
bulk, commensurate with the temple, each holyman to relate, —
for he wrote letters to
being sixteen cubits in circumference. The the victorious martyrs, and received replies
quality of the stone was exceptionally hard, from them, and himself won the martyr's
and offering great resistance to the masons' crown, —
for the present I hesitate to nar-
tools. In each of these the man made an rate them, lest by over prolixity I weary the
opening all round, propping up the super- patience of those into whose hands my
structure with olive timber before he went on history may fall.
to another. After he had hollowed out three I will therefore now pass to another sub-
of the columns, he set fire to the timbers. ject.
But a black demon appeared and would not
suffer the wood to be consumed, as it naturally
CHAPTER XXII.
would be, by the fire, and stayed the force of 0/ Thcophilus, bisJwp of Alexandria, and what
the flame. After the attempt had been made happened at the demolition of the idols in that
several times, and the plan was proved city.
ineffectual, news of the failure was brought
to the bishop, who was taking his noontide
The
illustrious Athanasius was succeeded
by the admirable Fetrus, Petrus by Timo-
theus, and Timotheus by Theophilus, a man
* Romans xii. 11. of sound wisdom and of a lofty courage.*
2 Valesius points out that this was Cynegius, prefect of the
East, who was sent by Theodosius to effect the closin<^ of the By him Alexandria was set free from the
idols' temples, cf. Zos : iv. error of idolatry for, not content with razing
2 Kal We
olSijpu Kai ti.o\ifi&{o wpoaSeSefjLti'oi. arc reminded of
;
the idols' temples to the ground, he exposed

the huge cramps whicli must at one time have bound the stones
of the Colosseum, — the ruins being pitted all over by the the tricks of the priests to the victims of
holes made by the middle-age pillagers who lore them away.
* I do
not understand the description of this temple and its their wiles. For they had constructed
destruction precisely as (Jibbon does. " SiopvTTuii' " does not
seem to mean " undermining the foundalinns "
St. Matthew
;
" The
perpetual enemy ot peace and virtue."
'
Gibbon,
and St. Luke use it of the thieves who "dig thiou>;h" or High office deteriorated his character, cf. Newman. Hist.
" brealt
in." The word = dig through, and so into. Sketches iii.
L 2
statues of bronze and wood hollow within, CHAPTER XXHL

and fastened the backs of thcni to the temple
0/ Flavianus bishop of Aittioch and of the
walls, leaving in these walls certain invisi-
scditio7i which arose i}i the westei-t2 Church
ble openings. Then coming up from their
on account of Paidinus.
secret chambers they got inside the statues,
and through them gave anv order they At Antioch the great Meletius had been
liked and the hearers, tricked and cheated, succeeded
by Flavianus who, together with
obeyed.^ These tricks the wise Theophilus Diodorus, had undergone great struggles for
exposed to the people. the salvation of the sheep. Paulinus had
Moreover he went up into the temple of indeed desired to receive the
bishopric, but
Serapis, which has been described by some as he was withstood by the clergy on the
excelling in size and beauty all the temples in ground that it was not right that Meletius
the world.- There he saw a huge image of at his death should be succeeded
by one
which the bulk struck beholders with terror, who did not share his
opinions, and that
increased by a lying report which got abroad to the care of the flock
ought to be advanced
that if any one approached it, there would be he who was
conspicuous for man}' toils,
a great eartliquake, and that all the people and had run the risk of
many perils for the
would be destroyed. The bishop looked on Thus a lasting hostility arose
sheeps' sake.
all these tales as the mere drivelling of tipsy
among the Romans and the Egyptians
old women, and in utter derision of the lifeless
against the East, and the ill feeling was not
monster's enormous size, he told a man who even
destroyed on the death of Paulinus.
had an axe to give Serapis a good blow with After him when had occupied his
it.^ No sooner had the man struck, than all see, hostility wasEvagrius
still shewn to the great
the folk cried out, for they were afraid of the
Flavianus, notwithstanding the fact that the
threatened catastrophe. Serapis however, promotion of Evagrius was a violation of the
who had received the blow, felt no pain, law of the Church, for he had been promoted
inasmuch as he was made of wood, and ut-
by Paulinus alone in disregard of many
tered never a word, since he was a lifeless canons. For a dying bishop is not per-
block. His head was cut off, and forthwith mitted to ordain another to take his
place,
out ran multitudes of mice, for the Egyptian and all the
bishops of a province are ordered
god was a dwelling place for mice. Serapis to be convened again no ordination of a ;
was broken into small pieces of which some

bishop is permitted to take place without three
were committed to the flames, but his head Nevertheless they refused to take
bishops.
was carried through all the town in sight of
cognizance of any of these laws, embraced
his worshippers, who mocked the weakness the communion of
Evagrius, and filled the
of him to whom they had bowed the knee. ears of the
emperor with complaints against
Thus all over the world the shrines of the
Flavianus, so that, being frequently im-
idols were destroyed.^ he summoned him to Constan-
portuned,
I
In the museum at Naples is shewn part of a statue of tinople,and ordered him to repair to Rome.
Diana, found near the Forum at Pompeii. In the back of Flavianus, however, urged in reply that
the head is a hole by means of a tube in connexion with
which, —
tlie image standing against a wall, —
the priests were it was now winter, and promised to obey the
supposed to deliver the oracles of the I luntress-Maid.

It is curious to note tliat just at this period when the Pagan
command in spring. He then returned
idols were destroyed, faint traces of image worship begin to home. But when the bishops of Rome,
appear in the Church. In ;mother two centuries and a half it was
becoming common, and in this particular point, Christianitv not only the admirable Damasus, but
also
relapsed into paganism. Littledalc Plain Reasons, p. 47.
' " A
Siricius his successor and Anastasius the
great number of plates of diflerent metals, artificially
joined together, composed the majestic figure of the deity, successor of Siricius, importuned the em-
who touched on either side the walls of the sanctuary. more vehemently and represented
Serapis was distinguished from Jupiter by the basket or peror
bushel which was placed on his head, and by tlie emblematic that, while he put down the rivals
monster which he held in his hand the head and against
right body
of a serpent branching into three tails, which were again ter- his own authority, he suffered bold rebels
;
minated by the triple heads of a a and a wolf."

dog,
Gibbon, on the authority of .Macrobius Sat.
lion,
20.
i.
against the laws of Christ to maintain their
s Gibbon
ijuotcs the story of Augustus in Plin. Nat. Hist, usurped
" Is it true," said the authority, then he sent for him
xxxiii. 24. to a veteran
at whose home he supped,
" that the emperor
man who gave the first again and tried to force him to undertake
blow to the golden statue of Anaitis was instantly deprived
of his eyes and of his life.' " " I was that man," replied the
the journey to Rome. On this Flavianus
clear sighted veteran, " and you now sup on one of the legs of
the goddess." cf. the account in IJcde of the destruction ways or mostly broken. At Binchester, for instance, the
l>y the priest Coify of the great image of the Sa.xon god at Roman Vinovium, not far from Durham, tliere was found
Goodmanham in Yorkshire. among the remains of an important Roman building a stone
" Some twenty the Koman armies with- statue of the goddess Flora, with its legs broken, lying face
years before
••
drew from Britain tlie triumph of Christianity was completed. downward across a drain as a support to the masonry above.
Then (piestion occurs whether archaeology casts any
,1 It would certainly not be wise to press arcliwological facts too
light on the discomfiture of Roman paganism in Britain. In far; but the broken gods in Britain curiously tally with the
proof of the affirm.ative a curious fact has been adduced, that edicts of 'I'hcodosius and the shattered Serapis at Alexandria,"
the statues of pagan divinities discovered in Britain are al- Hole Early Missions, p. 24.
in his great wisdom spoke very boldly, and CHAPTER XXIV.

said,
"•
If, sir, there are some who accuse
me of being unsound in the faith, or of life Of the tyranny of Eugenius and the victory
won through faith by the emperor Theodosius.
and conversation unworthy of the priest-
hood, I vvill accept my accusers themselves In this manner the peace of the churches
for judges, and will submit to whatever was secured by tlie most religious emperor.
sentence they may give. But if they are Before the establishment of peace he had
contending about see and primacy I will not heard of the death of Valentinianus and of
contest the point I will not oppose those the usurpation of Eugenius and had marched
;
who wish to take them I will give way and for Europe.^
;
resign my bishopric. So, sir, give the epis- At this time there lived in Egypt" a man
copal throne of Antioch to whom you will." of the name of John, who had embraced the
The emperor admired his manliness and ascetic life. Being full of spiritual grace, he
wisdom, and bade him go home again, and foretold many future events to persons who
tend the chinxh committed to his care. from time to time came to consult him. To
After a considerable time had elapsed the him the Christ-loving emperor sent, in his
emperor arrived at Rome, and once more anxiety to know whether he ought to make
encountered the charges advanced by the war against the tyrants. In the case of the
bishops on the ground that he was making former war he foretold a bloodless victory.
no attempt to put down the tyranny of In that of the second he predicted that the
Flavianus. The emperor ordered them to emperor would only win after a great
set forth the nature of the tyranny, saying slaughter. With this expectation the em-
that he himself v/as Flavianus and had be- peror set out, and, while drawing up his
come his protector. The bishops rejoined forces, shot down many of his opponents,
that it was impossible for them to dispute but lost many of his barbarian allies.'^
with the emperor. He then exhorted them When his generals represented that the
in future to join the churches in concord, forces on their side were few and recom-
put an end to the quarrel, and quench the mended him to allow some pause in the
fires of an useless controversy. Paulinus, he campaign, so as to muster an army at the
pointed out, had long since departed beginning of spring and out-number the
this life ;
Evagrius had been irregularly enemv, Theodosius refused to listen to their
advice. " For it is " to
promoted ;
the eastern churches accepted wrong," said he,
Flavianus as their bishop. Not only the charge the Cross of Salvation with such
east but all Asia, Pontus, and Thrace were infirmity, for it is the cross which leads our
united in communion with him, and all troops, and attribute such power to the
Illyricum recognised his authority over the image of Hercules which is at the head of
oriental bishops. In submission to these the forces of our foe." Thus in right faith
counsels the western bishops promised to he spoke, though the men left him were few
bring their hostility to a close and to receive in number and much discouraged. Then
the envoys who should be sent them. when he had found a little oratory, on the
When Flavianus had been informed of top of the hill where his camp was pitched,
this decision he despatched to Rome certain he spent the whole night in prayer to the
worthy bishops with presbyters and deacons God of all.
of Antioch, giving the chief authority among About cock-crow sleep overcame him, and
them to Acacius bishop of Beroea, who was as he lay upon the ground he thought he saw
famous throughout the world. On the
Valentinian II. was strangled while bathing in the Rhone
arrival of Acacius and his party at Rome
'
at Viennc, May 15, 392. Philost. xi. i. cf. Soc.v.25; Soz. vii. 22.
they put an end to the protracted quarrel, Arbogastes, his Prankish Master of the Horse, who had
instigate'tl his murder, set up the pagan professor Eugenius to
and after a war of seventeen years gave '
succeed him. Theodosius did not march to meet the murderer
meanwhile his
the Egyptians of his young brother-in-law till June, 394, and Galla
peace to the churches. When Empress Galla died, leaving a little daughter, Placidia.
were informed of the reconciliation they too 2 i.e. at
Lycopolis, the modern Siut, in the Thebaid. The
envoy was the Eunuch Eutropius. Soz. vii. 22. Claud, i.
312.
gave up their opposition, and gladly ac- 3 " Theodosius marclied
north-westwards, as before, up the
cepted the agreement which was made. valley of the Save, and to the city of .ACmona."
" Not there did he meet his
(Laybach.)
foes, but at a place about thirty
At that time Anastasius had been suc- miles off, half-way between ^mona and Aquileia, where the
ceeded in the primacy of the Roman Church Julian Alps are crossed, and where a little stream called the
"Frigidus, (now the Wipbach, or Vipao) bursts suddenly from
by Innocent, a man of prudence and ready a limestone hill. Mere the battle was joined between Eugenius
and his prankish ])atron and Theodosius with his 20,000
wit. Theophilus, whom I have previously Gothic fcederati and the rest of the army of the East. Gainas,
mentioned, held the see of Alexandria.^ Saul, Bacurius, Alaric, were the chief leaders of the Teutonic
troops. The first day of battle fell heavily on the fotderati of
i.e. from 3S1, when Flavianus was appointcil to the see of
'
Theodosius, half of whom were left dead upon the field."
Antioch, to 39S, the date of the mission of Acacius, Hodgkin Dynasty of Theodosius, p. 131. This was Sept.
Chap. xxii. He succeeded in July, 385.
2 vide
S. 394-
ISO THE TXCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [V. 24.
two men in white raiment riding upon white The imperial forces on the otlier hand did
horses, who bade him be of good cheer, (hive not receive the slightest injury from the
away his fear, and at dawn arm and marshal storm, and vigorously attacked and slew the
his men for battle. "For," said they, "we foe. The vanquished tiien recognised tlie di-
have been sent to fight for you," and one vine help given to their conquerors, flung
" I am
said, John the evangelist," and the away their arms, and begged the emperor
" I am Theodosius then yielded to
other, Philip the apostle." for quarter.
After he had seen this vision the emperor and had compassion on them,
their entreaty
ceased not his supplication, but pursued it and ordered them to bring the tyrant imme-
with still greater eagerness. The vision was diately before him. Eugenius was ignorant
also seen by a soldier in the ranks who re- of how the day had gone, and when he saw
The centurion his men running up the hillock where he sat,
ported it to his centurion.
all out of breath, and shewing their eagerness
brought him to the tribune, and the trilnnic
to the general. The general supposed that by their panting, he took tiieni for messengers
he was relating something new, and re})(n-ted of victory, and asked if they had brought The-
the story to the emperor. Then said Theo- odosius in chains, as he had ordered. " No,"
" Not for sake has this vision said "we are not him to
dosius, my they, bringing you,
been seen by man, for I have put my but we are come to carry you oil" to him, for
this
trust in them that promised me the victory. so the great Ruler has ordained." Even as
But that none may have supposed me to have they spoke they lifted him from his chariot,
invented this vision, because of my eagerness put chains upon him, and carried him ofl'
for the battle, the protector of my empire has thus fettered, and led away the vain boaster
given the information to this man too, that of a short hour ago, now a prisoner of war.
he may bear witness to the truth of what I The emperor reminded him of the wrongs
say when I tell you that fust to me did our he had done Valentinianus, of his usurped au-
Lord vouchsafe this vision. Let us then thority, and of the wars which he liad waged
fling asideour fear. Let us follow our front against the tightful emperor. He ridiculed
rank and our generals. Let none weigh the also the figure of Hercules and the foolish
chance of victory by the number of the men confidence it had inspired and at last pro-
engaged, but let every man bethink him of nounced the sentence of right and lawful
the power of the leaders." punishment.
He spoke in similar terms vSuch was Theodosius in peace and in war,
to his men,
and with high ever asking and never refused tiie help of
after thus inspiring all his host
hope, led them down from the crest of the God.'
hill. The tyrant saw the army coming to Here was a crucial contest between pag-anisiii and Chris
'
attack him from a distance, and then armed ti.inity, wliich niipfht seem a " iioiiiis Jii^nits vindicc Deo."
his forces and drew them up for battle. On
He Claudian, a
tlio p:iit phiyed by storms in hislnry vide note on page 103.
pagan, was content to aclcnowledge tlie fintrer of

himself remained on some elevated ground, providence in llie rout of Kugcnius, and, apostrophizing
Ilonorius, exclaims
and said that the emperor was desirous of " Te
propter ffcUJh dc moult' froccllis
death, and was coming into battle because Aijiiilo
Ohritit in/rir\iis <icics, rLi'o/iidn/iw tela
he wished to be released from this present Vcrtit ill mil lores, el tnrhiiie repnlit /iiislas.
O iiiiiiirnii dileete J>eo, ei/i Imii/il n/^ mitris
life so he ordered his generals to bring him
:
yEoliis tirinnliis hyemes' etii nii/iliil telJier
alive and in chains. When
the forces were Ei coiijiiruli remi'iil ad elassiea ve/ill."
vii. .jv
" revo/uia tela" fmui a

Augustine says be heard of tho
drawn up in battle array those of the enemy soldiir oni;aircil in Hie b.iltle. The appearance of St.]ohn
appeared by far the more luimerous, and tlie and St. IMiilip tinds a paL;:iM parallel ui that of the "great
twin brcllaeii " at Lake liegillus.
tale of the emperor's troops might be easily " So like
told. Hut when botli sides had begun to dis- they were, no mortal
Might one from other know :
charge their weapons the front rank proved While as snow their armour was,
their promises true. A
violent wind blew
to
Their steeds were white as snow."
St. the Great on a
Accoriling Spanish story James fought
right in the faces of the foe, and diverted milk-white cliarger, waving a white Hag, at the battle of
their arrows and javelins and so that C'lavijo, in 939. cf. Mrs. Jameson Sacred and Legendary Art,
spears,
no missile was of any use to them, and Sozomen (vii. 24) relates how at the very hour of the hght,
church which Theodosius had built near Constantinople
neither trooper nor arclier nor spearman was to the
at
enshrine tlii' head of lnhn the IJaptist Ccf. note on p. >)6j, a
able to inflict any damage upon the empe- demoniac insulted the saint, taunting him with having had his
head cut oil, and said " ymi conquer me and ensnare my
ror's army. Vast clouds of dust, too, were army." On this jortin remarks " either the devil and Sozo-
carried into their faces, compelling them to men, or else 'riicodorel, seem to have made a mistake, for the
two first ascribe the victorv to John the Baptist and the third
shut their eyes and protect them from attack. to John the Evangelist." Rcinlirks ii. 165,
V. 25-27.] OF THEODORET. 151
CHAPTER XXV. CHAPTER XXVn.

Of the death of the Emperor Thcodosius}
Of the piety of the emperor Areadius and the
After this victory Theoclosius fell sick ordination of John Chrysostoni.
and divided his empire between his sons,
assigning to the elder the sovereignty which On the death at Constantinople of Nee- .
he had wielded himself and to the

younger tarius, bishop of that see, Arcadius, who
the throne of Europe.^ had succeeded to the Eastern
empire, sum-
He charged both to hold fast to the true moned John, the great luminary of the
" for "
religion, by its means," said he, peace world. He had heard that he was numbered
is'
preserved, war is stopped, foes are in the ranks of the presbyterate, and now
routed, trophies are set up and victory is issued orders to the assembled bishops to
proclaimed." After giving this charge to confer on him divine grace, and appoint him
his sons he died, leaving behind him
imper- shepherd of that mighty city.^
ishable fame. This fact is alone sufficient to show the
His successors in the empire were also emperor's care for divine At the
things.
inheritors of his piety. same time the see of Antioch was held by
Flavianus, and that of Laodicea by Elpidius,
who had formerly been the comrade of
CHAPTER XXVI. the great Meletius, and had received the
impress of his life and conversation more
Of Honorius the emperor and Telemachus the plainly than wax takes the
impression of a
monk. seal ring.-
Honorius, who inherited the empire of He succeeded the great Pelagius ^ and ;
a com the divine Marcellus* was followed

Europe, put stop to the gladiatorial by the
bats which had long been held at Rome. illustrious Agapetus whom I have already
^
The occasion of his doing so arose from the described as conspicuous for high ascetic
following circumstance. A
certain man of virtue. In the time of the tempest of heresy,
the name of Telemachus had embraced the of Scleucia ad Taurum, Maximus,® the com-
ascetic life. He had set out from the East panion of the great John, was bishop, and
and for this reason had repaired to Rome. of Mopsuestia Theodorus,' both illustrious
There, when the abominable spectacle was teachers. Conspicuous, too, in wisdom and
being exhibited, he went himself into the character was the holy Acacius,® bishop of
stadium, and, stepping down into the arena, Beroca.
endeavoured to stop the men who were Leontius,^ a shining example of many
wielding their weapons against one another. virtues, tended the flock of the Galatians.
The spectators of the slaughter were indig-
1 Nectarius
died in Sept. 397, and John Chrysostom was
nant, and inspired by the mad fury of the in Feb. 39S. cf. Soc. vi. 2 and Soz. viii. 2.
demon who delights in those bloody deeds, appointed
"The only difficulty lay with Chrysostom himself and the
stoned the peacemaker to death. people ol Antioch. The double danger of a decided nolo '
episcopari^ on Chrysostom's part, and of a commotion

When the admirable emperor was in- when tlie Antiocheans heard of the intentionpublic
of their
of robbing them
favourite preacher was overcome
formed of he numbered Telemachus in Asterius, the Comes Orientis, in accordance by
this
stratagem.
with instruc-
the army of victorious martyrs, and tions received from induced to
put an accompany him to a martyr's chapel outside Chrysostom
Eutropius,
the city walls.
end to that impious spectacle. There he was appreliended by the officers of the government,
and to the first
conveyed station on
Papae, post the road to
Constantinople. His remonstrances were unheeded; his
iTheodosius died of dropsy at Milan, Jan. 17,395. "The enquiries met with obstinate silence. Placed in a public chariot,
character of Thcodosius is one of the most perplexing in and hurried on under a military escort from stage to stage, the
history. The church historians have hardly a word of blame for Soo miles traversed with the utmost dispatch, the future bishop
him except in tlie matter of the massacre of Thessalonica, and reached his imperial see a closely guarded prisoner. However
that seems to be almost atoned for in their eyes by its perpe- unwelcome the dignity thrust on him was, Chrysostom, know-
trator's penitent submission to ecclesiastical censure. On the ing that resistance was useless, felt it more dignified to submit
other hand the heathen historians, represented by Zosimus, without further struggle."
condemn in the most unmeasured terms his insolence, his love
of pleasure, his pride, and hint at the scandalous immorality of "
" It is the fashion to call Chrysostom was consecrated February 26th A.D. 39S, in the
his life." him the Great, and we presence of a vast multitude assembled not only to witness the
may admit that he has as good a right to that title as Lewis ceremony but also to listen to the Inaugural sermon of one of
XIV., a monarch whom in some respects he pretty closely re- whose eloquence they had heard so much. This ' sermo enthron-
sembles. But it seems to me that it would be safer to withhold isticns' is lost." Diet. Christ. Biog. s. v. " Chrysostom."
this title from both sovereigns, and to call them not the Great, -
Elpidius, possibly a kind of domestic chaplain (o-uo-ktji/os)
but the Magnificent." Hodgkin, Dynasty of Theodosins 133. . to Meletius, was afterwards a warm friend and advocate of
The great champion of orthodoxy, he was no violent per- Chrysostom. In 406 he was deposed and imprisoned for three
secutor, and received at his death from a grateful paganism years, and not restored till 414.
the official honours of apotheosis. 3 Vide note on p. 15. 1
^ Arcadius was now
eighteen, and Honorius eleven. Arca- ^ Marcellus was bishop of Apamea.
dius reigned at Constantinople, the puppet of Rufinus, the ' Succeeded his brother Marcellus in 39S. cf. note on p. 12S
Eunuch Eutropius, and liis Empress, Eudoxia. and Relig. Hist. 3.
Honorius was established at Milan, till the approach of ° Soc. vi. 3 ;
Soz. viii, 2.
' Vide p. 159. » Vide p. laS.
Alaric drove him to Ravenna. (402.) 8 Of Ancyra cf. Soii. vi, iS; and viii, 30.
152 THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY [V. 28-32.
CHAPTER XXVIIL over. Appointing presbyters and deacons

and readers of the divine oracles who spoke
Of Johu^s boldness for God. the Scythian tongue, he assigned a church
When to them,' and by their means won
the great Jolin had received the many
tiller of the Church, he boldly convicted
from their error. He used freciucntly him-
certain wrong doers, made seasonable exhor- self to visit it and preach there, using an
tations to the emperor and empress, and interpreter who was skilled in both lan-
admonislied the clergy to live according to guages, and he got other good speakers to
the laws laid down. do the same. This was his constant practice
Transgressors against
these laws he forbade to approach the in the city, and many of those who had
churches, urging that they who shewed no
been deceived he rescued by pointing out to
tlesire to live thelife of true
them the truth of the ajôstolic preaching.
priests ought
not to enjoy priestly honour. He acted with
this care for the church not
only in Constan- CHAPTER XXXI.
tinople, but throughout the whole of Thrace,
which is divided into six provinces, and like- Of his care for the Scythians and his zeal
wise of Asia, which is governed by eleven against the Marcionists.
governors. Pontica too, which has a like On learning that some of the Nomads en-
number of rulers with Asia, was happily camped along the Danube were for thirsty
brought by him under the same discipline.' salvation, but had none to bring them the
stream, John sought out men who were filled
CHAPTER XXIX. with a love of labour like that which had
distinguished the apostles, and gave them
Of the idol temples which were destroyed charge of the work. I have myself seen a
by John in Phccnicia. letter written by him to Leontius,
bishop of
On receiving information that Phoenicia Ancyra, in which he described the conver-
was still sulfering from the madness of the sion of the Scythians, and begged that fit
demons' rites, John got together certain men for their instruction might be sent.
monks who were fired with divine zeal, On hearing that in our district" some men
armed them with imperial edicts and were infected with the plague of Marcion he
wrote to the then bishop charging him to
despatched them against the idols' shrines.
The money which was required to pay the drive out the plague, and proffering him the
craftsmen and their assistants who were en- aid of the imperial edicts. I have said
gaged in the work of destruction was not enough to show how, to use the words of the
taken by John from imperial resources, but divine apostle, he carried in his heart
" the
^
he persuaded certain wealthy and faithful care of all the churches."
women to make liberal His boldness may also be learnt from other
contributions, point-
ing out to tiieni how great would be the sources.
blessing their generosity would win.
Thus the remaining shrines of the demons CHAPTER XXXII.
were utterly destroy cd." demand made
Of the by Gain as and of John
ChrysostonCs reply.
CHAPTER XXX. One Gainas, a Scythian, but still more
Of the church of the Goths. barbarous in character, and of cruel and vio-
lent disposition, was at that time a
It was perceived by John that the military
commander. Pic had inider him many of
vScythians were involved in the Arian net his own fellow-countrymen, and with them
;
he therefore devised counter contrivances

commanded the Roman cavalry and infantry.
and discovered a means of winning them
He was an object of terror not only to all
Valcsius points out that those comnicntntors have been in the rest but even to the
'
error wlio have ."-iippiiscd Tlicixiorctiis to be referring iicrc to emperor himself,

eccUniaslical divisions and ollicers. who suspected him of aiming at usurpation.
Chrysostoiii is liere distinctly described as asscrtinj;' and
" diiLceses " of He was a participator in the Arian pest,
exercising a jurisdiction over the civil Fontica,
Asia, and 'rhrace. But tlic quasi patriarcliatewas at tliis time and requested the emperor to grant him the
only honorary. Only so late as at the recent council at Constan-
use of one of the churches. Arcadius re-
tinople (,?Si) had its bishop, previously under the metropolitan
of Perinthus, been declared to rank next after the
liisliop of plied that he would see to it and have it done.
Kome, the metropolitans of Alexandria and Antioch standing
next, but it was not till the Council of Chalccdon that the He then sent for the divine John, told him
dicpccses " of Pontus, Asia, and Thrace were
]' formally sub-
jected to the see of Constantinople. 1 The Church of St. Paul. Horn. xii. pp. 512-526.
2 The
imperial edict for the destruction of the Phoenician 2 i.e. at Cyrus.
Temples was obtained in 399. ' II. Cor.xi. 28.
V. 0J» 14.] OF THEODORET. 153
of the request that had been made, reminded CHAPTER XXXIII.

him of the power of Gainas, hinted at the
Of the ambassagc of Clujsostovi to Gainas.
usurpation which was being aimed at, and
besought him to bridle the anger of the bar- Then when every one else was passed
barian by this concession.^ " But," said that over because of the universal panic, this
noble man, " attempt, sir, no such promise, great chief was persuaded to undertake the
nor order what is holy to be given to the ambassage. He took no heed of the dis-
I will never suffer the worshippers
dogs.- pute which has been related, nor of the ill
and praisers of the Divine Word to be ex- feeling which it had engendered, and readily
pelled and their church to be given to them set out for Thrace. No sooner did Gainas
that blaspheme Him. Have no fear, sir, ofhear of the arrival of the envoy than he
that barbarian call us both, me and him, be-
;
bethought him of the bold utterance which
fore you listen in silence to what is said, he had made on behalf of true He
;
religion.
and I will both curb his tongue and persuade came eagerly from a great distance to meet
him not to ask what it is wrong to grant." him, placed his right hand upon his eyes,
The emperor was delighted with what and brought his children to his saintly knees.
Chrysostom said, and on the next day sum- So is it the nature of goodness to put even
moned both the bishop and the general be- those who are most opposed to it to the
fore him. Gainas began to request the ful- blush and vanquish them. But envy could
filment of the promise, but the great John not endure the bright
rays of his philosophy.
said in reply that the emperor, who pro- It
put in practice its wonted wiles and
fessed the true religion, had no right to ven-
deprived of his eloquence and his wisdom
ture on any act against it. Gainas rejoined the imperial city aye indeed the whole
—
that he also must have a place to pray in. world. ^
" "
Why," said the great John, every church
is open to you, and nobody prevents you CHAPTER XXXIV.
from praying there when you are so dis-
" But
I," said Gainas,
"
belong to
Of the events which happened on account of
posed."
another sect, and I ask to have one church Chrysostom.
vvith them, and surely I who undergo so At this part of my history I know not
many toils in war for Romans may fairly what sentiments to entertain wishful as I ;
make such a request." " But," said the am to relate the wrong inflicted on Chrysos-
bishop, "you have greater rewards for your tom, I yet regard in other respects the high
labours, you are a general you are vested character of those who wronged him.
; I
in the consular robe, and you must consider shall therefore do my best to conceal even
what you were formerly and what you are their names.^ These persons had different
—
now your indigence in the past and your reasons for their hostility, and were unwilling
present prosperity what kind of raiment
; to contemplate his brilliant virtue. They
you wore before you crossed the Ister, and found certain wretches who accused him,
what you are robed in now. Consider, I and, perceiving the openness of the calumny,
say, the littleness of your labours and the held a meeting at a distance from the city
greatness of your rewards, and be not un- and pronounced their sentence.^
thankful to them who have shewn you hon- The emperor, who had confidence in the
our." With these words the teacher of the clei'gy,ordered him to be banished. So
world silenced Gainas, and compelled him to Chrysostom without having heard the charges
,
stand dumb. In process of time, however, brought against him, or brought forward his
he made known the rebellion which he had
1 It is not clear where the mission of
Chrysostom to Gainas
long had at heart, gathered his forces in should be placed. Gainas attacked the capital by sea and by
their own church, and
Thrace, and went out ravaging and plunder- land, but his
he was repulsed.
Gotlis were massacred in
He was finally defeated and slain in
ing in very many directions. At news of Jan. 401.
this there arose an universal panic among The foes of Chrysostom were
2
The empress Eudoxia, jealous of his power;

(i)
both princes and subjects, and no one was The jjreat ladies on whose toilettes of artifice and
(ii)
extravasant licentiousness he had poured his sdorn among
found willing to march against him no one ;
them being Marsa, Castricia, and Eugraphia;
;
thought it safe to approach him with an am- (iii) The baser clergy whom
his simplicity of life shamed,
notably Acncius of Heroea, whose hostility is traced by
bassage, for every one suspected his barba- Palladius to the meagre hospitality of the archiepiscopa'l
roufj character. palace at Constantinople, when the hungry guest exclaimed
"
eyu) oiiTaj apri/w \vjf>a.v"
—
"I'll pepper a pot for him!"
(Pall. 4Q.) and Theophilus of Alexandria, who had never for-
1
Thethree great officials, Aurelianus, Satuminus, and the given his elevation to the see, and Gerontius of Nicomedia
Count John had already surrendered themselves to the arrogant whom he had deposed.
" i.e. at the suburb of Chalcedon known as " the Oak." The
Got 1, and their lives had only been spared at the entreaty of
Chrysostom. charges included his calling the Empress Jezebel, and eating
sMatt. vii,6. a lozenge after the Holy Communion. Pallad. 66.
defence, was forced as though convicted on The body that had struggled so bravely
the accusations advanced against him to quit was buried by the side of the coffin of the
Constantinople,^ and departed to Hieron at martyred Basiliscus, for so the martyr had
the mouth of the Euxine, for so the naval ordained in a dream.
station is named. 1 think it needless to prolong my narrative
In the night there was a great earthquake by relating how many bishops were ex-
and the empress" was struck with terror. pelled from the church on Chrysostom's
Envoys were accordingly sent at daybreak account, and sent to live in the ends of the
to the banished bishop beseeching him to earth, or how many ascetic philosophers
return without delay to Constantinople, and were involved in the same calamities, and all
avert the peril from the town. After these the more because I think it needful to cur-
another party was sent and yet again others tail these hideous details, and to throw a veil
after them and the Bosphorus was crowded over the ill deeds of men of the same faith
with the couriers. When the faithful as our own. Punishment however did fall
people learned what was going on they on most of the guilty, and their sulferings
covered the mouth of the Propontis with were a means of good to the rest. This
their boats, and the whole population lighted great wrong was regarded with special detes-
up waxen torches and came forth to meet tation by the bishops of Europe, who sepa-
him. For the time indeed his banded foes rated themselves from communion with the
were scattered.^ guilty parties. In this action they were
But after the interval of a few months joined by all the bishops of Illyria. In the
they endeavoured to enact punishment, not East most of the cities shrank from participa-
for the forged indictment, but for his taking tion in the wrong, but did not make a rent
part in divine service after his deposition. in the body of the church.
The bishop represented that he had not On the death of the great teacher of the
pleaded, that he had not heard the indict- world, the bishops of the West refused to
ment, that he had made no defence, that he embrace the communion of the bishops of
had been condemned in his absence, that Egypt, of the East, of the Bosphorus, and in
he had been exiled by the emperor, and by Thrace, until the name of that holy man
the emperor again recalled. Then another had been inserted among those of deceased
vSynod met, and his opponents did not ask bishops. Arsacius his immediate successor
for a trial, but persuaded the emperor that they declined to acknowledge, but Atticus the
the sentence was lawful and right. Chrys- successor of Arsacius, after he had frequently
ostom was then not merely banished, but solicited the boon of peace, was after a time
relegated to a petty and lonely town in Ar- received when he had inserted the name in
menia of the name of Cucusus. Even from the roll.^
thence he was removed and deported to CHAPTER XXXV.
Pityus, a place at the extremity of the Euxine
and on the marches of the Roman Empire, Of Alexander, bishop of Antioch.
in the near neighbourhood of the wildest At this time the see of Alexandria was
savages. But the loving Lord did not suffer held by Cyril,
"
brother's son to Theophilus
the victorious athlete to be carried oM" to whom he succeeded at the same time Jeru-
;
when he had reached Comana

this islet, for
he was removed to the life that knows nor was issued June 5, 404. Cucusus (cf. p. ii. 4) is on the borders
of Cilicia and Armenia jNIinor. Gibbon says the three years
age nor pain." spent here were the " most
glorious of his life," so great was
the influence he wielded.
For three clays the people withstood his reinoval. At last
' In the winlei of 405 lie was driven with other fugitives from
lieslipped out by a postern, and, when a nod would liavc roused Cucusus through fear of Isaurian banditti, and tied some 60
rebellion, submitted to exile. But he was only deported a miles to Arabissus. Harly in 406 he returned. Eudoxia was
very little way. dead (t Oct. 4. 404) but other enemies were impatient at the
2 Eudoxia was the
daughter of Banto, a prankish general. old man's resistance to hardship. An Edict was procured
" ov Kara transferring the exile to Pityus, in the N.E. corner of the
I'hilostorgius (xi. 6), says that she Ttjv tou avipb?
*ccKecTO vuBiiav, a\\' ivr)v avTrj tou |3ap/3apiKoi/ i?pd<rous ovk Black Sea (now Soukoum in Transcaucasia) but Chrysostom's
oAt'yoi'." strength was imequal to the cruel hardships of the journey.
3 The proceedings of "the Oak" were declared null and Some five miles from Comana in Pontus (Tokat), clothed in
void, and the bishop was formally reinstated. 403. white robes, he expired in the chapel of the martyred bishop
Tlicodoret omits the second ortcnce to Eudoxia
< —his in- Basiliskus, Sept. 14. 407. Basiliskus was martyred in 312.
vectives on the dedication of her silver statue in front of St. •Atticus (l?p. of Constanlinopie 405-426) was forced by
in vi. So/,, viii.
" Once fear alike of tlie mob and the Emperor to consent to the resti-
Sophia Sept. 403. (Soc. iS. 20.)
aifain Ilcrodias runs wild; once again she dances; once again tution. His letters to Peter and ^'Edesius, deacon of Cyril of
she is in a hurry to get the head of ]ohn on a charger." Or Alexandria, and Cyril's reply, (Niceph. xiv. 26-27) -^""^ inter-
" would as soon
does the description of Ilerodias, and not Salome, as dancing, I'stiiig. Cyril put the name of Judas on the
indicate that the calumnious sentence was not really uttered rolls as that of Chrysostom." Diet. Christ. Biog. i. 209.
Cyril occupied the Episcojial throne of Alexandria from
2
by Chrysostom, but said to have been uttered by informers
whose Knowledge of the Gospels was incomplete? 413 to 444. 'I'lieodorctus could not be expected to allude to the
The discourse " in decollationew Baptislic yodiniis " is in withdrawal of the Roman legions from Britain in 401, or the
Migne Vol. viii. 485, but it is generally rejected as spurious. release of Britoins from their allegiance by Honorius in 410.
The circumstances of the deposition will be found in The sack of Home by the Goths in the latter year might have
Palladius, and in Chrysostoin's Ep. ad Innocent. The edict however claimed a passing notice.
V. z6.-\ OF THEODORET. 155
salem was occupied by John in succession ^

city,and once again the faithful crowd turn-
to Cyril wlioni we have formerly mentioned. ing the sea asit were into land
by their close
Tlie Antiochenes were under the care of packed boats, covered the mouth of the
Alexander " whose life and conversation Bosphorus towards the Propontis with their
were of a piece with his episcopate. Before torches. The precious possession was
his consecration he passed his time in ascetic brought into Constantinople by the present
training and in hard bodily exercise. He emperor,^ who received the name of his
was known as a noble champion, teaching by grandfather and preserved his piety mule-
word and confirming the word by deed. filed. After first gazing upon the bier he
His predecessor was Porphyrins who guided laid his head against it, and prayed for his
that church after Flavianus, and left behind parents and for pardon on them who
him many memorials of his loving character.^ had ignorantly sinned, for his parents had
He was also distinguished by intellectual long ago been dead, leaving him an orphan
in extreme youth, but the God of his fathers
power. The holy Alexander was specially
rich in self discipline and philosophy ; his and of his forefathers permitted him not to
lifewas one of poverty and self denial ;
his suffer trial from his orphanhood, but pro-
eloquence was copious and his other gifts vided for his nurture in piety, protected his
were innumerable ; by his advice and exhor- empire from the assaults of sedition, and
tation, the following of the great Eustathius bridled rebellious hearts. Ever mindful of
which Paulinus, and after him Evagrius, had these blessings he honours his benefactor
not permitted to be restored, was united to with hymns of praise. Associated with him
the rest of the body, and a festival was cele- in this divineworship are his sisters,^ who
brated the like of which none had ever seen have maintained virginity throughout their
before. The bishop gathered all the faith- lives, thinkingthe study of the divine
^
ful together, both clei-gy and laity, and oracles the greatest delight, and reckoning
marched with them to the assembly. The that riches beyond robbers' reach are to be
procession was accompanied by musicians ;
found in ministering to the poor. The
one hymn was sung by all in harmony, and emperor himself was adorned by many
thus he and his company went in procession graces, and not least by his kindness and
from the western postern to the great church, clemency, an unruffled calm of soul and
filling the whole forum with people, and a faith as undefiled as it is notorious. Of
constituting a stream of thinking living this I wîll give an vmdeniable proof.
beings like the Orontes in its course. A certain ascetic somewhat rough of
When this was seen by the Jews, by the temper came to the emperor with a petition.
victims of the Arian plague, and by the He came several times without attaining his
insignificant remnant of Pagans, they set up object, and at last excommunicated the
a groaning and wailing, and were distressed emperor and left him under his ban. The
at seeing the rest of the rivers discharging faithful emperor returned to his palace, and
their waters into the Church. By Alexander as it was the time for the banquet, and his
the name of the great John was first in-
1 Theodosius W. succeeded his father
scribed in the records* of the Church, May i, 40S, at the age
of eight. The translation of the remains of Chrysostom took
place at the beginning of 43S. Theodosius died in 450, and
the phrase "'6 rui' âcriAeuwi' " thus limits the composition of
CHAPTER XXXVI. the History. As however Theodoret does not continue his
list of bishops of Rome after Ca;lestinus, who died in 440, we
0/ the removal of the remains of John and may conclude that the History was written in43S-439. But the
mention of Isdigirdes II. in Chap, xxxviii. carries us some-
of the faith of Theodosius and his sisters. wliat further. Possibly the portions of the work were jotted
down from time to time.
At a later time the actual remains of the 2 Theodosius
Arcadia, and Marina.

II. had four sisters, Flaccilla, Pulcheria,
Pulcheria was practically empress-
great doctor were conveyed to the imperial remnant for a considerable period. She was only two years
older than her brother, but was declared Augusta and empress
1 Of the five
Johns more or less well known as bishop of July 14, 414, at the age of 15 '3. On his death in 450 she mar-
Jerusalem this was the second — from 3S6 to 417. He is chiefly ried Marcianus a general. Besides the relics of Chrysostom
known to us from the severe criticisms of Jerome. she translated in 446 those of the martyrs of Sebaste. Soz.
2
Bp. from 413 to 421. ix. 2.
3 " ra ffeia
3 Palladius (Dial. 143 et Seqq,) describes Porphyrias as a AoYia." This is the common phrase in our
monster of frivolity, iniquity, and bitterness. It is interesting author for the Holy Scriptures. According to the interpreta-
to hear both sides. tion given by Schleieiniacher and like theologians to the title of
*Theodoret here uses the word hi-mvxov. Other words in the work of Papias, " Aoyi'wi' Kvpiaxuiv tf rjyijcrei? " and to the
use were iepal, SeVvTot and KaraAoyoi. The names engraved on passage of Euscbius (Ecc. Hist. iii. 39) in which Papias is
"
these tablets were recited during the celebration of the Holy quoted as saying tliat Mattliew 'Eppatfii SiaAeKTw Td Adyio
Eucharist, e. g. at Carthage in 411 we find it said of Cajcllia- <Tvi'(y p6.4ia.ro." Pulcheria and her sisters did not study the
" " the divine
nus III ecclesia sumus In qua efiscopatum g'essit et diem
: Scriptures, but only discourses," to the exclusion
obiit.Ejus }ioinen ad altare recitamus ejus memoriis com- of anythintj that was not a discourse, cf. Salmon Introduction
municamus tanqnam memorice fratris." (Diet. Christ. Ant. i. to the IV. T. 4tli Ed. pp. 95, q6, and Bp. Lightlool's Essays in
"
561. Labbe ii. 1490.) Names were sometimes erased from un- reply to the anonymous author of Supernatural Religion."
worthy motives. A survival of the use obtains in the English
cf. Rom. iii. 21, Ileb. v. 12, I. Pet. iv. 1 1, and Clem, ad Cor.
" For beloved
Church in the Prayer for the Church Militant, and more speclfii. lili. you know, aye, and well know, the sacred
cally in the recitation of names in the Bidding Prayer. Scriptures, and have pored over i/ic oracles of God"
that he could helepoles, and employed innumerable en-

guests were assembled, he said
not partake of the entertainment before the gines, and built up lofty towers outside the
interdict was taken off. On this account he wall, resistance was oftered, and the assault of
sent the most intimate of his suite to the the attacking engines reiêlled, by the bishop
bishop, beseeching him to order the imposer
Eunomius alone. Our men had refused to
of the interdict to remove it. The bishop fight against the foe, and were shrinking
replied that an interdict ought
not to be from bringing aid to the besieged, when the
accepted from every one, and pronounced it
bishop, by opposing himself to them, pre-
not binding, but the emperor refused to served the city from being taken. When
accept this remission until the imposer of
it one of the barbarian chieftains ventured on
had after much difliculty been discovered, his wonted blasphemy, and with words like
and had restored the communion withdrawn. those of Rabshakeh and Sennacherib, madly
So obedient was he to divine laws. threatened to burn the temple of God, the
In accordance with the same principles he holy bishop could not endure his furious
ordered a complete destruction of the remains wrath, but himself commanded a balista,'
of the idolatrous shrines, that our posterity which went by the name of the Apostle
might be saved from the sight of even a trace Thomas, to be set up upon the battlements,
(jf tlie ancient error, this being the motive and a mighty stone to be adjusted to it.
which he expressed in the edict published on Then, in the name of the Lord who had
the subject. Of this good seed sown he is been blasphemed, he gave the word to let
ever reaping the fruits, for he has the Lord go,
—down crashed the stone on that impious
of all on his side. So when Rhoilas,^ Prince chief and hit him on his wicked mouth, and
of the Scythian Nomads, had crossed the crushed in his face, and broke his head in
Danube with a vast host and was ravaging pieces, and sprinkled his brains upon the
and plundering Thrace, and was threatening Sfround. When the commander of the
to besiege the imperial city, and summarily army who had hoped to take the city
seize it and deliver it to destruction, God saw what was done, he confessed himself
smote him from on high with thunderbolt beaten and withdrew, and in his alarm
and storm, burning up the invader and made peace.
destroying all his host. similar provi-AThus the universal sovereign protects the
dence was shewn, too, in the Persian war. faithful emperor, for he clearly acknowledges
The Persians received information that the whose slave he is, and performs fitting ser-
Romans were occupied elsewhere, and so in vice to his Master.^
violation of the treaty of Peace, marched
against their neighbours, who found none to CHAPTER
XXXVII.
aid them under the attack, because, in reli-
ance on the Peace, the emperor had de- 0/ Tlieodotus bishop of Antioch.
spatched his generals and his men to other Theodosius restored the relics of the
wars. Then the further march of the
great luminary of the world to the city
Persians was stayed by a very violent storm which These
deeply regretted his loss.
of rain and hail their horses refused to
;
events however happened later.
^
advance in twenty days they had not

;
Innocent the excellent bishop of Rome
succeeded in advancing as many furlongs.
Meanwhile the generals returned and mus- It is inlerestinartofind in the fifth century an instance of the
'
sacred noinenchiture with wliich we liave familiar instances in

tered their troops. the " San Josef" and tlie
" Salvador del niundo " of
" " Cape St."
In the former war, too, these same Per- Vincent, and the Santa Anna and Santissima Trinidad
'*
ofTrafalgar. (Southey, Z//*? o/AV/jro;;, Chap iv.andix.) On

sians, when besieging the emperor's epony- the north side of Sebastopol there was an earthwork called
mous city," were providentially rendered "The Twelve Apostles." (Kinglake, Crimea, Vol. iv. P.4S.)
St. Thomas was tlie supposed founderof the church of Edcssa.
ridiculous. For after Vararanes' had beset 2 This
might have been written before the weaker elements
in the character of Theodosius II. produced their most dis-
the aforesaid city for more tlian thirty days astrous results. Hut he was not a satisfactory sovereign, nor
with all his forces, and had brought up many a desirable cJiampion of Christendom. In some respects like
our Edward the Confessor and Henry VI. he had, in thewords
" He
of Leo, "the heart of a priest as well as of an emperor."
had fifteen prime ministers in twenty-five years, the last of
>
Supposed to be identified with Ropâs, Rugilas, or Roas, a whom, the Eunuch Chrysaphius, retained his power for the
prince said by Priscus in liis Hist. Gotli. to have preceded longest period. A. D. 443-450. During that time the empire
Attila in the sovereignty of the Huns. cf. Soc. vii, 4.V was rapiiUv hurrying to destruction. The Vandals in Airica
- i.e.
Rhccsina, or Tneodosiopolis in Osriiocna, now Erze- and the Hiins under Attila in Europe were ravaging some of
rouin. his fairest provinces while the emperor was attending to palace
^ Vararanes V. son of Isdigirdes I. persecuted Christians intrigues. . . .
Clirysaphius made him favourable to
in the beginning of the 5th c. cf. Soc. vii. iS. 20. Eutychcs, and thus largely contributed to the establishment
Sapor III. 3SS-390 of the monophysite heresy." Dr. Stokes in Diet. Christ. Biog.
iv. 966.
Vararanes IV. Isdigirdes 1 .
399-420.
3 This
paragraph belongs more appropriately to the pre-
390-39Q, Vararanes V. 420-440. ceding chapter. The relics of Chrysostom were translated
Isdigirdes 11. 440-457. in 43S.
was succeeded by Bonifacius, Bonifacius by wholly given to idolatry, destroyed any one
Zosimus and Zosimus by Ctelestinus.^ of the altars which the Athenians honoured,
At Jerusalem after the admirable John but convicted them of their ignorance bv his
the charge of the church was committed to arguments, and made manifest the truth.
Praylius, a man worthy of his name." But the refusal to rebuild the fallen temple,
At Antioch after the divine Alexander and the determination to choose death rather
Theodotus, the pearl of purity, succeeded to than so do, I greatly praise and honour, and
the supremacy of the church, a man of con- count to be a deed worthy of the martyr's
spicuous meekness and of exact regularity of crown for building a shrine in honour of
;
life. By him the sect of Apollinarius was the fire seems to me to be equivalent to
admitted to fellowship with the rest of the adoring it.
sheep on the earnest request of its members From this beginning arose a tempest which
to be united with the flock. Many of them stirred fierce and cruel waves against the
however continued marked by their former nurslings of the true faith, and when thirty
unsoundness.'^ years had gone by the agitation still remained
kept up by the Magi, as the sea is kept in
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
commotion by the blasts of furious winds.
Magi is the name given by the Persians to
Of the persecutions in Persia and of them that the of the sun and moon but ^
were martyred thei-e. worshippers

I have exposed their fabulous system in
At this time Isdigirdes," King of the another treatise and have adduced solutions
Persians, began to wage war against the of their difficulties.
churches and the circumstances which caused On the death of Isdigirdes, Vararanes,
him so to do were as follows. A certain his son, inherited at once the kingdom and
bishop, Abdas by name," adorned with many the war against the faith, and dying in his
virtues, was stirred with undue zeal and turn left them both together to his son.- To
destroyed a Pyreum, Pyreum being the relate the various kinds of tortures and cruel-
name given by the Persians to the temples ties inflicted on the saints is no easy task.
of the fire which they regarded as their In some cases the hands were flayed, in
God.« others the back of others they stripped the
;
On being informed of this by the Magi heads of skin from brow to beard others ,•
Isdigirdes sent forAbdas and first in moder- were enveloped in split reeds with the cut
ate language complained of what had taken part turned inwards and were surrounded
place and ordered him to rebuild the Pyreum. with tight bandages from head to foot then ;
This the bishop, positively re- in reply, each of the reeds was dragged out by force,
fused to do, and thei"eupon the king and, tearing away the adjacent portions
threatened to destroy all the churches, and of the skin, caused severe agony pits ;
in the end carried out all his threats, for first were dug and carefully greased in which
he gave orders for the execution of that hol}^ quantities of mice were put then they let ;
man and then commanded the destruction of down the martyrs, bound hand and foot, so as
the churches. Now
I am of opinion that to not to be able to protect themselves from the
destroy the Pyreum was wrong and inex- animals, to be -food for the mice, and the
pedient, for not even the divine Apostle, the mice, under stress of hunger, little by
when he came to Athens and saw the city little devoui-ed the flesh of the victims, caus-
1 The accepted order is Innocent I.
402-417; Zosimus 417- ing them long and terrible suflêring. By
418 ;
Boniface I. 4 iS-422 ;
Caelestinus 422-432. others sufierings were endured even more
The decision of Honorius in favour of Bonifacius as against
Eulalius, both elected by their respective supporters on the terrible than these, invented by the enemy of
death of Zosimus in 41S, marks an important point in the
interference of temporal princes in the appointments of humanity and the opponent of the truth, but
bishops of Rome. cf. Robertson, i.
49S. the courage of the martyrs was unbroken,
~
Ilpaus := meek, gentle.
3
Apollinarians survived the condemnation of Apollinarius
and they hastened unbidden in their eager-
at Constantinople in 3S1. ness to win that death which ushers men
The unsoundness, i.e. the denial of the rational soul, and so
of the perfect manhood of the Saviour, is discussed in Dial. 1. into indestructible life.
*
Vezdegerd I. son of Sapor III. Vide note on p." 156.
° Abdas was
bishop of Susa. In Soc. vii. 8 he is bishop of
Persia." '
The word in the original is (rroixf '« on th's Valesius
,'
" The second of the

six supreme councillors of Ahuramazda annotates "This does not mean the four elements, for the Per-
in the scheme of Zarathustra Spitama (Zoroaster) is Ardebe- sian Magi did not worship the four elements but only fire and
hesht, light or lightness of any kind and representing the the sun and nmon." In illustration of this use of the word he
omnipresence of the good power. Hence sun, moon and stars qiiotes Chrysostom. Hom. 58 in Matth.
ai'e symbols of deity and the believer is enjoined to face fire or 6 7ctp Satjuwr en-t fitajSoA^' toG O'T0t;(et0v KoX eTTtTiêrat Tor?
light in his worship. Temples and altars must be fed with aXoO<ri, K.aL ai'iridii' aiiTou? Kara Toi)? tIj? (TcAiji't)? Sp6fj.ov<;: and
holy fire. In their reverence for fire orthodox Parsees St. Jerome Ep. ad Ilcdyb. 4 where he speaks of the days of the
abstained from smoking, but alike of old and today they would week as hcinir described by the heathen " Idoloruni tt etemen-
deny the charge of worshipping fire in any other sense than as tomm }iomi>iihiis."
an honoured symbol. 2 1. e. Isdigirdes II. 440-457.
Of these I will cite one or two to serve as not attempt to teach the Christian religion
'
examples of the courage of the rest. Among to any of the Magi, and the envoy exhortetl
the noblest of the Persians was one called Benjamin to obey, but Benjamin, after he
Ilormisdas, by race an AchicmenicP and the heard what the envoy had to say, replied,
son of a Prefect. On receiving information "It impossible for me not to impart the
is
that he was a Christian the king summoned light I have received

which for how great
;
him and ordered him to abjure God his a penalty is due for the hiding of our talent
Saviour. He replied that the royal orders is taught in tlic history of the holy gospels."
'
were neither right nor reasonable, " for he," Up to this time the King had not been
" who is informed of this refusal and ordered him
so he went on, taught to find no
difhcultv in spurning and denying the God to be set free. Benjamin continued as
of all, will haply the more easily despise a he was wont seeking to catch them that
king who is a man of mortal nature; and if, were held down by the darkness of igno-
sir, he who denies thy sovereignty
is deserv- rance, and bringing them to the light of
ing of the severest punishment, how much knowledge. After a year information of his
more terrible a chastisement is not due to conduct was given to the king, and he was
him who denies the Creator of the world.?" summoned and ordered to deny Him whom
The king: ought to have admired the wisdom he worshipped. He then asked the king
" What
of what was said, but, instead of this, he punishment should be assigned to
stripped the noble athlete of his wealth
and one who should desert his allegiance and
" Deatli and
rank, and ordered him to go clad in nothing prefer another.?" "
torture,"
save a loin ch^th, and drive the camels of the said the king. "How
then continued the
army. After some days had gone b}', as he wise deacon " should he be treated who
looked out of his chamber, he saw the ex- abandons his Maker and Creator, makes a
cellent man scorched by the rays of the sun, God of one of his fellow slaves, and oilers
and covered with dust, and he bethought to him tlie honour due to his Lord.?" I'hen
him of his father's illustrious rank, and the king was moved with wrath, and had
sent for him, and told him to put on a tunic twenty reeds pointed, and driven into the
of linen. Then thinking the toil he had nails of his hands and feet. When he saw
sutTered, and the kindness shewn him, had that Benjamin took this torture for child's
softened his heart, " Now at least," said he, play, he pointed another reed and drove it
"give over your opposition, and deny the into his privy part and by working it
up and
carpenter's son." Full of holy zeal Hor- down caused unspeakable agony. After this
misdas tore the tunic and flung it away torture the impious and savage tyrant
saying, "If you think that this will make ordered him to be impaled upon a stout
one give up the true faith, keep your present knotted staff", and so the noble sufferer gave
with your false belief." When the king saw up the ghost.
how V)old he was he drove him naked from Innumerable other similar deeds of vio-
the palace. lence were committed by these impious men,
One who owned a thousand slaves,
Suenes, but we must not be astonished that the Lord
resisted the King, and refused to deny his of all endures their savagery and impiety,
master. The King therefore asked him for indeed before the reign of Constantine
which of his slaves was the vilest, and to this the Great all the Roman emperors wreaked
slave handed over the ownership of all the their wrath on the friends of the truth, and
rest, and gave him .Suenes to be his slave. Diocletian, on the day of the Saviour's pas-
He also gave hun in marriage Suenes' wife, sion, destroyed the churches throughout the
supposing that thus he could bend the will Roman Empire, but after nine years had
of tlie chamj)ion of the truth. But he was gone by they rose again in bloom and
disappointed, for he had built his house upon beauty many times larger and more splendid
the rock.^ than before, and he and his iniquity
The king also seized and imprisoned a perished. -
deacon of the name of Benjamin. After These wars and the victory of the church
two years there came an envoy from Rome, had been predicted by the Lord, and the
to treat of other matters, who, when he was event teaches us that war brings us more
informed of this imprisonment, petitioned blessing than peace. Peace makes us deli-
the king to release the deacon. The king 1 Malt. XXV.
25.
ordered Benjamin to promise that he would 2 The edict of Diocletian
against the Christians was issued
on the feast of the Teruiinalia, Feb. 2,^, .v^^. Good Friday,
'
Achxmcnes was the name of the Grandfather of Cambyses, here toO <7wTr)piou ndOovi rjê'po, was comnionly known as
»j
father ot Cyrus, and also of a son of Darius, son of Hystaspes. Tjptpa TOM (TTavpov, na(T\a o'Tavpioo'iixot'y and TrapatjKf r//.
Hence the Ach.-emenidac were the noblest stock ol Persia. Tertullian speaks of its early observance as a general fast,
> Matt. vii. 24. and Kusebius conlirms his testimony.
V. 39-] OF THEODORET. 159
cate, easy and cowardly. War whets our Of Antioch :

—
courage and makes us despise this present Vitalius ^
. . .
[3 1 2-3 1 S]
world as passing away. But these are ob- Philogonius \ Orthodox [31S-323]
servations which we have often made in Eustathius J .
'[325-328]
. .
other writings. Eulalius ] .

'[328-330]
. .
Euphronius |
.
'[330-332]
. .
Placidus [332-342]
CHAPTER XXXIX. Arians.
}>
Stephanus [342-34SJ
Leontius [348-357]
Of Theodorus, bishop of Mopsucstia.
Eudoxius J [357-359]
When the divine Theodorus was ruling
Meletius 1 [36'o (died) 381]
the church of Antioch, Theodorus, bishop Flavianus [38 I -404]
of Mopsucstia, a doctor of the whole church
Porphyrins Ôrthodox. [404-4x3]
and successful combatant against every he- Alexander
He had en- [413-419]
i-etical phalanx, ended this life.
Theodotus [419-429]
joyed the teaching of the great Diodorus, Paulinus III. ] T-, ,1 [362-388]
.
•
and was the friend and fellow -worker of the T^ . > Eustathians.
benefited Evagruis ] [388- ]

holy John, for they both together
by the spiritual draughts given by Diodorus. Of Alexandria :
—
Six-and-thirty years he had spent in his Peter [301-312]
against the forces of
fighting Achillas [312-313]
bishopric,
Arius and Eunomius, struggling against the Alexander [313-326]
piratical band of ApoUinarius,
and finding Athanasius [326-341]
the best pasture for God's sheep.
^
His
Gregory (Arian) ..... [341-347]
brother Polychronius
'
was the excellent Athanasius ....... [347-356]
bishop of Apamea, a man gifted with great George (heretic) [356-363]
eloquence and of illustrious character. Athanasius [363-373]
I shall now make an end of my history, Peter (disciple of Athanasius) .
[373-373]
and shall entreat those who meet with it to Lucius (Arian) ..... [373-377]
requite my labour with their prayers. The Peter [377-378]
narrative now embraces a period of 105 years, Timothy [37S-385]
beginning from the Arian madness and end- Theophilus [385-412]
insr with the death of the admirable Theo- [412-444]
Cyril
dorus and Theodotus. I will give a list of
the bishops of great cities after the persecu- Of Jerusalem :
—
tion.
Macarius [324-336]
Maximus [336-350]
List of the bishops of great cities. Cyril [350-3SS]
John [388-416]
Of Rome :
— Praylius [416-425]
Miltiades . .
[Melchiades. 311-314] Juvenalius [425-458]
Silvester
Mark
[3H-335]
Of Constantinople :
—
Julius .
[337-352.
' Jan. to Oct., 336]
Alexander [326-340]
Liberius .
[352-366]
Eusebius of Nicomcdia (Arian) [34'o-342]
Damasus
Siricius
[366-3S4]
[3S4-39S]
Paul the Confes.sor .... [342-342]
Macedonius the enemy of the
Anastasius
Innocentius
[39S-401]
[402-417] Holy Ghost .... [342-360]
Bonifacius
The impious Eudoxius .
[360-370]
^[418-422]
Zosimus [4i7~4^^] Demophilus of Beroea in Thrace
Caelestinus (heretic) [370- ]
[422-432]
Gregory of Nazianzus T380-381]
>
Theodorus was born at Antioch in 350, consecrated bishop Nectarius [381-39S]
of Mopsuestia in 392, and died in 42S in Cilicia. [39S-404]
2The evidence in favour of distinguishing- this Polycliro
is John Chrysostom
nius from the monk described in the Religious History. Arsacius [404-406]
3 " The date of the death of Theodotus is fixed for A.D. 429
Atticus [406-426]
by a passage of Thcodoret's letter to Dioscorus, where, when
speaking of his having taught for six years und-jr him at Sissinnius [426-428]
Antioch, he refers to his blessed and holy memory, combined
with one in his history, stating that the death of Theodore of
of Theodotus." Diet. 1 Paulinus I. intervenes, 321-325.
Mopsuestia took place in the episcopate
Christ. I?iog. iv. 9S5.
2 Paulinus H., 32S-329, intervenes.
The last event referred to by Theodoretus seems to be the
s Onthe diflicul'ty of the Paulini, cf. Diet, of Christ. Biog.
accession of Isdigirdes II. in 440. Vide pp. igS. 'S'J- iv. 232 and ii. 332.
*of. note on p. 156.
*
Evagrius intervenes 370.
DIALOGUES.
THE "ERANISTES"^ OR " POLYMORPHUS "
OF THE BLESvSED -
THEODORETUS, BISHOP OF CYRUS.
PROLOGUE. Now I will endeavour briefly to dispute

with them, with the double object of curing
Some men, distinguished neither hy them, if I can, of their unsoundness, and of
family nor education, and without any of giving a word of warning to the whole.
the honourable notoriety that comes of an I call my work
" Eranistes, or
Polymor-
upright life, are ambitious of achieving fiime phus," for, after getting together from many
by wicked ways. Of these was the famous
unhappy sources their baleful doctrines, they
Alexander, the coppersmith,^ a man of no their patchwork and incongruous
sort of distinction at all, — produce
no nobility of conceit. For to call our Lord Christ God
birth, no eloquence of speech, who never led
only is the way of Simon, of Cerdo, ot
a political party nor an army in the field
Marcion,! and of others who share this
;
who never played the man in fight, but plied abominable

opinion.
from day to day his ignominious craft, and The acknowledgment of His birth from a
won fame for nothing but his mad violence
Virgin, but coupled with the assertion that
against Saint Paul. this birth was merely a process of transition,
Shimei,'' again, an obscure person of ser- and that God the VVord took nothing of the
vile rank, has become very renowned for
Virgin's nature, is stolen from Valentinus and
his audacious attack on the holy David.
Bardesanes and the adherents of their fables.-
It is said too that the originator of the
To call the godhead and the manhood of
Manichaean heresy was a mere whipping- the Lord Christ one nature is the error filched
block of a slave, and, from love of notoriety, from the follies of
Apollinarius.^
composed his execrable and superstitious Again the attribution of capacity of sufler-
writings. ing to the divinity of the Christ is a theft
The same line of conduct is
pursued by from the blasphemy of Arius and Eunomius.
many now, who after turning their backs on
Thus the main principle of their teaching is
the honourable glory of virtue on account of like beggars' gabardines
—a cento of ill-
the toil to be undergone ere it be won, pur- matched rags.
chase to themscKês the notoriety that comes So I call this work Eranistes or Poly-
of shame and disgrace. For through eager- I shall write it in the form of a
morphus.
ness to pose as champions of new doctrines
dialogue with questions and answers, pro-
they pick up and get together the impiety
of many heresies, and compile this heresy of Cerdo, the gnostic teacher of the middle of the 2nd c, and
1
placed by Theodoretus (Ilxr. Fab. i. 24) in the reign of

death. Antoninus, A.D. 13S-161, is described by the Ps. Tertullian as
denying that Christ came in the substance of the flesh, but in
appearance only. According to Marcion the greater follower
'
tpavot
—a meal to which every one contributes a share ;of Cerdo, Christ was not born at all, but came down from
a club feast, or picnic, and eponaxr)? is in classical Greek a heaven to Capernaum A.D. 2c), his body being an appearance
=
conlrihulor to such a feast. I?ut epai-tîa (a)
"
contribulc," and his death an illusion. Simon Magus, the " f.atlier ol all
and O) " licj; for contributions." So tpafcffrJ)? is by some heretics" of Irenxus (adv. Ilajr. pr. in lib. iii.) is ai)parently
leudcred "bcf^gar." The idea of Theodoretus seems rather cjuoted rather as the supposed originator of Gnosticism, than
that his worse character is a picker up of various scra|)s of from any definite knowledge of his tenets.
heresy from diflirent quarters, and this explanation ot the (taught at Rome c. 140') the arch gnostic is
2 Valentinus
name is borne out by his use of the connate verb tpai'i^'ofiat in identified with the doctrine of emanation. Bardesanes (Bar
reference tti the selection by Audxus of some of the doctrines Daisan), who lived some thirty years later at Kdessa, was a
ot Manes in list. iv. y
I
great leader of the Syrian school of oriental dualism. For
-
Polyiuorphus := Multiform. mention of his son Harmonius vide Hist. p. 129.
'11. Tim. iv. 14. * II.
Kings xvi. 5. ^Condemned at Constantinople in 3S1.
DIALOGUES. i6i
positions, solutions, and antitheses, and all and they that are wholly without God or be-
else that a dialogue ought to have. I shall lief. It becomes us, however, not to be the
not insert the names of the questioners and slaves of a j^riori assumption, but to search
respondents in the body of the dialogue as for the knowledge of the truth.
did the wise Greeks of old, but I shall write Eran.— I admit the force of what
you
them at the side at the beginning of the para- say and am ready to act on your suggestion.
graphs. They, indeed, put their writings in Orth. — Since then you have made no
the hands of readers highly and variously difficulty in yielding to this my
preliminary
educated, and to whom literatui'e was life. exhortation, I ask you in the next place not
I, on the contrary, wish the reading of to suffer the investigation of the truth to de-
what I write, and the discovery of what- pend on the reasonings of men, but to track
ever good it may give, to be an easy the footprints of the apostles and prophets,
task, even to the illiterate. This I think and saints who followed them. For so way-
will be facilitated if the characters of the farers when they wander from the high-road
interlocutors are plainly shown by their are wont to consider wêll the pathways, if
names in the margin, so the disputant who haply they shew any prints of men or horses
argues on behalf of the apostolical decrees is or asses or mules going this way or that, and
" when they find any such they trace the tracks
called Orthodoxos," and his opponent
" Eranistes." A man who is fed by the as dogs do and leave them not till once more
charity of many we commonly call "Beg- they are in the right road.
gar ;
"
a man who knows how to get money Erait. —
So let us do. Lead on yourself,
" Chrematistes." So we as
together we call a you began the discussion.
have given our disputant this name from his Orth. —Let us, therefore, first make care-
character and pursuits. ful and thorough investigation into the divine
I beg that all those into whose hands names, —
I mean substances, and essences,
my book may fall will lay aside all precon- and persons, and proprieties, and let us learn
ceived opinion and put the truth to the test. and define how they differ the one from the
For clearness' sake I will divide my book into other. Then let us thus handle afterwards
three dialogues. The first will contain the what follows.
contention that the Godhead of the only-be- Eran. —
You give us a very admirable
gotten Son is immutable. The second will and proper introduction to our argument.
by God's help show that the union of the When these points are clear, our discussion
Godhead and the manhood of the Lord will go forward w ithout let or obstacle.
Christ is without confusion. The third will Orth. —
Since we have decided then that
contend for the impassibility of the divinity this must be our course of procedure, tell me,
of our saviour. After these three disputa- my friend, do we acknowledge one substance
tions we will subjoin several others as it were of God, alike of Father and of the
only be-
to complete them, giving formal proof under gotten Son and of the Holy Ghost, as we
each head, and making it perfectly plain that have been taught by Holy Scripture, both
the apostles' doctrine is preserved by us. Old and New, and by the Fathers in Coun-
cil in Nicaia, or do we follow the
blasphemy
of Arius ?
DIALOGUE I. Eran. We — confess one substance of the
Holy Trinity.
THE IMMUTABLE. Orth. — And do we reckon hypostasis to
signify anything else than substance, or do
Orthodoxos and Eranistes.
we take it for another name of substance
OrtJi. — Better were it for us to agree Eran. —
Is there any difference between
.''
and abide by the apostolic doctrine iu its

pu- substance and hypostasis?
'
rity. sBut since, I know not how, you have Orth. —

In extra Christian philosophy
broken the harmony, and are now
offering there is not, for ohcia signifies rh oi-, that which
us new doctrines, let us, if you
please, with is, and vKoaramg that which subsists. But ac-
no kind of quarrel, investigate the truth. cording to the doctrine of the Fathers there
Eran. — We need no investigation, for we is the same difference between ovaia and
exactly hold the truth. vnoa-aaiq as between the common and thepai*-
Ort/i. — This is what every heretic sup- ticular, and the species and the individual.
poses. Aye, even Jews and Pagans reckon Eran. —
Tell me more clearly what is
that they are defending the doctrines of the meant
by race or kind, and species and
truth ;and so also do not only the followers individual.
of Plato and
Pythagoras, but Epicureans too, >Cf. note p. 36, History.
VOI,. Ill, M
1 62 THEODORET.
Orth. — Wc speak of race or kind with " God," "
as for instance "
Lord," Creator,"
regard the animal, for it means many
to "Almighty," and so forth.
tilings at once. It indicates both the rational Era7i. —Without question these words
and the irrational and again there are many are common the Trinity.
to
Orth. — But
;
species of irrational, creatures that lly, creat- that naturally denotes the
all
ures that are amphibious, creatures that go hypostasis ceases to be common to the Holy
on foot, and creatures that swim. And of Trinity, and denotes the hypostasis to which
these species each is marked by many sub- it is proper, as, for instance, the names
of creatures that go on foot there " "
divisions ; Father," Unbegotten," are peculiar to
is the lion, the leopard, the bull, and countless the Father; while again the names "Son,"
" " God the Word," do not
others. So, too, of flying creatures and the Only Begotten,"
rest there are many species; yet all of them, denote the Father, nor yet the Holy Ghost,
though the species are the aforesaid, belong but the Son, and the words " Holy Ghost."
to one and the same animal race. Similarly "Paraclete," naturally denote the h^'postasis
the name man is the common name of man- of the Spirit.
kind for it means the Roman, the Athenian,
;
Eran. —
But does not Holy Scripture
the Persian, the Sauromatian,^ the Egyptian, call both the Father and the Son " Spirit "?
and, in a word, all who are human, but the Orth. —
Yes, it calls both the Father and
name Paulus or Fetrus does not signify what the Son " Spirit," signifying by this term
is common to the kind but some particular the incorporeal illimitable character of the
man for no one on hearing of Paul turns in
;
divine nature. The Holy Scripture only
thought to Adam or Abraham or Jacob, but calls the hypostasis of the Spirit " Holy
thinks of him alone whose name he has Ghost."
heard. But if he hears the word man sim- Eran. — This is indisputable.
ply, he docs not fix his mind on tlie individ- Orth. — Since then we assert that some
ual, but bethinks him of the Indian, the terms are common to the Trinity, and
Holy
Scythian, and the Massagete, and of all the some peculiar to each hypostasis, do we
"
race of men together, and we learn this not assert the term " immutable to be common
only from nature, but also from Holy Script- to the substance or peculiar to any h3'pos-
" I will
ure, for God said, we read, destroy tasis.?
man from the fiice of the earth," ^ and this Eran. — The term " immutable" is com-
he spake of countless multitudes, and when mon to the Trinity, for it is impossible for
more than two thousand and two hundred be mutable and part
part of the substance to
years had gone by after Adam, he brought immutable.
universal destruction on men through the Orth. —
You have well said, for as the
flood, and so the blessed David says
" Man : term mortal is common to mankind, so are
that is in honour and imderstandeth not," ^ " immutable " and " invariable" to the
Holy
accusing not one here nor one there, but all Trinity. So the only-begotten Son is immu-
men in common. A
thousand similar ex- table, as are both the Father that begat Him
amples might be found, but we must not be and the Holy Ghost.
tedious. Eran. — Immutable.
Era?i. — The diftcrence between the com- then do you advance the
Orth. — How
mon and the proper is shewed clearly. Now in the gospel " the word became
statement
let us return to discussion about oi-tr/a and flesh," and predicate mutation of the immu-
'
Orth. —
As then the name man is com-
table nature.''
Eran. assert Him to have been — We
mon to human nature, so we understand the made flesh not by mutation, but as He Him-
divine substance to indicate the Holy Trinity self knows. ;
but the hypostasis denotes any peison,as the Orth. If He is not said to have become —
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost for, flesh by taking flesh, one of two things must
;
following the definitions of the Holy Fathers, be asserted, either that he underwent the
we say that hypostasis and individuality mutation into flesh, or was only so seen in
mean the same thing.
— We appearance, and in reality was God with-
Eran. agree that this is so. out flesh.
Orth. —
Whatever then is predicated of Eran. This is the doctrine of the dis- —
the divine nature is common both to the
ciples of Valcntinus, Marcion, and of the
Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, but we have been without
Mauichees, taught
dispute that the divine Word was made flesh,
' " Sauromalas Gr<eci vacant, Saf-
/renl,-!: Scylliaruni
' ijitos
matas JioiiKini." I'liiiy iii.
- Gen. vi. »
7. Vs. xlix. io. 'John i.
14.
DIALOGUES. 163
Orth. —
But ill what sense do you mean stances might be found where mutation in-
•
" was made flesh " ? " Took flesh," or " was volves a chano;e of name.
changed into flesh"? Eran. Agreed.
—
Era7i. —
As we have heard the evangelist Orth. If tlierefore you assert that the —
" the word was made flesh." Divine Word underwent the change m the
say,
Orth. —
In what sense do you understand flesh, why do you call Hun God and not
" was made "? flesh.'' for change of name fits hi with the
Era7i. —
He who underwent mutation into alteration of nature. For if where the thines
flesh was made flesli, and, as I said just now, which undergo change have some relation to
as He knows. But we know that with Him their former condition (for there is a certain
all things are possible,^ for He changed the approximation of vinegar to wine and of wine
water of the Nile into blood, and day into to the fruit of the vine, and of glass to sand)
night, and made the sea dry land, and filled they receive anotlicr name after their alter-
the dry wilderness with water, and we hear ation, how, where the diflerence between
the prophet saying "Whatsoever the Lord them is infinite and as wide as that
pleased that did He in heaven, and in earth, which divides a gnat from the whole visible
in tlie seasand all deep places."^ and invisible creation (for so wnde, nay
Orth. —
The creature is transformed by the much wider, is the diflerence between the
Creator as He will, for it is mutable and obeys nature of flesh and of Godhead) is it possi-
the nod of Him that fashioned it. But His ble for the same name to obtain after the
nature is immutable and invariable, where- change ?
foi-e of the creature the prophet saith
" He Eran. I have said more than once that —
that maketh and transformeth all things."^ He was made flesh not by mutation, butcon-
But of the divine Word the great David says tinuing still to be what He was, He was
" Thou art the same and
thy years shall not made what He was not.
fail."
*
And again the same God says of Orth. But unless this word " was made" —
Himself " For I am the Lord and I change becomes quite clear it suggests mutation and
alteration, for unless He was made flesh by
'"
not."
Ermi. —
What is hidden ought not to "be taking flesh He was made flesh by undergo-
enquired into." ing mutation.
Orth. —
Nor yet what is jolain to be alto- Eran. But the word " take " is your —
gether ignored. own invention. The Evangelist says the
Eran. —
I am not aware of the manner of Word was made flesh.
^
the incarnation. I have heard that the Word Orth. You seem either to be ignorant —
was made flesh. of the sacred Scripture, or to do it wrong
Orth. —
If He was made flesh by mutation knowingly. Now if you are ignorant, I will
He did not remain what He was before, and teach you if 3'ou are doing wrong, I will ;
this is easily intelligible from several analo- convict you. Answer then do you acknow- ;
gies. Sand, for instance, when it is subjected ledge the teaching of the divine Paul to be of
becomes fluid, tiien is changed the Spirit.'*
to heat, first
and congealed into glass, and at the time of Era II. — Ce n rta i
the change alters its name, for it is no longer Orth. — And do you
ly
allow that the same
.
called sand but glass. Spirit wrought through both Evangelists and
Eran. — So it is. Apostles }
Orth. — And while we call the fruit of the Era)i. —
Yes, for so have I learnt from the
vine grape, when once we have pressed it, wê Apostolic Scripture " There are diversities
speak of it no longer as grape, but as wine. of gifts but the same spirit," ^ and again
Eran. —
Certainly.
" All these
things worketh that one and the
Orth. —
And the wine itself, after it has selfsame spirit, dividing to every man sev-
undergone a change, it is our custom to name erally as He will,"^ and again "Having the
no longer wine, but vinegar. same Spirit of the Faith." "
Eran. True. — Orth. —
Your introduction of the apostolic
Orth. —
And similarly stone when burnt testimony is in season. If we assert that the
and in solution is no longer called stone, but instruction alike of the evangelists and of
lime. And innumerable other similar in- the apostles is of the same spirit, listen how
the apostle interprets the words of the Gos-
Matt. xix. 26. =Ps.cxxxv. 6. pel, for in the Epistle to the Hebrews he
I
3 The reference in Schulze's edition is to

Jeremiah x. 16, but "
here the Septuagint 6 TrAacra! Td -navTo. does not bear out the says, Verily he took not on him the
point. The quotation is no doubt of Amos v. S, where the
LXX is 6 TTOLwr Trai'Ta koX fji€Ta(TKevd<ô}U ,
'
Jolin i.
14.
s I. Cor. xii. 11.
* Ps. iii. 27. oMal. iii. 6. -
I. Cor. xii. 4. * II. Cor. iv. 13.
M 2
164 THKODORET.
nature of angels, but he took on him the of Abraham. At the same time, too, he
seed of Abraham."' Now tell me what you recalls the promise given to Abraham. Or
mean by the seed of Abraham. Was not do you not remember the promises given to
that which was naturally proper to Abraham the Patriarch by the God of the Universe?
joroper also to the seed of Abraham ? Eran. What promises? —
Eran. —
No; not without exception, for Orth. —
When He brought him out of his
Christ did no sin. father's house, and ordered him to come into
Orth. —
Sin is not of nature, but of cor- Palestine, did He not sav to him " I will
rupt will.- On this very account, therefore, bless them that bless thee, and curse him
I did not say indefinitely what Abraham that curseth thee, and in thy seed' shall all
had, but what he had according to nature, families of the earth be blessed "?
that is to say, body and reasonable soul. Eran. —
I remember these promises.
Now tell me plainly will you acknowledge
; Orth. —
Remember, too, the covenants
that the seed of Abraham was endowed with made by God with Isaac and Jacob, for He
body and reasonable soul? If not, in this gave them, too, the same promises, confirm-
point you agree with the ravings of Apol- ing the former by the second and the third.
linarius. But I will compel you to confess Eran. I remember them too. —
this by other means. Tell me now had Orth.;
—
It is in relation to these covenants
the Jews a body and a reasonable soul? that the divine apostle writes in his Epistle
Era7i. —
Of comse they had. to the Galatians " Now to Abraham and his
Orth. —
So when we hear the prophet seed were the promises made." He saith
" But " seeds " as of
saying, thou, Israel, art my servant, not many, but as of one . . .
Jacob whom I have ^ chosen, the seed of which is Christ,- very plainly showing
Abraham my friend," are we to understand that the manhood of Christ sprang from the
the Jews to be bodies only ? Are we not to seed of Abraham, and fulfilled the promise
understand them to be men consisting of made to Abraham.
bodies and souls ? Eran. So the apostle says. —
Eran. — True. Orth. — Enough has been said to remove
Orth. —
And the seed of Abraham not the controversy raised on this point.
all But
without soul nor yet intelligence, but with I will nevertheless remind
you of another
everything which characterizes the seed of prediction. The blessing given to the Patri-
Abraham ? arch Jacob and to his father and his grand
—
Eran. He who so says puts forward two father was given by him to his son Judah
sons. alone. He said " Prince shall not fail A
Orth. —
But he who says that the Divine Judah, nor a leader from his loins, until he
Word is changed into the flesh does not even shall have come to whom it is in store, and
acknowledge one Son, for mere flesh by he is the expectation of the Gentiles."^ Or
itself is not a son but we confess one Son do you not accept this prediction as spoken
;
who took upon Him the seed of Abraham, of the Saviour Christ?
according to the divine apostle, and Eran. —
Jews give erroneous interpreta-
wrought the salvation of mankind. But if tions of prophecies of this kind, but I am a
you do not accept the apostolic preaching, Christian I trust in the Divine word and ; ;
say so openly. I receive the prophecies without doubt.

Eran. —
But we maintain that the utter- Orth. —
Since then you confess that you
ances of the apostles are inconsistent, for believe the prophecies and acknowledge the
there appears to be a certain inconsistency predictions have been divinely uttered about
between " the Word was made flesh" and our Saviour, consider what follows as to the
" took
upon Him the seed of Abraham." intention of the words of the apostle, for
Orth. —
It is because you lack intelligence, while pointing out that the
promises made to
or because you are arguing for arguing's the patriarchs have reachctl their fulfilment,
* " He
sake, that the consistent seems inconsistent. he uttered those remarkable words
It does not so appear to men who use sound
3. The Ixx. has kvivKoyr\dri<TovTa.L iv croi. In Acts
1 Gen. xii.
reasoning for the divine apostle teaches
;
iii. 21;, it is T(u anipnaTi arov in Gal. iii. S, tV o-ou
that the Divine Word was made Flesh, not
:
'Gal. iii. 16. There is here an omission of the four words

" Ka\ Tu) Of difficulty of the passage a "
by mutation, but by taking on Him the seed discussion will be found in
o-TTt'pMaTi' o-ou." the full
" Galatians —
Bishop Lightfoot's
page 141.
1 Heb. ii. 16. * Gen.
xlix. 10. Here the text follows the Alexandrine
2 cf. Article ix. of the
English Church. Sin is not a part Septuagint substituting €u>s av cAflf) o awo/ceiTai for cios av tfÔji
of ipan's nature, but the fault or corruption of it. If in one Td. airOKeifieva avTt^.
sense the fallen Ailam is the natural man, in a liiuher sense The Vulgate runs " aiiferHur scettrum de IitJa, el dux
JVoii
Christ, theSon of man, is the natural man; i.e. in Him the defemorc ciiis, donee venial qui millenatis etl el ipse eiit ex-
manhood is seen incorrupt, cf. p. 1S3 and note. pcclatio ffenliti m."
l>aiah xli. S.
••
*
Hebrews ii, 16.
DIALOGUES. 165
took not on Him the nature of angels," all Eraii. Well you have explained these — ;
but saying the promise is true the Lord passages, what should you say to the pro-
;
has fulfilled His pledges the fount of bless- phecy of Jeremiah ? For this proclaims him
;
to be God only.
ing is open to the gentiles God had taken
on Him the seed of Abraham
;
through it Orth. Of wliut prophecy do you speak—

He brings about the promised salvation
;
Eran. " This is our God and there

;
— .'
it He confirms the promise of the shall none other be accounted of in compari-

through
son to him he hath found out all the way—
gentiles.
Bran. —
The words of the Prophet fit in of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob
his servant and to Israel his beloved. Af-
admirably with those of the apostle.
Orih. —
So again the divine apostle, terward did he shew himself upon earth and
reminding us of the blessing of Judah, and conversed with
men." '
pointing out how it received its fulfilment,
In these words the Prophet speaks neither
exclaims' " For it is evident that our Lord of the flesh, nor of manhood, nor of man,
of God alone.
sprang out of Judah." So too the Prophet^ but
Micah and the evangelist ^ Matthew. For Orth. —
What then is the good of reason-
the former spoke bis prediction, and the latter ing.'* Do we say that the Divine nature is
connects the prophecy with his narrative. invisible.'' or do we dissent from the Apostle
What is extraordinary is that he says that when he says^ " Immortal, invisible, the
the open enemies of the truth plainly told only God."
Herod that the Christ is born in Bethlehem, Eran. —
Indubitably the Divine nature is
for it is written, he says,
" And thou Bethle- invisible.
hem in the land of Judah art not the least Orth. —
How then was it possible for the
the Princes of for out of thee invisible nature to be seen without a body.''
among Judah
shall come a Governor who shall rule Or do you not remember those words of the
my people Israel."
*
Now let us subjoin apostle in which he distinctly teaches the
what the Jews in their malignity omitted and invisibility of the divine nature.'' He says
so made the witness imperfect. For the " Whom
no man hath seen nor can see." ^
after " Out of thee shall he If therefore the Divine Nature is invisible
prophet, saying
come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in to men, and I will add too to Angels, tell me
" "
Israel adds Whose goings forth have been how he who cannot be seen or beheld vvâs
*
of old, from everlasting." seen upon earth
— —
.''
Eran. You have done well in adducing Eran. The Prophet says'* he was seen
the whole' evidence of the Prophet, for he on the earth.
points out that He who was born in Bethle- Orth. —
And the apostle says "" Immor-
hem was God. tal, invisible, the only God" and ®"Whom
Orth. — Not God only but also Man Man no man hath seen and can see."
as sprung from Judah after the flesh and
;
Eran. —
What then? is the
Prophet
born in Bethlehem and God as existing be- lying.?
fore the ages. For the words
;
" Out of thee Orth. —

God forbid. Both utterances are
shall he come forth unto me that is to be the words of the Holy Ghost.
Ruler," shew his birth after the flesh Erafz. —
Let us inquire then how the in-
which has taken place in the last days while visible was seen.
the woi'ds " Whose goings forth have been Orth.
;
—
Do not, I beg you, bring in human
of old, from everlasting" plainly proclaim reason. I shall yield to scripture alone.
Hisexistence before the ages. In like man- Eran. You shall receive no argument —
ner also the divine apostle in his Epistle to unconfirmed by Holy Scripture, and if you
the Romans bewailing the change to the bring me any solution of the question deduced
worse of the ancient felicity of the Jews, from Holy ScrijDture I will receive it, and
and calling to mind their divine promises will in no wise gainsay it.
and legislation, goes on to say " Whose are Orth. You know how a moment ago we —
the fathers, and of whom concerning the
»
flesh Christ came, who is over all God Baruch, lii, 35, 37.
"The ascription of the prophecy of Baruch to Jeremiah
^
blessed for ever Amen," and in this same may be explained by tlie fact tliat in the Ixx Baruch was
phiced eitlier before or after Lanientalions, and was regarded
passage he exhibits Him both as Creator of in the early church as an appendix to, and of equal author-
It is so quoted by Irenaeus, Clemens
all things and Lord and Ruler as God and ity with, Jeremiah.
Alexandrinus, and Tertullian."
as sprung from the Jews as man. Augustine de Civ. xviii, 33. quotes Baruch iii, 16. with the
remarli " Hoc testimonium nnn Hieremia: sed quidem Scribes
eius attrihitrait giii vocabatur Baruch, sed Hieremice celebra-
1 Hebrews vii. 14. * Matthew ii 6. tills hahctiir."
* Micah V. 2. 5 Micah V. 2. 2 I. Tim. i.
17.
»Baruch iii. 3S.
« I. Tim. vi. 16.
* Matthew ii. 5, 6. 8 Romans ix. 5 3 I. Tim. vi. 16. si.Tim. i. 17.
1 66 THEODORET.
made tlie word of the evangelist clear by Orth. But the Lord said again, "Not —
means of tlie testimony of tlie apostle; and that any man hath seen the Father save he
that the divine apostle showed us how the which is of God, he hath seen the Father." ^
Word became Flesh, saying plainly "for Wherefore the evangelist plainly exclaims,
lie took not on
Ilim the nature of " No man hath seen God at -
verily any lime," and
angels but He
took on Ilim the seed of Abra- confirms the word of the Lord, for he says,
The same teacher will teach us how " The
ham." only begotten Son which is in the
'
the divine Word was seen upon the earth and bosom of the Father He hath declared Him,"
dwelt among men. and the great Moses, when he desired to see
Eran. —
I submit to tlie words both of the invisible nature, heard the Lord God
Shew me then in " There no man me and
apostles and of prophets. saving, shall see
accordance with your promise the interpre- live."^
tation of the prophecy. Eran. then are we to under- — How
Orth. —
The divine apostle, writing to stand the words, " Their angels do always
" without
Timothy, also says controversy behold "the face of my Father which is in
great is the mystery of godliness. God was heaven }
manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, Orth. Just as we commonly understand
—
seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, what is said about men who have been sup-
believed on in the world, received up into posed to see God.
glory."
^
Erau. —
Pi'ay make this plainer, for I
It is therefore plain that the divine nature do not understand. Can God be seen of
is invisible, but the flesh visible, and that men also.''
through the visible the invisible was seen, by Orth. Certainly not.
—
its means working wonders and unveiling its Eran. —
Yet we hear the divine scripture
own power, for with the hand He fashioned saying God appeared unto Abraham at the
the sense of seeing and healed him that was oak of Mamre
*
and Isaiah says " I saw the
;
blind from birth. Again He gave the power of Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted
^
hearing to the deaf, and loosed the fettered up," and the same thing is said by Micah,
tongue, using his fingers for a tool and by Daniel and Ezekiel. And of the law-
" The Lord
applying his spittle like some healing medi- giver Moses it is related that
cine. So again when He walked upon spake to Moses face to face as a man speaketh
the sea He displayed tlie almighty power unto liis friend," and the God of the universe
"
of the Godhead. " With him will I speak

Fitly, therefore, did the Himself said,
" God was manifest in the flesh." mouth to mouth, even
apostle say apparently and not in
For through it appeared the invisil)le nature dark speeches." '
What then shall we say ;
beheld by its means by the angel hosts, for did they bchoUl the divine nature?
" He was
seen," he says,
" of
angels." Orth. —
By no means, for God Himself
The nature then of bodiless bein<rs has said, " There shall no man see me and live."
shared with us the enjoyment of this boon. Eran. —
Then they who say that they
Eran. —
Then did not the angels see God have seen God are liars.''
before the manifestation of the Saviour.'* Orth. God forbid — they saw what it
—
Orth. —
The apostle says that He "was was possible for them to see.
made manifest in tlie flesh and seen of Eran. —
Then the loving Lord accommo-
angels." dates his revelation to the capacity of them
Eran. —
But the Lord said, " Take heed that see Him.''
that ye despise not one of these little ones, Orth. —
Yes; and this He has shewn
for I say unto you that their angels do always through the Prophet, " for I," He says,
behold the face of my Father which is in " have multiplied visions and by the hands of
heaven." the Prophets was made like."
'^ **
He does not say "was seen" but "was

1 Ilcb. ii. i6.
* l.Tiin. iii. Thcodnrctus shews no knowliiljê nf the

\ (i.
made like." And making like does not shew
reatlinj^ OC f'"" ®C '" this fiimoiis pnssngo accepted by our the very nature of the thing seen. For even
revisers with tlic niarfînril conniieiit " The word God in place
of He ivho rests on no siitlicienl ancient evidence." Macedo-
the image of the emperor does not exhibit
nius II, patriarch of Constantinople, is said to have been tlie
emperor's nature, though it
distinctly
accused by his enemy the liinperor Anastasius of falsifyinsj
Hut if rheodorctus, who died c. 45S, preserves his features.
this particul ar p assage.
really wrote ©c
copies of the npistles containing this road,
ing must have existed some halt century before the dispute
Eran. — This is obscure and not siifli-
between Maccdonius and Anastasius. Gregory of Nyssa also

uses the passage as does Theodoretus; Greg. Nyss. cont. 1
Tolin vi. 46. I"'
Isaiah vi. i.
Eun. iv. I. The accepted opinion now regards the Codex of 2
John i. iS. < Kxodus xxxiii. 11.
Alcxandrinus as reading in. 3 Kxodus xxxiii. 20. ' Numbers xii. S.
^ Matt, xviii. 10. Observe the omission of the words " In • Genesis xviii. i. Sept.
heaven," which A. V. inserts with N B D, etc. 8 Hosca xii. 10. Sept. A. V. has " used similitudes."
DIALOGUES. 167
ciently plain. Was not then the substance Orth. — Do not then charge us with inno-
of God seen by them who beheld those will adduce for you yet another
reve- vation. We
lations? prophetic authority, distinctly calling the
Orth. —
No; for who is mad enough to Lord's flesh a robe and mantle.
dare to say so? Eran. Should it not appear obscure —
Eraii. —
But yet it is said that they saw. and ambiguous we will say nothing against
Orth. —
Yes; it is said; but we both in it, and be thanktul for it.
the exercise of reverent reason, and in reli- Orth. I will make you
yourself testify
—
ance on the Divine utterances, which exclaim to the truth of the promise. You know how
" No man hath seen God at
distinctly, any the Patriarch Jacob, when he was address-
time," affirm that they did not see the Divine ing Judah, limited the sovereignty of Judah
Nature, but certain visions adapted to their by the birth of the Lord.^ prince shall "A
not fail Judah, nor a leader from his loins
capacity.
Era7t. —
So we say. until he shall have come to whom it is in
Orth. —
So also then let us understand of store and he is the expectation of the
the angels when we hear that they daily see Gentiles." You have already confessed
the face of your Father.^ For what they see that this prophecy was uttered about the
is not the divine substance which cannot be saviour.
circumscribed, comprehended, or appre- Eran. I have. —
hended, which embraces the imiverse, but Orth. Remember then what follows — ;
some glory made commensurate with their for he says " And imto him shall the gather-
nature. ing of the people be he shall wash .
—
. .
Eran. This is acknowledged. his robe in wine and his mantle in the
Orth. —
After the incarnation, however. blood of the grape." ^
He was seen also of angels, as the divine Eran. —
The Patriarch spoke of gar-
apostle says, not however by similitude of ments, not of a body.
glory, but using the true and living covering Orth. —
Tell me, then, when or where
of the flesh as a kind of screen. " God," he he washed his cloak in the blood of the
" was made manifest in the flesh,
grape
says, justi-
— Nay;
\
fied in the Spirit, seen of angels."^ Eran. tell me you when he

Eran. —
I accept this as vScripture, but I reddened his body in it?
am not prepared to accept the novelties of Orth. —
Answer I beseech you moi'e
phrase. reverently.^ Perhaps some of the uninitiated
—
Orth. What novelties of phrase have are within hearing.
we introduced? Eran. — I will both hear and answer in
Eran.— That of the " screen." What mystic language.
Scripture the of the Lord a screen?
calls flesh Orth. — You know that the Lord called
Orth. — You do not seem be a very to dili- himself a vine ?
gent reader of your Bible if you had been ;

Eran. — Yes know that he said " am
I I
*
you would not have found fault with what the true vine."
we have said as in a figure. For first of all Orth. — Now what the of a vine is fruit
the fact that the divine apostle says that the called after it is
pressed?
invisible nature was made manifest through Eran. —
It is called wine.
the flesh allows us to understand the flesh as Orth. —
When the soldiers wounded the
a screen of the Godhead. Secondly, the Saviour's side with the spear, what did the
divine apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews, evangelist say was poured out from it?
distinctly uses the phrase, for he says, Eran. —
Blood and water.*
"
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to Orth. —
Well, then; he called the
enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus Saviour's blood blood of the grape, for if
by a new and living way, which he hath con- the Lord is called u vine, and the fruit of
secrated for us, through the veil, that is to say the vine wine, and from the Lord's side
his flesh and having an High Priest over streams of blood and water flowed down-
;
the House of God. Coming with truth wards over the rest of his body, fitly" and
drawing near with a true heart in fulness of appropriately the Patriarch foretells He
faith." 3 shall wash his robe in wine and his mantle
Eraii. —
Your demonstration is unanswer- in blood of the grape." For as we after the
able, for it is based on apostolic authority. consecration call the mystic fruit of the vine
1 Matthew xviii. 10. - I. Tim. iii. :6. 1

Gen. xUx. 10. Compare note on p. 6.
2 Gen. xlix. *
3 Hebrews x. iQ-32. In iii. 607. ed. Migne this passage 11. John XV. I.
3 5
is quoted by Theodoret as in A. V. /llfO'TtKtOTepOI'. John xix. 34.
1 68 THEODORET.
the Lord's blood, so he called the blood of body of the Lord is called by the patriarch
the true vine blood of the grape. "robe" and " mantle " and we have reached '
Eraii. — The point before us has been the discussion of tlie divine mysteries, tell me
set forth in language at once mystical and truly, of what do you understand the Holy
clear. Food to be a symi)ol and type.' Of the god-
Orth. — Although what has been said is head of the Lord Christ, or of His body and
for faith. will, for confirmation
His blood.'
enough your
of the faith, give you yet another
I
Eran. — Plainly of those things of which
JBran. — proof.
be grateful to you for so they received the names.
I shall
doing, for you will increase the favour done Orth. You mean of the body and of the —
mc. blood
Eran. — do.
.'
— You know how God called His

Ori/i. I
own body bread.' Orth. — You have spoken as a lover of

Erati. — Yes. truth should speak, for when the Lord had
Orth. — And how another place he taken the symbol, He did not say " this is
in
"
called His my godhead," but "this is and
" ^ my body
flesh corn.''
Eran. — Yes, know. For have heard
;
I I again "this is
my blood and in another
Him saying " The hour is come that the place " the bread that I will give is my flesh
Son of man should be glorified,"^ and " Ex- which I will give for the life of the world." ^
cept a corn of wheat fall into the ground Eran. These words are true, for they —
and die, it abidcth alone but if it die it are the divine oracles.
bringeth forth much fruit."
^ Orth.
;
If then they are true, I —

Orth. —
Yes and in the giving of the the Lord had a body.
supjjose
;
mysteries He called the bread, body, and Erati. No; for I maintain him to ])e —
what had been mixed, blood. bodiless.
Eratt. —
He so did. Orth. But you confess that He had a —
Orth. — Yet naturally the body would body
Eran. —
.'
properly be called body, and the blood, I say that the Word was made
blood. have been taught.
flesh, for so I
Eran. —
Agreed. Orth. —
It seems, as the
proverb has it,
Orth. —
But our Saviour changed the as if we are drawing water in a pail with a
names, and to His body gave the name of hole in it.* For after all our demonstrations
the symbol and to the symbol that of his and solutions of difliculties, you are bring-
body. So, after calling himself a vine, he ing the same arguments round again.
spoke of the symbol as blood. Eran. I am not giving —
you my argu-
Eran. —
True. But I am desirous of ments, but those of the gospels.
knowing the reason of the change of names. Orth. —
And have I not given you the
Orth. —
To them tliat are initiated in di- interpretation of the words of the gospels
vine tilings the intention is plain. For he from those of prophets and apostles.'
wished the partakers in the divine mysteries Eran. —
They do not serve to clear up the
not to give heed to the nature of the visible point at issue.
objects, but, by means of the variation of the Orth. —
And yet we shewed how, being
names, to believe the change wrought of invisible. He was made manifest through
grace. For He, we know, who spoke of his flesh, and the relationship of this very flesh
natural body as corn and l)read, and,
again,
we have been taught by the sacred writers —
called Himself a vine, dignified the visible " He took on Him the seed of Abraham." '"
symbols by the appellation of the body and And the Lord God said to the patriarch, "in
blood, not because He had changed their na- thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be
ture, but because to their nature He had added blessed,"
"
and the apostle, " It is evident
our Lord sprang out of Judah."
'
We ad-
grace.''
Eran. —
The mysteries are spoken of in duced further several similar testimonies;
mystic language, and there is a clear declara- but, since you are desirous of hearing yet
tion of that which is not known to all. others, listen to the apostle when he says,
Orth. —
Since then it is acrreed that le
" For ll
every high priest taken from among
*
John xii. 23. xii. 24.
men is ordained that he
may ofler both gifts
2JoIin
passage and a parallel passage fniin Dial. TI. were and sacrifices, wherefore it is of necessity that
' This
quoted with force in tlie discussions of the luiglisli Kclonna.

this man have somewhat also to ofler."
"
lion. T?p. Ridley on the
foregoing writes {A Brief Ihclara-
tion of the Lor'd'x Supper, I'arker Soc. Kd. p. ^5.) " What
can be more plainly said than this that this old writer saith? '
Gen. xlix. 2 Matt. xxvi. 2S.
That althoii_'h the Sacraments bear the name of the bodv and 2.^ sjohnvi. 51.
*
Aristotle (OJc : 1.6. i .) uses the proverb as we sav in Eng-
blood of Christ, yet is not their nature changed, but abiileth lish " to draw water in a sieve." '•
]Ieb. ii.'io.
Still. And where is then the Papists' transubstantiation.' " "Gen.ii. iS.
'
Heb. vii. 14. 8 iii;ij. y. 1. viii.
3.
DIALOGUES. 169
Eran. — Point out, then, how He offered cion, and of Manes but even they never;
after taking a body. had the hardihood to say that the immutable
Orth. — The divine apostle himself clearly nature underwent mutation into flesh.
teaches in the very passage, for after a few Eran. — Reviling unchristian. is
words he says: "Wherefore, when He com- Orth. — We do notrevile, butwe are
eth into the world, He saith, sacrifice and fighting for truth, and we are vexed at your
offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast arguing about the indisputable as though it
thou prepared me." He does not say " into '
could be disputed. However, I will endeav-
a body hast thou changed," but " a body our to put an end to your ungracious conten-
hast thou prepared," and he shows plainly tion. Answer now do you remember the;
that the formation of the body was wrought promises which God made David.'' to
by the Spirit in accordance with the utter- Eran. — Which }

ance of the gospel, " Fear not to take unto Orth. — Those which the prophet inserted
thee Mary thy wife for that which is ; in the SSth Psalm.
generated in her is of the Holy Ghost."
^
Eran. — I know that many promises were
Eran. —
The virgin then gave birth only made to David. Which are you enquiring
to a body 1 about now?
Orth. —
It appears that you do not even Orth. — Those which refer to the Lord
understand the composition of words, Christ.
much less their meaning, for he is teaching Eran. — Recall the utterances yourself,
Joseph the manner, not of the generation, foryou promised adduce your proofs.
to
but of the conception. For he does not say Orth. — Listen now how the prophet
that which is generated of her, i. e. made, praises God the very beginning of the
at
or formed, is of the Holy Ghost. Joseph, Psalm. He saw
with his prophetic eyes the
ignorant of the mystery, was suspicious future iniquity of his people, and the cap-
of adultery he was therefore plainly taught
; tivity that was in consequence foredoomed ;
the formation by the Spirit. It is this which yet he praised his own Lord for unfailing
He signified through the prophet when He promises. "I will sing," he says, "of the
said " A
body hast thou prepared me" for
•'
mercies of the Lord forever, with my mouth

the divine Apostle being full of the Spirit will I make known Thy faithfulness to all
interpreted the prediction. If then the ofter- generations, for thou hast said, Mercy shall
ing of gifts is the special function of priests be built up for ever, Thy faithfulness shalt
and Christ in His humanity was called priest Thou establish in the very heavens."*
and offered no other sacrifice save ''His own Through all this the prophet teaches that
body, then the Lord Christ had a body. the promise was made by God on account of
Eran. —
This even I have repeatedly af- lovingkindness, and that the promise is
firmed, and I do not say that the divineWord faithful. Then he goes on to say what He
appeared without a body. What I main- promised, and to whom, introducing God
tain is not that He took a bod}^ but that He Himself as the speaker. (" I have made a
was made flesh. covenant with my chosen." -) It is the Patri-
Orth. —
So far as I see our contest lies archs that He called chosen then He goes ;
with the supporters of Valentinus, of Mar- on " I have sworn unto David my servant,"
^
and He states concerning what He swore,

JHeb.x. s.
2 Matt. 20. The rendering oiyivvrfiiv by " conceived " in " Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build
i.
the A. V. somewhat obscures the arg-ument of Theodoret.

The R. V. has " "
begotten in the margin. up thy throne to all generations."*
3 Ps. xl. 7. Septuagint. The difficulty how to account for Now whom do you suppose to be called
the rendering of lSn"13 DDIN i- e. "My ear hast thou
- the seed of David }
T
— The
•
Jt
"
dug" by <rw|u.a KaT>)pTio-io
" is an old one. Did HOEAHCA- Eran. promise was made about
CnXIAAEKATHPTlCn get altered by mistake into H0EAHCA- Solomon.
Orth. — Then
CCnMAAEKATHPTICn? " How
the word a^txa. came into the
Ixx we cannot say; but being there it is now sanctioned for us he made his covenant with
by the citation here not as the, or even a proper rendering of about Solomon, for before
Patriarchs
;
the
the Hebrew, but as a prophetic utterance." Alford ad loc.
* I have no hesitation in
translating iAAa here by
"
what was said about David he mentioned the
save,"
in spite of the purist prejudice which has led even the revisers " I have
of iSSi to retain something of the awkward periphrasis by promises made to the Patriarchs
which the meaning of Matt. XX. 23 and Mark x. 40. is con- made a covenant with my chosen," and He
fused in A. v., and an Arian sense given to our Lord's dec-
laration, "To sit on my right hand and my left is not mine promised
the Patriarchs that in their seed He
to give save to them for whom it is prepared." i. e. It is His
to give, but not to give arbitrarily or of caprice. Liddell and
would bless all nations. Kindly point out
Scott, Ed. 1SS3, recognise and illustrate this use of dAAa how the nations were blessed through Solo-
(Vide s. V. I. 3.) which in classical Greek is vindicated by mon.
such a passage as Soph. O. T. 1331. en-ixiac 6' aurdxeip vi.v
ouTts aXA' eyuj, and in N. T. Greek, as well as by the crucial pas-
*Ps. Ixxxix. 3.
in Mark ix. S. oixeTi. ouSiva tlSov d\Kli t6>'
1
Ps. Ixxxix. I. 2.
sage in question, " "
*Ps. Ixxxix. 4.
Ps. Ixxxix.
I>)<7oi/»' /udi'oj', They no longer saw any one save ]esvis only." 3.
170 THEODORET.
Eran. —
Then God fulfilled this promise, on his mother's an Idumaân but they, too, ;
'
not by means of Solomon, but of our Sa- have all disappeared, and many years have
viour. gone by since their sovereignty came to an
Orth. —
So then our Lord Christ gave the end. But our Lord God promised not only
fullllnient to the pron/ises made to David. to maintain the seed of David for ever, but
Eran. —
I hold that these
promises were to establish his kingdom undestroyed for ;
made by God, either about Solomon, or about He said, " I will build up my throne to all
Zerubbabel. generations."
Orth. —
Just now you used the argu- But we see that his race is gone, and his
ments of Marcion and Valentinus and of kingdom come to an end. Yet though we
Manes. Now you have gone over to the see this, we know that the God of the Uni-
directly opposite faction, and arc advôcating verse is true.
the im])udcnce of the Jews. This is just like Era?z. That God is true is plain. —
all those who turn out of a
straight road Orth. If, then, God is true, as in truth
;
—
they err and stray first one way and then He is, and promised David that He would
another, wandering in a wilderness. establish His race for ever, and keep his king-
Bra7i. — Revilers are excluded by the dom through all time, and if neither race nor
Apostle from the kingdom.^ kingdom are to be seen, for both have come
Orth. — Yes, if their
revilings are vain. to an end, how can we convince oiu" oppo-
Sometimes the divine Apostle himself oppor- nents that God is true ?
tunely uses this mode of speech. He calls I suppose, then, the
prophecy Eran. —
the Galatiaus "foolish,"- and of others he really to the Lord Christ.
Orth. —
points
" men of
says corrupt minds, reprobate con- If, then, you confess this, let us
'
cerning the faith," and again of another set, investigate together a passage in the middle
" Whose God is their we shall then more clearly
^
belly, whose glory is of the Psalm ;
in their shame," and so forth. see what the prophecy means.

Eraii. —What occasion did I give you for Eran. Lead on I will religiously fol- — ;
reviling? low in your footsteps.

Orth. — Do
you really not think that the Orth. — After making many promises
willing advocacy of the declared enemies of about this seed that it should be Lord both
the truth furnishes the pious with very by sea and land- and higher than the kings
reasonable ground of indignation? of the earth and be called the first beo-otten
Eraii. —
And what enemies of the truth of God,-' and should boldly call God, Father*
have I patronized? God also added this, " My mercy will I keep
Orth. —
Now, Jews. for him for evermore and my covenant shall
Erati. —
How so ? stand fast with him. His seed also will I
Orth. —
Jews connect prophecies of this make endure for ever and his throne as
to
"
kind with Solomon and Zerubbabel, in order the days of heaven."
to exhibit the groundlessness of the Chris- Eran. —
The promise goes beyond the
tian position l)ut the mere words are quite
;
bounds of human nature, for both the life
enough to convict them of their ini(|uity, for and the honour are indestructible and eternal.
it is written " I will establish my throne But men endure but for a season their ;
for ever."
'"
Now
only Solomon and not nature is short lived and tlieir kingdom even
Zerubbabel, to wliom such prophecies are during its lifetime undergoes many and vari-
ap[)licd by the Jews, have lived out their ous vicissitudes, so that truly the greatness
appointed time, and reached the end of life, of the prophecy befits none but the Saviour
but the whole race of David has become Christ.
extinct for who ever heard of any one at the
;
Orth. Go on then to what follows and —
l)resent day descended from the root of your opinion upon this point will be in every
David? way confirmed, for again saith the God of
Eran. —
But are not, then, those who are the universe, " Once have I sworn by my
called Patriarchs of the Jews of the family
of David ?
•
Antipatcr or Antipas, a = Cypros, an Idumxan.
Orth. — Certainly not. wealthy Iduina;an.
Ilcrod the Great ~ Mariaiiinc, Princess of
|
Eraii. — Whence, then, are they sprung? the Maccabees.
Orth. — From the foreigner Herod, who, Alexander

on his father's side, was an Ascalonite, and
Herod Agrippa 1 llcrod K. of Ilerodias.
, Chalcis.
1
Cor. VI,
1. 10. 8 2. Tim. iii.S. Herod Agrippa H. Bernice. Dnisilla.
2Gul. iii. I. < Phil. iii. 19. 2 Ps. Ixxxix. 25. 3 Ps. Ixxxix. * Ps. Ixxxix. 26.
" 27.
Ps. Ixxxix. 4 ^ Ps. Ixxxix. 2S, 29.
DIALOGUES. 171
holiness, if I lie unto David, his seed shall is

unbecoming to dispute, and this planily re-
endure for ever and his throne as the sun be- fers to the Lord Christ.
fore me. It shall be established for ever as Orth. — Then
let us pass on to another
the moon." '
prophetic testimony and let us hear the same

Then, pointing out the truth of the prom- " There shall come forth a
prophet saying
ise He adds, "And the witness is faithful in rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch
heaven." shall grow out of his roots." ^
Eran. — We must believe without doubt Eran. —
I think this
prophecy was de-
in the promises given by the faithful witness, livered about Zerubbabel.
for, if wont to believe men who have
we are Orth. —
If you hear what follows,
you
promised speak the truth even if they do
to will not remain in your opinion. The Jews
not confirm their words with an oath, who have never so understood this prediction, for
can be so mad as to disbelieve the Creator of the prophet goes on, "and the Spirit of the
the Universe, when He adds an oath to his Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wis-
words For He who forbids others to swear
.-^ dom and understanding, the spirit of counsel
confirmed the immutability of his counsel by and might, the spirit of knowledge and the
an oath,- " that by two immutable things in fear of the Lord." - This would never be at-
which it was impossible for God to lie we tributed by any one to a mere man, for even
might have a strong consolation who have to the very holy the gifts of the .Spirit are
fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set given by division, as the divine apostle wit-
before us." ^ nesses when he says, " To one is given by
Orth. —
If then the promise is irrefraga- the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the
ble, and among the Jews there is now word of knowledge by the same Spirit,"^
neither family nor kingdom of the prophet and so on. The prophet describes Him who
David to be seen, let us believe that our Lord sprang from the root of Jesse as possessing
Jesus Christ is plainly called seed of David all the powers of the spirit.
in His humanity, for of Him the life and the Eran. To gainsay this were sheer folly. —
kingdom are both alike eternal. Orth, — Now
hear what follows. You
— We have no doubt; and
Eran. this I will see that transcend human
some things
own be the " He shall not
to truth. nature, he goes on.
Orth. — These proofs then are
judge
sufficient after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove
to show clearly the manhood which our Lord after the hearing of His ears, but with right-
and Saviour took of David's seed. But to eousness shall He judge the poor, and re-
remove all possibility of doubt by the wit- prove with equity the mighty of the earth,
''
ness of the majority, let us hear how God and He shall smite the earth with the word
makes mention of the promises given to of His mouth, and with the breath of His
David through the voice of the jDrophet lips shall he slay the wicked."
"
Now of
" I will " an ever- these
Isaiah. make," he says, predictions some are human and some
lasting covenant with you," and, signifying divine. Justice, truth, equity, and rectitude
the law-giver, he adds, " even the sure mer- in giving judgment exhibit virtue in human
''
cies of David." nature.

Since He made this promise to David, and Eran. have so far clearly learned — We
spoke through Esaias, He will assuredly that the prophet predicts the coming of our
bring the promise to pass. And what fol- Saviour Christ.
lows after the prophecy is in harmony with Orth. The sequel will shew you yet —
what I say, for he saith *' Behold I have given more plainly the truth of the interpretation.
him for a witness to the people, a leader and For he goes on, " The wolf shall dwell with
commander to the people. Behold nations the lamb," ^ and so on, whereby he teaches
that know thee not shall call upon thee, and at once the distinction of modes of life and the
peoples that understand thee not shall run harmony of faith and experience furnishes ;
unto thee." Now this fits in with none that a proof of the prediction, for they that abound
''
are sprung from David, for who of David's in wealth, they that live in poverty, servants
descendants, as Esaias says, was made a ruler and masters, rulers and ruled, soldiers and
of nations? And what nations in their citizens and they that wield the sceptre of
prayers ever called on David's descendants the world are received in one font, ai'e all
as God? taught one doctrine, are all admitted to one
Eran. — About what is
perfectly clear it
- Isaiah xi. 3 1. Cor. xii. S.

'
Isaiah xi. i. 2.
•>
A. V. " reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; "
'
Ps. Ixxxix. 35. 36. 37. 3 Heb. vi. iS. ^ Is. Iv. 4. j. Ixx. Sept. eAeyfei, Toi/j Ta;rcii'oi>s T^s y^%.
' Heb. vi. 17. * Is. Iv. ^ Isaiah xi. 4. ® Is. xi. 6.
3.
1/2 THEODORET.
at the very outset he
mystic table, and each of the believers enjoys writing to the Romans,
an c(jual share. calls attention to the Davidic kin, for he says
JSran. —
It is thus shewn that God is
'•
Paul a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be
spoken of. an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God
Ort/i. —
Not only God but man. So at which He had promised before by his prophets
the very beginninj^ of this prediction he says in the holy scriptures concerning His Son
that a rod shall grow out of the root of Jesse. which was made of the seed of David ac-
Then at the conclusion of the prediction he cording to the flesh," ^ and so on.
takes up once more the strain with wliich he Eran. Your proofs are numerous and —
for he " There sliall be a root of but tell me why you have omitted
began, says convincing ;
Jesse which shall stand for an ensign of the what follows.'*

people, to it shall the Gentiles seek and his Orth. Because it is not about the God- —
rest shall be glorious." Now Jesse was the head, but about the manhood, that you are
^
father of David, and the promise with an oath in difficulties. Had you been in doubt about
was made to David. The prophet would the Godhead, I would have given you proof
''
not have spoken of the Lord Christ as a rod of it. It is enough to say according to the
out of if he had only known Flesh" to declare the Godhead which is not
growing Jesse
Him as God. The prediction also foretold expressed in terms. When speaking of a re-
the change of the world, for "the earth" lationship of man in general I do not say the
he says " shall be full of the knowledge of son of such an one " according to the flesh,"
-
the Lord as the waters cover the sea." but simply "son," so the divine Evange-
JSran. —
I have licard the prophetic utter- list writing his genealogy says
" ^
" Abraham
ances. But I was anxious to know clearly begat Isaac and does not add according to
if the divine company of the apostles also the flesh, for Isaac was merely man, and he
says that the Lord Christ sprang from the mentions the rest in like manner, for they
seed of David according to the flesh. were men and had no qualities transcending
Orth. —
You have asked for information their nature. But when the heralds of the
which so far from being hard is exceedingly truth are discoursing of our Lord Christ, and
easy to give you. Only listen to the first of are pointing out to the ignorant His lower
the apostles exclaiming " David being a relation, they add tlie words
•'
according to
prophet and knowing that God had sworn an the flesh," thus indicating His Godhead and
oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, ac- teaching that the Lord Christ was not only
cording to the flesh. He would raise up man but also Eternal God.
Christ to sit upon His throne he seeing Eran. ;
You have adduced many proofs —
this before spake of the resurrection of from the apostles antl prophets, but I follow
" The Word
Christ, that His soul was not left in hell the words of the Evangelist
neither His flesh did see corruption.""^ was made Flesh." ^
Hence you may perceive that of the seed Orth. I also follow this divine
teaching,
—
of David according to the flesh sprang the but I understand it in a pious sense, as mean-
Lord Christ, and had not flesh only but also ing that He was made Flesh by taking flesh
a soul. and a reasonable soul. But if the divine
Era7i. —
What other apostle preached Word took nothing of our nature, then the
•
this.? covenants made with the patriarchs by the

Orth. —
The great Peter alone was suffi- God of all with oaths were not true, and the
cient to testify to the truth, for the Lord after blessing of Judah was vain, and the promise
receiving the confession of the truth given by to David was false, and the Virgin was su-
Peter alone confirmed it by a mem.orable perfluous, because she did not contribute
approval. But since you are anxious to hear anything of our nature to the Incarnate God.
others proclaiming this same thing, hear Then the predictions of the prophets have no
Paul and Barnabas preaching in Antioch in fulfilment. Then vain is our preaching, vain
Pisidia for they, when they had made men- our faith and vain the hope of the resurrec-
;
tion of David, continued " Of this man's tion'' for the Apostle, it appears, lies when he
seed hath God according to his promise says " and hath raised us up together and made
*
raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus," and so us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
on. And in a letter to Timothy the divine Jesus." * For if the Lord Christ had nothing
Paul says " Remember that Jesus Christ of
the seed of David was raised from the dead • Romans j.
1-3.
2 Matt. 2. Jolin i. 14. i. •''
''
And, when ••
A Kti'ij eATTicro ttiVti? would be a
which could not pos-
faith
according to my gospel." sibly be realized; and inarota eAjri? a hope of not impossible
but very improbable fulfilment. But the distinction between
' Isaiiih xi. lo. * Acts ii. _ô-3i.
6 2 Tim. ii.S. xevo? and naraco? is hardly borne out by their use in the text.
2 Isaiah xi. * "
9. Acts xiii. 23. Eplies. ii. 6.
DIALOGUES. 173
of our nature then He is folsely described as not robbery to be equal with

thought it
our first fruits, and His bodily nature has not God." To
put the matter briefly, both teach
risen from tlie dead and has not taken the that being God and son of God, and clad
seat in Heaven on tlie right hand and if Hev/ith His Father's glory, and having the same
;
has obtained none of these things, how hathnature and power with Him that begat Him,
God raised us up together and made us sit He that was in the beginning and was with
together with Christ, when we in no wise God, and was God, and was Creator of the
belong to Him in Nature? But it is impious world, took upon Him the form of a servant,
to say this, for the divine apostle, though the and it seemed that this was all which was
general resurrection has not yet taken place, seen but it was God clad in human nature,
;
thougrh the kingrdom of heaven has not vet and working out the salvation of men. This
been bestowed upon the faithful, exclaims, is what was meant by " The word was made
" He hatii I'aised us " "
up together and made us flesh and was made in the likeness of men
sit together in heavenly places in Christ and being found in fashion as a man."
Jesus," in order to teach that since the resur- This is all that was looked at by the Jews,
rection of our first fruits, and His sitting on and therefore they said to him " For a good
the right hand has come to pass, we too in work we stone Thee not but for blasphemy
general shall attain the resurrection, and that and because that Thou being a man makest
all they who share in His nature and have Thyself God," and again
^ " This man is not
adopted His faith, share too in the first fruits of God because He keepeth not the Sabbath
of His glory. Day."-
Erau. — We
have gone through many and Eraii. —
The Jews were blind on account
sound arguments, but I was anxious to know of their unbelief, and therefore used these
the force of the Gospel saying. words.
Orth. —
-You stand in need of no interpre- Orth. —
If you find even the apostles be-
tation from without. The evangelist him- fore the resurrection thus saying, will you re-
self interprets himself. For after saying ceive the interpretation.'' I hear them in the
" the Word was made flesh," he
goes on boat, after the mighty miracle of the calm,
" and dwelt "
among us."^ That is to say by saying what manner of man is this, that
dwelling in us, and using the flesh taken even the vvinds and the sea obey Him.''"^
from us as a kind of temple, He is said to Eran. —
This is made plain. But now
have been made flesh, and, teaching that He tell me this; —
the divine apostle says that
remained unchanged, the evangelist adds He " was made in the likeness of man."
" and we beheld His
glory
—
the glory as of Orth. —
What was taken of him was not
the only begotten of the Father, full of grace man's likeness, but man's nature. For " form
" " the
and truth." ^ For though clad with flesh He of a servant is understood just as
"
exhibited His Father's nobility, shot forth the form of God is understood to mean God's
beams of the Godhead, and emitted tlie ra- nature. He took this, and so was made in
diance of the power of the Lord, revealing the likeness of man, and was found in fashion
by His works of wonder His hidden nature. as a man. For, being God, He seemed to
A similar illustration is afforded by the words be man, on account of the nature which He
of the divine apostle to the Philippians took. The evangelist, however, speaks of
:

you which was also in His being made in the likeness of man as
Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God His being made flesh. But that you may
thought it not robbery to be equal with God, know that they who deny the flesh of the
but made Himself of no reputation and took Saviour are of the opposite spirit, hear the
upon Him the form of a servant and was great John in his Catholic Epistle saying
made in the likeness of men, and being " Ever}' spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ
found in fashion as a man he humbled Him- is come in the flesh is of God, and every
self and became obedient unto death even the spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is
death of the cross." ^ *
come in the flesh is not of God, and this is
Look at the relation of the utterances. that spirit of Anti-Christ." '
The evangelist says " the Word was made Eran. —
You have given a j^lausible in-
•
flesh and dwelt among us," the apostle, terpretation, but I was anxious to know how
" took "
upon him the form of a servant the the old teachers of the Chui"ch have under-
;
" We
beheld His glory, the glory stood the passage "the word was made
evangelist
as of the only begotten of the Father
"
the flesh." —
apostle, "who being in the form of God Orth. —
You ought to have been persuaded
1
X. 33. 3 Matt.
John viii. 27.
2 'Phil. ii.j.S. - *
'John i. 14. John i.
14. John ix. 16. I.John iv. 2, 3.
174 THEODORET.
by the apostolic and prophetic proofs but ;

look at the terms used ;
for there follows
since you require further the interpretations say dwelt and dwelt among us,' that is to
*•
of the holy Fathers I will also furnish you, in human flesh. You are therefore aston-
God helping me. this medicine. ished at the terms in which it is written that
Eran. —
Do not bring me men of obscure the Word was made flesh, on the assmnption
position or doubtful doctrine. I shall not of flesh, by the di\ine Word, when also con-
receive tiic interpretation of such as these. cerning sin which He had not, it is said that
Orth. —
Does tlie far famed Athanasius, He was made sin, that is to say not that He
brightest light of the church of Alexandria, was made the
nature and operation of sin,
seem to you to be worthy of credit.'' but that he might crucify our sin in the flesh
Eraii. —
Certainly, for he ratified his let them then give over asserting that the
;
teaching by the suftbring he underwent for nature of the Word has undergone change
the Truth's sake. and alteration, for He wdio took is one and
Orth. —
Hear then how he wrote to Epic- that which was taken other." ^
" The It is now fitting that you should hear the
expression of Joim the Word
'
tetus.'
'
was made flesh has this interpretation, so teachers of the east, this being the only
far as can be discovered from tiie similar pas- quarter of the world which we have hitherto
sage which we hnd in St. Paul Clirist was though they indeed might
'
left unnoticed,
made a curse for us.' - It is not because He well have first witnessed to the truth, for to
was made a curse but because He received the them wâs first imparted the teaching of the
curse on our behalf that He is said to have apostles. But since you have sharpened
been made a curse, and so it is not because your tongues against the first-born sons of
He was turned into flesh, but because He piety by whetting them on the hone of false-
took flesh on our behalf, that He is said to hood, we have reserved for them the last
have been made flesh." So far the divine place, that after first hearing the rest, you
Athanasius. Gregory, too, whose glory might lay witness by the side of witness, and
among all men is great, who formerly ruled so at once admire their harmony, and cease
the Imperial city at the moutli of the Bos- from your own interminable talk. Listen
phorus and afterwards dwelt at Nazianzus, then to Flavianus who for a long time right
thus wrote to Cledonius against the specious wisely moved the tiller of the church of An-
fallacies of Apollinarius. tioch, and made the churches which he
Eran. — He was an illustrious man and a guided ride safe over the Arian storm, by
foremost fighter in the cause of piety. expounding to them the word of the gospel.
Orth. — Hear him says^
" the " The Word was made flesh and dwelt
then. He among
He was made to be us; He is not turned into flesh, nor yet did
'
expression
'
seems Flesh
parallel to His being said to have been made he cease from being God, for this he was
^
sin and a curse, not because the Lord was from all eternity and became flesh in the dis-
transmuted into these, —
for how could He? pensation of the incarnation 2 after himself
— but because He accepted these when He building his own temple, and taking up his
took on Him our iniquities and bore our in- abode in the passible creature." And if you
*
firmities." desire to hear the ancients of Palestine, lend
Eran. — The two interpretations agree. your ears to the admirable Gelasius, who
Orth. — We have shown you the pastors (lid diligent husbandry in the church of
of the south and north in harmony now ;
Caesarea. Now these are his words in his
then let us introduce too the illustrious teach- homily on the festival of the Lord's epiphany.^
ers of the west, who have written their in- 1
de Incar. Doin. Sac. vi.II. Ed. Ben. p. 716. Tlie Iâtin of
terpretation, if with another tongue, yet with Ainbrcisc, wliich is not exactly rendered by Tlieodoret, is as
tiillows: — ".SVf scriplion est, iiujiiiinit, tjiiin Verbiim caro
one and the same mind.
Erati. —
I am told that Ambrosius, who
foclum est {loan /, 14). Scriptuiii est, noii nego: scd consid-
era quid seqiiatiir; seqiiitur eniin : lit habilavit in nohis,hoc
est, itlud ^ crhitm quod carncm sitseepit, hoc hahitavit in nobis,
adorned the episcopal throne at Milan, fought hoc est, in carne habilavit humana.
" Miraris
in the first ranks against all heresy, and erffo quia scriptum est: Verbum caro factum est,
cum caro assumpta sit a Dei Verba: quando de peccato quod
wrote works of great beauty and in agree- non habiiit, scriptum est quia peccatiim /actus est, hoc est, non
natura operationeque peccati, utpote in similitudinem carnis
ment with the teaching of the apostles.
Orth. —
I will give you his interpretation.
pcccati /actus: sedut peccatum nostrum in sua carne crucifi-
fferet, susceptinnem pro tinbis injirmitatum obnoxii jam cor-
poris peccati carnal IS assumpsit.
Ambrosius says in his work concerning the llesinant erffo dicere jtaturam Verbi in corporis naturam
faith "It is written tliat the Word was made esse mulatam; ne pari
inierpretatione videatiir natura Verbi
in coiitagium mulat a peccati Aliud est enim quod
assumpsit,
I do not
flesh. deny that it is written, but et aliud quod assiimptum est."
2
Compare note on page 72.
•'"' In tl)c
Eastern church till nearly tlie end of the fourth
1
Ed. Ben. I. 2. 207.
* II. Cor. v. 21. Gal. iii. 13. centnrv we find, as lias been said, the divine celebration of
* r.:il. iii. " Isaiah liii. Christ's nativity and baptism on January îth. The date of the
i^^. .;.
* 1 ad Cled. Ed. Paris.
lij). i.
]>. 744. severance of tlie two can be approximately tixe<l, for Ghrysos-
DIALOGUES. 175
" Learn the truth from the words of

John but the assumption of our nature. Suppose
the Fisherman, And the word was made you take the word 'was made' to indicate
'
flesh,' not having himself undergone change, a change then when you hear Paul saying
;
but having taken up his abode with us. The ' Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of
dwelling is one thing; the Word is another; the law being made a curse for us,' do you
the temple is one thing, and God who dwells understand him to mean a change into the
in it, another." nature of a curse.'' Just as being made a
Eran. —
I am much struck by the agree- curse had no other meaning than that He
ment. took our curse upon Himself, so the words
Orth. — Now
,
do you not suppose that the was made flesh and dwelt among us mean
rule of the apostolic faith was kept by John, nothing other than the assumption of flesh."
who first nobly watered the field of the Eran. —
I admire the exact agreement'
church of the Antiochenes, and then was a of these men. For they are as unanimous
wise husbandman of that of the imperial in giving the same interpretations of evan-
gelical writings as if they had met in the
city .?
Eraji. —
I hold this teacher to be in all same place and written down their opinion
respects an admirable one.

Orth. —
Well, this most excellent man has
together.
Orth. —
Mountains and seas separate them
interpreted this passage of the Gospel. He very far from one another, yet distance does
" When
writes,^ you hear that the Word was not damage their harmony, for they were all
made flesh, be not startled or cast down, for inspired by the same gift of the spirit. I
the substance did not deteriorate into flesh —
would also have oflered you the interpreta-
an idea of the uttermost impiety —
but con- tions of the victorious champions of piety
tinuing to be just what it is, so took the form Diodoius and Theodorus, had I not seen
of a servant. For just as wdien the apostle that you were ill disposed towards them, and
says Christ hath redeemed us from the
'
had inherited the hostility of Apollinarius ;
curse of the law, being made a curse for you would have seen that they have expressed
us,'
~
he does not say that the substance of similar experiences, drawing water from the
Christ departed from His own glory, and divine Fount, and becoming themselves too,
took the substance of a ciuse, a position streams of the spirit. But I will pass them
which not even devils would imagine, nor truceless war
by, for you have declared a
the utterly senseless, and the naturally idiotic I will, however, shew you
against them.
— so I'emarkable being the connection be- the famous teacher of the Church, and his
tween impiety and insanity. But what he mind about the divine incarnation, that you
does assert is that after receiving the curse may know what opinion he held concerning
due to us. He does not suffer us to be cursed the assumed nature. You have no doubt
for the future. heard of the illustrious Ignatius, who re-
It is in this sense that He
is have been made flesh, not be- ceived episcopal grace by the hand of the
stated to
cause he had changed the substance into great Peter, ^ and after ruling the church of
flesh, but because he had assumed the flesh, Antioch, wore the crown of martyrdom.
the substance remaining all the while un- You have heard too of Irenseus, who enjoyed
the teaching of Polycarp, and became a light
impaired."^
You may like to hear also Severianus, of the western Gauls; of Hippolytus and —
Bishop of Gabala.'' If so, I will adduce his Methodius, bishops and martyrs, and the
testimony and do you lend your ears. rest, whose names I will append to their
" The the Word was made flesh
'
expressions of opinion.
'
text
does not indicate a deterioration of nature Eraii. I am exceedingly— desirous of
hearing their testimony too.
torn refers toit as a matter of merely a few years' standing-, in OrtJi. —
Hear them now bringing forward
a sermon probably delivered on the Christmas day of 3S6 A.D.
How far back we are to refer the origin of this two-fold festi- the apostolic teaching. Testimony of Saint
val it is not easy to determine, the earliest mention of any
Ignatius., bishop of Antioch,
and martyr.
kind being the allusion by Clement of Ale.xandria to the
annual commemoration of Christ's baptism by the Basilid- From the letter to the Smyrna;ans (I.) :
—
ians (Stromata, lib. i. c. 21 )• At any rate by the latter part of "
the fourth century the Epiphany had become one of the most Having a full conviction with respect to
important and venerable festivals in the Eastern church." our Lord as being truly descended from David
Diet. Christ. Ant. i. 617.
Chrys. Ed. Sav. II. p. 598.
1
2 Gal. iii.
13.
1 The value of
Chrysostom and Severianus as independent
3 The modern reader will not omit to note the
bearing of witnesses is somewhat weakened by the fact, pointed out by
these patristic interpretations of the scriptural statements that Schulze, that amnng the writings of the former some are
" a
the word was " made " tlesh and that Christ was " made attributed to the latter.
curse on later controversies concerning Transubstantiation. - The
Apost. Const, vii. 46. represent Ignatius as ordained by
* On the northern seaboard of
Syria. Severianus was at St. Paul. Malalas describes St. Peter as ordaining" Ignatius
one time Chrysostom's commissary and afterwards his deter- on'the death of Euodius. Vide article " Euodius in Diet.
mined opponent. Christ. Biog.
176 THEODORET.
according to the flesh, son of God accurding who was of David's race and of Mary, who
t) Godhead' and power, born really of a was really born and really ate and drank
virgin, baptized by John that all righteous- and was persecuted
in the time of Pontius
by Him, really in Pilate, was crucified and died, while beings

-
ness migiit be fulfilled
the time of Pontius Pilate and of Herod on earth and beings in heaven and beings
the tetraich crucitied for our sake in the under the earth were looking on."'
flesh."" Testimo7iy of Jrenccies bishop of Lyons,
Of the same in the same epistle :
— from his third book Against the heresies : —
" For what
advantageth it me if a man
''
Why then did ^they add the words Li '
praises me but blasphemes my Lord, in not the city of David, save to proclaim the
confessing him to be a bearer of flesh? but good news that the promise made by God to
he who does not make this confession really David, that of the Iruit of his loins should
denies Him and is himself bearer of a come an everlasting king, was fulfilled ;
a promise which indeed the Creator of the

corpse.'"'
Of the same from
the same epistle : — world had made." "
"For these things weic done by our
if Of the same from the same book : —
Lord in appearance only, then it is in appear- " And when he Plear ye now, Oh '
says '
ance onl)" that I am a prisoner in chains and House of David he means that the ever-
''
why Iiave I delivered myself to death, to lasting King whom God promised to Da\id
fire, to sword, to the beasts? But he who that he would raise up from his body is He
is near to the sword is near to God.* Only who was born of David's Virgin."
in the name of Jesus Christ that I may Of the same from the sa?ne book : —
share his suflerings I endure all things " If then the first Adam had had a human
while He, Perfect Man whom some in their father and had been begotten of seed, it
ignorance deny, gives me strength."" would have been reasonable to say that the
From the same in the letter to the Ephe- second Adam had been begotten of Joseph.
siatis : — But if the former was taken from earth, and
" For our God
Jesus Christ was born in his creator was God, it was necessary also
Mary's womb 'by dispensation of God of the that He who renews in himself the man
seed of David and of the Holy Ghost who created by God should have the same
was born and was baptized that our mortality likeness of generation with that former.
might be iûrified."
**
then did not God again take dust? Why
From the same epistle : —
did he on the other hand ordain that Why
" If
ye all individually come together by the formation should be made of Mary?
grace naine by name in one faith, and in one That there might be no other creation that ;
Jesus Christ according to the flesh of David's that which was being saved might be no
race Son of God and Son of man.^ other thing; but that the former might him-
Of the same from the sajue epistle : —
self be renewed without loss of the likeness.
'•
There is one Physician of flesh and of For then do they too fall away who allege
spirit generate and ingenerate, God in man, that He took nothing from the Virgin, that
true life in death, Son of Mary and of God, they may repudiate the inheritance of the
passible and then impassible, Jesus flesh and cast ofl' the likeness."
''
first
Christ our Lord." '"
"Of
the same from the same book : —
Lastly of the satne in his epistle to the Since his going down into Mary is use-
Trallians :
— less for why went He down into her if He
;
" lie made deaf therefore when any was designed to take nothing from her?
ye
man speaks to you apart from Jesus Christ, And further, if He
had taken nothing from
Bp. LighUoot {,Ap. Fathers ft. If. I'i. 200.) ndopts the
' Mary He would not have accepted the food
rcndiM;^ Kara i>eAj)/ia koi bvvaixiv for KajH tttoTijra, and notes taken from earth whcrebv is nourished the
" This
'riiiodoict stranj^cly sulistitutcs liedxrjTa for t^tAijua.
reading . . in:iy be dueto
. . ignorance of the abso-
. . body taken from earth, nor would He like
lute use of t*cAi)»ia. The Armenian transhitor likewise has Moses and Elias, after
substituted another word."
fasting forty days,
2 Matt. ill. 15. have himgered, on account of His body de-
manding its own food, nor vet would John
'
Ig. ad Sinyrn. I.
^'fhcre is a play here on the crrtpKO</)opo<r. rfxpoc/iopo^, and,
possibly, dfof/iopo?. Vide Pearson and I.ightfoot ad loc. (Ignat. his disciple when writing about him have
ad Sinyrn. V.)
"•" A
saying to tliis effect is attributed to Our Lord by
said — Jesus being wearied from his jour-
'
Didyiniis on I's Ixxxviii. S. It is nieiitioned also bv Origen

:
llom.XX. In Jcrein:Sec. III." Bp. I.ightfoot 1. c' ney sat,'® nor would David have uttered the
"
Ignat. ad Sinyrn. W .
prediction about him 'And tliey added to
Coinpaie note on page ^2.
'
Up. I.ightfnot adopts tlic reading of Cod. Med. "that by

"
his passion he might cleanse the water." Ig. ad ICph. XVIII. 1

Ig. ad Trail, i: * Is. vii.
i_v
Ig. ad Kph. XX.
'•' - I, like ii. ""Cont. H.-cr. iii.
4. 31 .
s
"Ignat. ad Kph. VII. Ps. cxxxii. II. 'John iv. 6.
DIALOGUES. 177
the pain of my wounds,'^ nor would He and Martyr^ from his discourse on^ " The
have wept over Lazarus," nor would He have Lord is my shepherd " ; —
sweated drops of blood, nor would He "And an ark of incorruptible wood was
'^
have said, my soul is exceedingly sorrow- the Saviour Himself, for the incorruptibility
'
ful,'
*
nor yet when He was pierced would and indestructibility of His Tabernacle
blood and water have issued from His side." signified its producing no corruption of sin.
For all these things are proofs of the flesh For the sinner who confesses his sin says
taken from earth, which He had renewed in '
My wounds stink and are corrupt because
Himself in the salvation of his own ciea- of my foolishness.' - But the Lord was
^
ture." without sin, made in His human nature of
Of the same from the sa?ne book :
— incorruptible wood, that is to say, of the
" For
by the disobedience of the one
as Virgin and tlie Holy Ghost, overlaid within
man who was first formed from rude earth and without, as it were, by purest gold of
'
the many were made sinners and lost their the word of God."
life, so also was it fitting that through Of the same from his discourse on El-
obedience of one man, the firstborn of a kanah and Hannah : —
"
virgin, many should be made righteous and
"
Bring me then, O Samuel, the Heifer
receive their salvation.
**
drawn to Bethlehem, that you may shew the

Of the same fi'om the same work : — King begotten of David, and anointed King
" I have said
ye are gods and all of you and Priest by the Father."
'
children of the Most High but ye shall die Fro7n the same discourse : —
" Tell
This He says to them that did me, O Blessed Mary, what it was
^
like man.'
not accept the gift of adoption, but dishonour that was conceived by thee in the womb ;
the incarnation of the pure generation of the what it was that was borne by thee in a
word of God, deprive man of his ascent to Virgin's womb. It was the Word of God,
God, and are ungrateful to the Word of God firstborn from Heaven, on thee descending,
who was made flesh. For
for their sakes and man firstborn being formed in a womb,
this cause was the word made man that man that the first born Word of God might be
receiving the word and accepting the adop- shewn united to a firstborn man."
tion should be made God's son."^" From the sajtie discourse : —
Of the sajue from the same book : — " The second, which was through the
" Since then on account of the fore-
prophets as through Samuel, he revokes,
ordained dispensation •' the spirit came and turns his people from the slavery of
down, and the only begotten Son of God, strangers. The third, in which He took the
who also is Word of the Father, when the manhood of the Virgin and was present in
fulness of time was come, was made flesh the flesh who, when He saw the city wept
in man and our Lord Jesus Christ being
— over it."
;
one and the same —

fulfilled all the human Of the same from his discourse on the
dispensation as the Lord himself testifies, beginnijig of Isaiah '."^
—
and the apostles confess, all the teachings " He likens the world to
Egypt its idola- ;
of men who invented the ogdoads and try, to images its removal and destruction to ;
tetrads and similitudes are proved plainly an earthquake. The Word he calls the
' '
false." 12 Lord and by a ' swift cloud he means
'
Testimony of the Holy Hlppolytus^ Bishop the right pure tabernacle enthroned on which
our Lord Jesus Christ entered into life to
^
Ps. Ixix. 26. A. V. They talk to the ^rief of those whom undo the fall."
thou hast wounded. Ixx. R. V. They tell of the sorrow of those
whom thou hast wounded. Testijnony of the Holy Methodius^'' bishop
2
John xi. 35. 7 Rom. v.
19. and martyr^ from his discourse on the
3
*
Iûke xxii. 44.
Mat. xxvi. 2S.
8
9
Cont. Haer. iii. 20.
Ps. lxxxii.67. martyrs :
—
John xix. 34. '0
Cont. Haer. iii. 21. " So wonderful and
<i
Cont. H.xr. iii. 32. n Vide note on page 72. precious is martyr-
'2 Adv. Hair. iii. 26. The allusion is to the gnostics and dom that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself,
mainly to Valentinus and his school who imagined seven
heavens, and a supercelestial space termed
"
Ogdoad."
" The the Son of God, testified in its honour that
doctrine of an Ogdoad of the commencement of finite exist-
ence having been established by Valentinus, those of his fol-
He thought it not robbery to be equal with
lowers who had been imbued with the Pythagorean philosophy God, that He might crown with this grace
the Manhood into whom He had come
introduced a modification. In that philosophy the tetrad was
regarded with peculiar veneration, and held to be the founda-
tion of the sensible world." Cf. Hippolytus Ref. vi. 23, p. 179 down."
"We read there (Iren. i. xi.) of Secundus as a Valentinian
who divided the Ogdoad into a right hand and a left hand Testimo7iy of the holy Eustathius^ bishop
tetrad, and in the case of Marcus who largely uses Pyth-
s Vide Isaiah xix. i.
agorean specul.ations about numbers the tetrad holds the
2 Ps. xxxviii.
Ps. xxiii. I.
1
5.
highest place in the system." Dr. Salmon, Diet. Christ. Biog. Hishcip fust of Olympus and then of Patara at the be-
•
iv. 72. Irenasus wrote a work, no longer extant, " on the Og- ginnmg of the 4th c. This is the only fragment preserved by
doad." Euseb. H. E. v. 20. Theodoret.
VOL. HI. N
178 THEODORET.
of Antioch^ confessor. Froju his interpre- tion and resurrection of the temple distinctly
tation of the xvith Psalm :
— instructs us by His teaching when He says to
" The soul of
Jesus experienced both. the murderous Jews,
'
Destroy this" temple ^
For it was in the place of tlie souls of men and in three days I will raise it up.'
and being made without the flesh, lives and Fôm the same work :
—
" When then the Word built a
survives. So it is reasonable and of the same temple and
substance as the souls of men, just as the carried the manhood, companying in a body
flesh is of the same substance as the flesh of with men. He invisibly displayed various
men, coming forth from Mary." miracles, and sent forth the apostles as her-
Of the satne froJU his zvork about the alds of His everlasting kingdom."
so7il — Of the same from his intrepretation of
" On
:
looking at the education of the child, Psalm xcii :

—
or at the increase of his stature, or at the "It is plain then if 'He that anointeth
*
extension of time, or at the growth of the means God whose throne He calls * ever-
body, what would they say.'' But, to omit lasting,' the anointcr is plainly by nature
the miracles wrought upon earth, let them God, begotten of God. But the anointed
behold the raisings of the dead to life, the took an acquired virtue, being adorned with
signs of the Passion, the marks of the a chosen temple of the Godhead dwelling
scourges, the bruises and the blows, the in it."
wounded side, the prints of the nails, Fhe testimony of the holy Aihanasizis^
the shedding of the blood, the evidences Bishop of Alexandria and Confessor. From
of the death, and in a word the actual resur- the defence of Dionysius Bishop of Alex-
rection of the very body." andria : —
From the same work : — " I am the vine,
'
ye are the branches My
" Indeed if Father is the husbandman.' ^ For we accord-
any one looks to the gener-
ation of the body, he would clearly discover ing to the body are of kin to the Lord, and
being born at Bethlehem He was for this reason He himself said
'
that after I will de-
wrapped in swaddling clothes, and was clare thy name unto my brethren."
^
And
brought up for some time in Egypt, because just as the branches are of one substance
of the evil counsel of the cruel Herod, and with the vine, and of it, so too we, since we
grew to man's estate at Nazareth." have bodies akin to the bod}^ of the Lord,
From the same work : — receive them of His fulness, and have it as a
" For the tabernacle of the Word and of root for our resurrection and salvation. And
God is not the same, wherebv the blessed the Father is called a husbandman, for He
Stephen beheld the divhie glory."
^
Himself through the Word tilled the vine
Of the same his sermon on " the which is the Lord's body.''
fro?ii
Lord created me in the beginning of His Of the samefrofn the sa?ne treatise : —
way" :^ — "The Lord was called a vine on account
" If the Word received a
beginning of of His bodily relationship to the branches
His generation from the time when pass- which are ourselves,"
ing through His mother's womb He wore Of the same from his greater oration con'
the human frame, it is clear that He was cerning the faith : —
made of a woman but if He was from the " The in the beginning was the '
; scripture
first Word and God with the Father, and Word
* '
clearly indicates the Godhead. The

if we assert that the universe was made by passage the Word was made flesh
' '"
'
shews
Him, then He who is and is the cause of all the human nature of the Lord."
created things was not made of a woman, From the same discourse: —
" He shall wash His
garments in wine'*
'
but is by nature God, self existent, infinite,
incomprehensible and of a woman was that is His body, which is the vestment of
;
made man, formed in the Virgin's womb by the Godhead in His own blood."
the Holy Ghost." Of the samefrojn the same discourse : —
From the same work :
—" The Word was" is referred '
to His divin-
" For a "
ity, the words was made flesh
'
temple absolutely holy and unde- '

to His body,
filed is word according the Word was made flesh not by being
the tabernacle of the
to the flesh, wherein God visibly made his reduced to flesh, but by bearing flesh, just as
habitation and dwelt, and we assert this not any one might say such an one became or
of conjecture, for He who is by nature the was made an old man, though not so born
Son of this God when predicting the destruc- '
John ii. 19. ojohn 1. 14.
2 " Gen.
John XV. sand i. xlix. II, Ixx.
= Ps. xii. 22 'John i. I.
"
1 Acts vii. 57. I'rov. viii. ^z. Sc|)t. •John i. I 6
John i, 14.
DIALOGUES. 179
from the beginning, or the soldier became a Edom' does he cast out' his 'shoe." Now '
veteran, not being previously such as he be- the shoe of the Godhead is the flesh which
came. John says, I became,' or was in bore God whereby he came among men."
' '
the island of Patmos on the Lord's day.'

^
Not Of the same from his writing's about the
that he was made or born there, but he says Holy Ghost to Amphilochius : —
'
I became or was in Patmos instead of " He uses the of whom instead
'
' '
say- phrase
ing
'
so the Word
I arrived arrived
;
'
at '
says
'
of '
through whom ;
'
as when Paul
flesh, as it is said the Word was made flesh.' '
of a woman.' - He clearly made '
made
Hear the words I became like a broken ves-'
this distinction for us in another place where
sel,'
^
and I became like a man that hath no
'
he says that the being made of the man is
""
strength, free among the dead.' proper to a woman, but to a man the being
Of the same from his letter to Eficte- made by the woman, in the words ' For as
iiis : — the woman is of the man so is the man by
"Whoever heard such things? the woman.' But with the object at once Who '^
taught them.? learnt them.''Who

'
Out of of pointing out the dift'erent use of these ex-
Zion shall go forth the law and the Word of pressions, and of collecting obiter an error
the Lord from Jerusalem.'
"
But whence did of certain men who supposed the body of the
these things come forth ? What hell vomited Lord to be spiritual, that he may shew how
them out.'' To say that the body taken of the God-bearing flesh was composed of
Mary was of the same substance as the God- human matter, he gives prominence to the
head of the Word, or that the Word was more emphatic expression, for the expression
by a woman was in danger of suggesting
'
chansred into flesh and bones and hairs and

'
a whole body whoever heard in a church that the sense of the word generation was
;
or at all among: Christians that God bore a merely in passing through, while the phrase
"
of the woman makes the common nature
'
body by adoption and not by birth?

'
Of the same from the same Epistle : of the child and of the mother plain —
"But who, hearing that the Word made enough."
for Himself a passible body, not of Mary, Testimony of the holy Gregory bishop
but of His own substance, would call the of Naziamis. From thefor?ner exposition
sayer of these things a Christian.'' to Cledoniits : Who —
" If
has invented so unfounded an impiety, as any one says that the flesh came down
even to think and to say that they who affirm from heaven, and not from this earth, and
the Lord's body to be of Mary, conceive no from us, let him be Anathema. For the
longer of a Trinity, but of a quaternity in words 'The second man is from heaven,"*
the godhead.'' As though they that are of and as is the heavenly such ai'e they also '
*
this opinion described the flesh which the that are heavenly and ' no man hath as- '
Saviour clothed himself with of Mary as of cended up to heaven but the son of man that
the substance of the Trinity. came down from heaven,' ^ and any other
" Whence further have some men vomited similar
passage, must be understood to be
forth an impiety as bad as the foregoing, and spoken on account of the union with man,
alleged that the body is not of later time than as also the statement that ' all things were
'
the godhead of the Word, but has always made by Christ,' and that ' Christ dwells
^
been co-eternal with it, since it is formed of in our hearts,' must be understood not ac-
the substance of wisdom." cording to the sensible, but according to the
Of the same rout the same letter :f intellectual conception of the Godhead, the —
" So the
body taken of Mary was human terms being commingled together just as are
according to the scriptures, and real in that the natures."
it was the same as our own. For Mary was Of the same from the same work : —
our sister, since we are all of Adam, a fact " Let us see from their own words what
which no one could doubt who remembers reason they give for the being made man,
"
the w-ords of Luke." that is for the incarnation. If indeed it was
Testimony of the holy Busily bishop of that God otherwise not contained in space,
Ccesarea : — might be contained in space and, as it
From the interpretation of Psahn LX. were under a veil, might converse with men
" All
strangers have stooped and been put in the flesh, then their mask and their
under the yoke of Christ, wherefore also over stage play are exquisite not to say that it '
:
was possible for Him otherwise to converse

3 ps. Ixxxviii.
1
Rev. 1.9. 4. 5.
2Ps. xxi.i2. 4 Isaiah ii. 13. 1
Ps. Ix.S. CI. Cor. XV. 48.
Greek words 2 "
" The antithesis Is between tlie t*ecri? unci Gal. iv. 4. John iii. 13.
" iêtrtt 6e 3 I. Cor. xi. 12. 'John i. 3.
tiio-i?. cf. Kpti'OTtA))!' IlirSapou, <I>iAoft>ou." Corp.
Ins. (add.) 24S0. d. cLuke lii. 3$.
* I. Cor, XV. 47. 8
Ephes. iii. 17.
N
i8o THEODORET.
with us, as of yore, in a burning bush and in The flesh is weak, as it is written,
'
The
"
human form, but if that He might undo the spirit willing, but the flesh is weak.'
is
^
damnation of sin by taking like to like then Of the sajnefrom his Book on the Per- ' '
'
just as He required flesh on account of tlic fection of Life

"
;
—
condemned flesh, and a soul on account of "Again the true lawgiver, of whom Moses
the soul, so too he required a mind on ac- was a type, hewed Himself out of our for
count of the mind, which in Adam not earth the slabs of nature. No wedlock fash-
only fell but,
—
to employ a term which ioned for Him the flesh that was to receive
physicians are accustomed to use about dis- godhead, but He Himself is made the
tlie
eases — was affected with original malady. - hewer of His own flesh, graven as it is by
For that which did not keep the command- the finger of God. For the Holy Ghost came
ment was what had received the command- upon the Virgin, and the power of the High-
ment and that which dared transgression
;
est overshadowed her." And when this had
was what had not kept the commandment ;
come to pass, nature once again took its inde-
and that which specially needed salvation structible character, being made immortal by
was what had transgressed, and that which the marks of the divine finger."
was assumed was what needed salvation so Of the sa?ne frojn his Book against
the mind was assumed. Now this point has
;
Eunomius :
—
been demonstrated, whether they will or no, "Wê assert therefore that when He said
by proofs which are so to say mathematical above that wisdom built for herself a house,^
and necessary. But you are doing just as he intimates by the phrase the formation of
though, if a man were to have a diseased the flesh of the Lord, for the very wisdom
eye and a limping foot you were to cure the made its home in no strange dwelling, but
foot but leave the eye uncuredor, if a built itself its
; dwelling of the Virgin's
painter had painted a badlv, were to body."
picture
alter the picture, but leave the painter alone, Of the same frofn the same treatise: —
as thousfh he were doinjj his work well.
" The Word was before the
ages, but
But if they are so constrained by these argu- the flesh was made in the last times, and no
ments as to take refuge in the statement that one would say on the contrary cither that
it is possible for God to save man, even the flesh was before the ages, or the Word
without a mind, why then clearly He might made in the last times,"
have done so even without flesh, by the mere Of the same frojn the same treatise : —
expression of His will, just as He works and "The expression 'created me'"* is not to
has worked in the universe without a body. be understood of the divine and the unde-
Away then with the flesh as well as with filed, but, as has been said, of our created
the mind ! Let there be no inconsistency in nature, according to the dispensation of the
'"
your absurdity." incarnation."

Testhnony of the Holy Gregory ^bishop of Of the sajne from the frst discourse on
—
Nyssa. From his sermon on Abraham : the Beatitudes : —
" So the Word came down not "' Who
naked, but being in the form of God, thought
after having been made flesh, not in the form it not robbery to be equal with God, but
of God, but in the form of a servant.^ This emptied himself, and took the form of a ser-
then is He who said that He could do noth- vant.' " What poorer, in respect of God,
iner of Himself.' For the not beinsf able is than the form of a servant.'' What more
the part of powerlessness. For as darkness lowly, in respect of the King of all, than
is opposed to light, and death to life, so
approach to fellowship in our poor nature.?
is weakness to power. But yet Christ is The King of Kings and Lord of Lords'
Power of God. Power is wholly incon- voluntarily dons tlie form of servitude."
sistent with not being able. For if power Testimony of the Holy JFlavianics^ bishop
were powerless what is powerful ? When of Antioch. From his sermon on John the
then the Word declares that He can do Baptist : —
" Do not think of connexion in
nothing it is plain that He does not attribute any physi-
his powerlessness to the Godhead of the cal sense, nor entertain the idea of conjugal
Only-begotten, but connects his not being intercourse. For thy Creator is creating His
able with the powerlessness of our nature. own bodily temple now being born of thee."
Of the same from, his book on " The —
1
The original for apTrao-a^, seizing has ayiao-a; i. c. Iial- Spirit of the Lord is upon me*^ :
" "
lowing.
-The worJ used is Tj-pwroTrafltii', a late and rare one. Galen 1 Matt. xxvi. 41. oi(cofo/oiia. cf. note on p. 72.
uses the correlative wpuiTOTraOiia to express a condition distin- » Luke i.
35. Phil. ii. 6. 7.
guished from <Tvij.TTd.0eia,
^ Prov. ix. I. Dent. X. 17; Rev. xvii. 14. andxix. 16.
Phi John V. 19. *
Prov. viii. 2t; Ixx.
DIALOGUES. i8i
"Hear Him 'TheOf the same from his discourse on The

is upon
^
me because
saying,
He hath anointed me.' You
Spirit
^
Festival of the Nativity : —
do not know, He says, what you read, for
"For is it not of the very last stupidity for
I, the anointed with the Spirit, am come them to bring down their own gods into
to you. Now what is alvin to us, and not stones and cheap wooden images, shutting
the invisible nature, is anointed with the them up as it were in a kind of prison, and
2
Spirit." to fancy that there is nothing disgraceful in
Testimony of Amphilochms^ bishop of what they either say or do, and then to find
Iconiiun. From his Discourse on " My fault with us for saying that God made a
Father is greater than I : " ^ —
living temple for Himself of the Holy Ghost,
"
Distinguish me now tlie natures, the by means of which he brought succour to the
Divine and the human. For man was not world For if it is disgraceful for God to
.^
made from God by falling away, nor wâs dwell in a human body, then in projDortion
God made of man by advancement. I am as the stone and the wood are more worth-
speaking of God and man. When, how- less than man is it much more disgraceful for
ever, you attribute the passions to the flesh him to dwell in stone and wood. But per-
and the miracles to God, you of necessity haps mankind seems to them to be of less
and involuntarily assign the lowly titles to value than these senseless objects. They
the man born of Mary, and the exalted and bring down the substance of God into stones
divine to the Word Who in the beginning and into dogs - but many heretics into fouler ;
was God. Wherefore in some cases I utter things than these. But we could never en-
exalted words, in others lowly, to the end dure even to hear of these things.^ But
that by means of the lofty I may shew the what we say is that of a virgin's womb the
nature of the indwelling Word, and by the Christ took pure flesh, holy and without
lowly, own the weakness of the lowly flesh. spot, and made impervious to all sin, and
Whence sometimes I call myself equal to restored the body * that was His own."
the Father and sometimes greater than the A little further on " And we assert that :
Father, not contradicting myself, but shew- when the divine Word had fashioned for
ing that I am God and man, for God is of Himself a holy temple by its means he
the lofty, man of the lowly but if you wish brought the heavenly state into our life."
;
to know how my Father is greater than I, I Of the same from the oration : That the
spoke of the flesh and not of the person of lowly words and deeds of Christ were not
the Godhead." spoken and done through lack of power^
Of the same from his discourse on " The but throitgh distinctions of dispensation.
Son can do nothing of Himself : " * —
" What then are the causes of
many
" How was Adam disobedient in
Heaven, humble things having been said about Him
and how of heavenly body was he formed both by Himself and by His apostles? The
first-formed beside the first formation.'' But first and greatest cause is the fact of His
it was the Adam of the earth who was
having clothed Himself with flesh, and
formed at the beginning; the Adam of the wishing all his contemporaries and all who
earth disobeyed the Adam of the earth was have lived since, to believe that He was not
;
assumed. Wherefore also the Adam of the a shadow, nor what was seen merely a form,
earth was saved that thus the reason of the but reality of nature. For if when He Him-
*
incarnation may be proved necessary and selfand His apostles had spoken about Him
^
true." so often in humble and in human sense, the
Testnnony of the Holy John Bishop of devil yet had power to persuade some
Constantinople. From the speech which he wretched and miserable men to deny the rea-
made when the Gothic envoy had spoken son of the incarnation, and dare to say that
before hi?n :
— He did not take flesh and so to destroy all
" See from the
beginning what He the ground of His love for man, how many
does. He clothes Himself in our nature, would not have fallen into this abyss if He
powerless and vanquished, that by its had never said anything of the kind.^"
means He may fight and struggle and from I have now produced for you a few out of
the beginning He uproots the nature of many authorities of the heralds of the truth,
rebellion." 1
Migne II. 356.
e.g. Anubis, the barker Anubis
2 cf. Virg. ^n. viii. —
* Is. Ixi. I. and the common oath " by the dog," unless indeed the
69S,
2 Ofthese two works no fragments exist but these two common adjuration of Socrates vr\ toc Kvva may have been
preserved by Theodoretus. only a vernacular substitute for >/>) toi' Aia, like the
3 xiv. 23. " law " for " Lord." The Benedictine Ed. adds " cats."vulgar
John
* V. 19. * cf.
John Ephes. V. 12.
s cf. note on p. 72. * (TKeT'o?.
oiKoi'o/u.ia. cf. 2 Cor. iv. 7. i Thess. iv. 4. 1 Peter iii.
7.
*cf. I. Cor. XV. 47. Cicero. Tusc. 22 calls the " vas animi."
i .
body
l82 THEODORET.
not to stun you with too many. They are doctrines has introduced the word '
investi-
and indeed in his little work upon
'
quite enough to show the bent of the mind ture

of the excellent writers. It is now for you the faith he says — "We
then believe that
to say what force their writings seem to have. he was made flesh, while His Godhead re-
Erati. —
They have all spoken in har- mained unchanged for the renewal of the
mony with one another, and the workers in manhood. For in the holy power of God
the vineyard of the West agree with them there has been neither alteration nor change
whose husbandry is done in the region of of place, nor inclusion" —
and then shortly
the rising sun. Yet I perceived a consider- again
—" We
worship God who took flesh
able difference in tlieir of the blessed virgin, and on this account in
Orth. — They are successors
sayings.
of the divine the flesh is man, but in the spirit God."
apostles some even of those apostles were
;
And in another exposition he says —
privileged to hear the holy voice and see the "We confess the Son of God to have been
goodly sight. The majority of them too made the Son of man, not nominally but
were adorned with the crown of martyrdom. verily, on taking flesh of the Virgin j\Iary."
Does it seem right for you to wag the tongue Eran. —I did not suppose that Apolli-
of blasphemy against them narius held these sentiments. I had other
—
'i
Eran. I shrink from doing this at the ideas about him.

same time I do not approve of their great
;
Orth. —
Well; now you have learnt that
divergence. not only the prophets and apostles, and they
Orth. — But
now I will bring you an who after them were ordained teachers of
unexpected remedv. I will adduce one of the world, but even Apollinarius, the writer
your own beautiful heresy your teacher
— of heretical babbling, confesses the divine
Apollinarius,' and I will shew you that he Word to be immutable, states that He was
understood the text " The Word was made not turned into flesh but assumed flesh, and
"
flesh just as the holy Fathers did. Hear this over and over again, as you have heard.
now what he wrote about it in his " vSum- Do not then struggle to throw yoiu' master's
mary." blasphemy into the shade by your own.
The testimony of Apollinarms his the Lord " the
from is not
For, disciple
"
Sii/nmary ;
" — above his master." ^
says
" If no one is turned into that which he Eran. Yes, I confess that the divine —
assumes, and Christ assumed flesh, then He Word of God is immutable and took flesh.
was not turned into flesh." It were the uttermost foolishness to with-
And immediately afterward he contin- stand authorities so many and so great.
ues :
— Orth. Do you wish to have a solution —
" For also He
gave himself to us in rehx- of the rest of the difliculties.''
tionship by means of the body to save us. Eran. Let us put off their investiga- —
Now that which saves is far more excellent tion until to-morrow.
than that which is being saved. Far more Orth. Very well our synod is dis- — ;
excellent then than we are, is He in the missed. Let us depart, and bear in mind
assumption of a body! But He would not what we have agreed upon.
have been more excellent had He been
turned into flesh."
A further on he says
little :
— DIALOGUE II.
"The simple is one, but the complex can-
not be one he then that alleges that He was
;
THE UNCONFOUNDED.
made flesh aftirms the mutation of the one
Word. But if the complex is also one, as Eranlstcs and Orthodoxus,
man, then he who on account of the union Eran. —
I am come as I promised. 'Tis
with the flesh says the Word was made flesh
yours to adopt one of two alternatives, and
means tiie one in
And
complexity."
again a further on he says
little
— either furnish a solution of my difficulties,
or what and friends
"To be made flesh is to be made empty ,-'
assent to I my lay
down.
but the being made empty declares not Orth. I accept your challenge, for I —
man, but the Son of man, who emptied think it right and fair.
'
But we must first

Himself not by undergoing change, but by recall to mind at what
point we left ofl' our
investiture."
discourse yesterday, and what was the con-
There you see the teacher of your own clusion of our
;
argument.
1
cf. p. 132. '
o-apKuait KtVu)<Ti9. cf. I'liil. li. 7.
1
Matt. X. 24.
DIALOGUES. 1^3
Eran. —
I will remind you of the end. Eutychus to be dead, said "Trouble not
^
I remember our agreeing that the divine yourselves for his soul is in him."
Word remained immutable, and took flesh, Eran. It is shewn clearly that each —
and was not himself changed into flesh. man has one soul.
Orth. — You seem to be content with the Orth. — But
Apollinarius says two and ;
points agreed on, for you have faithfully that the Word took the unreason-
Divine
called them
mind. to able, and that instead of the reasonable, he
Eran. — Yes,
and I have already said was made in the flesh. It was on this ac-
that the man that withstands teachers so count that I asked what kind of soul you
many and so great is indubitably out of his assert to have been assumed with the body. —
mind. I was moreover put to not a little Eran. I say the reasonable. For I
shame to find that Apollinarius used the follow the Divine Scripture.
same terms as the orthodox, although in his Orth. We agree then that the
" form —
"
books about the incarnation his drift has of a servant assumed by the Divine Word
been in another direction. was complete.
distinctly
Orth. —
Then we affirm that the Divine Eran. Yes complete. —
Word took flesh Orth. And rightly; for since the whole — ;
—
.?
Eran. We do. first man became subject to sin, and lost the
Orth. —
And what do we mean by the impression of the Divine Image, ^ and the
flesh? A
body only, as is the view of Arius race followed, it results that the Creator,
and Eunomius, or body and soul.'* with the intention of renewing the blurred
Eran. Body —
and soul. image, assumed the nature in its entirety,
Orth. —
What kind of soul.'* The reason- and stamped an imprint far better than the
able soul, or that which is by some termed first.
the phytic^ vegetable,Mhat is, vital.'* for the Eran. True. But now I beg you in —
fable-mongering quackery of the Apolli- the first place that the meaning of the terms
narians compels us to ask unseemly ques- employed may be made quite clear, that thus
tions. our discussion may advance without hin-
.Eran. —
Does then Apollinarius make a drance, and no investigation of doubtful points
distinction of souls?
"^
intervene to interrupt our conversation.
Orth. —
He says that man is composed of Orth. What you say is admirable. —
three parts, of a body, a vital soul, and further Ask now concerning whatever point you
of a reasonable soul, which he terms mind. like.
Holy Scripture on the contrary knows only Eran. What must we call Jesus the —
one, not two souls and this is plainly Christ? Man?
taught us by the formation of the first man.
;
Orth. By neither name alone, but by —

For it is written God took dust from tlie both. For the Divine Man after being made
" breathed man was named "
earth and " formed man," and Jesus Christ. For," it is
into his nostrils the breath of life, and man written,
" Thou shalt call His name
Jesus for
became a living soul." ^ And in the gospels he shall save His people from their sins,"^
" Fear and unto
the Lord said to the holy disciples you is born this day in the city of
not them which kill the body, but are not David Christ the Lord.* Now these are
able to killthe soul but rather fear him
; angels' voices. But before the Incarnation
which is able to destroy both soul and body he was named God, son of God, only be-
"
in hell." gotten. Lord, Divine Word, and Creator.
And the very divine Moses when he told For it is written "In the beginning was the
the tale of them that came down into Egypt Word, and the word was with God, and the
and stated with whom each tribal chief had word was God," and " all things were made
''
come in, added, " All the souls that came by Him,"* and " He was and "He life,"'
"
out of Egypt were seventy-five," reckoning
one soul for each immigrant. And the 2
Acts XX. JO. 1
This "lost" must be qualified. The Scriptural doc-

divine apostle at Troas, when " image of God " and marred,
all supposed trine is that the though defaced
" "
is not lost or destroyed. After the flood the image of God
or plant; but though is still quoted as against murder Gen. ix. 6. St. James urges
<|)utik:o?, of or belonging to ^viov,
1
cf. I. Cor. xi. 7. So the
<J>uTbi' isopiiosed to ^C>av, it is also used of any creature, and it as a reason against cursing (iv. 9).
here seems to mean no more than the soul of physical life, and IXth Article declares original sin to be, not the nature, which
is good, but the
" fault and corruption of the nature of every
nothing beyond.
- cf. p. 132.
man " in short the " image of God," like the gifts of God, as
David in Browning's "Saul" has it, "a man may waste,
;
3 Gen. ii. 7.
* Matt. X. of. J.uke xii. 4. 5.
2S. desecrate, never quite lose." cf. p. 164 and note.
sGen. xlvi. 20. Ixx. In the Hebrew the number is but 3Matt. i. 21.
* Luke ii. 11. riicTfTai is substituted for erex^?), in addition to
seventy, including Jacob himself. St. Stephen, as was natural
in a Hellcnized follows the Ixx. (Acts vii. 14.) For the the omission of " a Saviour which is." In this verse the MSS.
jew
number 75 there were doubtless important traditional author- do not vary.
'
ities known to the Ixx. "John i. I. ejohni. 3. John i.
4.
1^4 TPIEODORET.
was the true light which Hghtcth every man he says " But when it pleased God who
that Cometh into the world." There are separated me from my mother's womb, and
also other similar passages, declaring the called me by his grace, to reveal his son in
divine nature. But after the Incarnation me that I might preach him among the
He was named Jesus and Christ. heathen, immediately I conferred not with
Eran. —
Therefore the Lord Jesus is God flesh and blood neither went I up to them
only. that were apostles before me." Does he '
Orth. — You hear tliat the divine Word so style the apostles because he blames
was made man, and do you call him Gotl them
—
.''
only Eran. not.

— — Certainly
.'
Eran. .Since He became man without Orth. not that he names them
Is it after
being changed, Init remained just what He their visible nature, and comparing the
was before, we must call Him just what He calling which is of men with that which is
was. of heaven ?
Orth. —
The divine Word was and is — True.
Eran.
and will be immutable. But when He had — Then
Orth. hear too the psalmist
taken man's nature He became man. It David — " Unto thee shall all flesh come." ^
behoves us therefore to confess both natures, Hear too, the prophet Isaiah foretelling
both tliat which took, and that which was " All flesh shall see the salvation of our
taken. God." 3
Eran. — We must name Him by the Eran. —
It is made perfectly plain that
nobler. Holy Scripture names human nature from
— Man, — mean man
— Orth^
he
is a simple or a
I
composite
the animal, the flesh without the least blame.
Orth. — I wmU proceed to give you the
Eran. — Composite.
being.''
yet furtlicr proof.
Orth. — Composed of what component Eran. — What further?
parts Orth. — The fact that sometimes when
Erg.Jt. — Of a body and
.''
a soul. giving blame the divine Scripture uses only

Orth. — And of these natures wMiether is the name of soul.
nobler ? Era7i. —
And where will you find this in
Eran. — Clearly the reason- soul, for
holy Scripture.-* it is
able and immortal, and has been entrusted Orth. Hear the Lord God speaking —
with the sovereignty of the animal. But the through the prophet Ezekiel " The soul that
body is mortal and perishable, and without sinneth it shall die."* Moreover through tlie
the soul is unreasonable, and a corpse. great Moses He saith
" If a soul sin "* —
Orth. —
Then the divine Scripture ought And again " It shall come to pass that every
to have called the animal after its more soul that will not hear that
prophet shall be
excellent j:)art. cut oflV And many other passages of the **
Eran. —
It does so call it, for it calls same kind
may be found.
them that came out of Egypt souls. For Eran. This is plainly proved. —
with seventy-five souls, it says, Israel came Orth. In cases, then, where there is a —
down into Egypt. certain natural union, and a combination of
Orth. —
But does the divine .Scriptine created things, and of beings connected by
never call any one after tlic botly ? service and by time, it is not the custom of
Eran. —
It calls them that are the slaves holy
Scripture to use a name for this being
of flesh, flesh. For " God," it is written, derived only from the nobler nature it ;
" said
my spirit shall not always remain in names it indiscriminately both by the meaner
these men, for they are flesh." and by the nobler. If so, how can you find
'
Orth. —
But without blame no one is fault with us for calling Christ the Lord,
called flesh ? man, after confessing Him to be God, when
Eran. —
I do not remember.
many things combine to compel us to do so.-*
Orth. —
Then I will remind you, and Era?i. What is there to compel us to —
point out to you that even the very saints call the .Saviour Christ,
" man "
—
.?
are called " flesh." Answer now. What Orth. The diverse and mutually incon-
would you call the apostles.'' Spiritual, or sistent opinions of the heretics.
? Eran. — What opinions, and contrary to
fleshly
Eran. — Spiritual — and leaders and ; what?
teachers of the
Orth. — Hear now the holy Paul when
spiritual. i^Lev. V. I.
0:11.1.15-17. Îs.xl.j.
2 I's. l.w. 2. Ez. xviii. 4 and 20.
• The reference seems to be a loose combination of Numbers
^Gen. vi. s. Ixx. and Marg. ia R. V. ix. 13. with Deut. xviii. 19.
DIALOGUES. 185
Orth. — Thatof Arius to that of Sabel- head, and maintain that He assumed only a
lius. The one divides the substances the :
body. Apollinarius confesses that the as-
other confounds the hypostases. Alius intro- sumed body was a living ^ body, but in his
duces three substances, and Sabellius makes work deprives the reasonable soul alike of
one hypostasis instead of three. ^ Tell me its honour and of its salvation. This is the
now, how ought we to heal both maladies? contrariety of these corrupt opinions. But
Must we apply the same drug for both ail- do you, with all due love of truth, tell us,
ments, or for each the proper one.'' must we institute a discussion with these
Eran, —
For each the proper one. men, or shall we let them go dashed down
Orih. — Weshall therefore endeavour to headlong and howling to their doom?
persuade Arius to acknowledge the sub- Eran. — inhuman to neglect the sick.
It is
stance of the Holy Trinity, and we shall Orth. — Very well; then we must com-
adduce proofs of from Holy passionate them, and do our best to heal
this position
them.
Scripture.
Eran. —Yes this ought to be done. Eran. —
By all means.
Orth. —
:
But in arguing with Sabellius we Orth. —

If then you had scientifically
shall adopt the opposite course. Concerning learned how to cure the body, and round
the substance we shall advance no argument, you stood many men asking you to cure
for even he acknowledges but one. them, and shewing you their various ailments,
Eran. —Plainly. such as arise from running at the eyes, injury
Orth. —
But we shall do our best to cure to the ears, tooth-ache, conti'action of the
the unsound part of his doctrine. joints, palsy, bile, or phlegm, what would
Eran. —~yê say that where he halts you have done ? Tell me would you have ;
is about the hypostases. applied the same treatment to all, or to each

Orth. —
Since then he asserts there to be that which wâs appropriate?
one hypostasis of the Trinity, we shall point Era7t. I —
should certainly have given
out to him that the divine Scripture pro- to each the appropriate remedy.
claims three hypostases. Orth. —
So by applying cold treatment to
Eran. —This is the course to take. But the hot, and heating the cold, and loosing
we have wandered from the subject the strained, and giving tension to the loose,
Orth. —
Not at all. We are collecting and drying the moist, and moistening the
proofs of it, as you will learn in a moment. dry, you would have driven out the diseases
But tell me, do you understand that all the and restored the health which they had ex-
heresies which derive their name from pelled.
Christ, acknowledge both the Godhead of Eraiz. —
This is the treatment prescribed
Christ and His manhood ? by medical science, for contraries, it is said,
Eran. —By no means. are the remedies of contraries.
Orth. —
Do not some acknowledge the Orth. —
If you were a gardener, would
godhead alone, and some the manhood you give the same treatment to all plants?
alone ? or their own to the mulberry and the fig, and
Eran. —Yes. so to the pear, to the apple, and to the vine
Orth. —
And some but a part of the what is fitting to each, and in a word to each
manhood plant its own proper culture ?
Eran. —
"^
think so.
I But it will be well Eran. —
It is obvious that each plant re-
for us to lay down the names of the holders quires its own treatment.
of these different opinions, that the point Orth. —
And if you undertook to be a
under discussion may be made plainer. ship builder, and saw that the mast wanted
Orth. —I will tell you the names. Simon, repair, would you try to mend it in the same
Menander, Marcion, Valentinus, Basilides, way as you would the tiller? or would you
Bardesanes, Cerdo, and Manes, openly give it the proper treatment of a mast?
denied the humanity of Christ. On the Eran. —
There is no question about these
other hand Artemon, Theodotus, Sabellius, things everything demands its own treat-
:
Paul of Samosata, Marcellus, and Photinus, ment, be it plant or limb or gear or tackle.
fell into the diametrically opposite blas- Orth. —
Then is it not monstrous to apply
phemy for they preach Christ to be man only, to the body and to things without life to each
;
and deny the Godhead which existed before its own appropriate treatment, and not to
the ages. Arius and Eunomius make the keep this rule of treatment in the case of
Godhead of the only begotten a created God- the soul?
'
1 Vide note on page 36. iixifivxov.
186 THEODORET.
Era7t. —
Most unjust; nay, rather stupid contrary will convict us of agreeing with
than unrighteous. They who adopt any them.
other method are quite unskilled in the heal- Eran. And how can we, confessing as —
ing art. we do that the divine Word took flesh and a
Orth. — Then in disputing against each reasonable soul, agree with them ?
heresy we shall use the appropriate remedy Orth. If we confess the fact,
"i
why then
—
Eran. — By all means. shun the word?
Orth. — And it is
fitting treatment to add Eran. — right to name the Christ
It is
what is wanting and to remove what is from His nobler qualities.

Orth. — Keep this rule then. Do not
Era7i. —
superfluous.''
Yes. speak of liim as crucified, nor yet as risen
Orth. —
In endeavouring then to cure from the dead, and so on.
Photinus and Marcellus and their adherents, Eran. But these are the names of the —
in order to carry out the rule of treatment, sufferings of salvation. Denial of the suffer-
what shoiild we add ings implies denial of the salvation.
Eran. —
.''
The acknowledgment of the Orth. And the name Man is the name —
Godhead of Christ, for of a nature.
it is Not to pronounce the name is
this that they
lack. to deny the nature denial of the nature is :
Orth. — But about the manhood we will denial of the sufferings, and denial of the
say nothing to them, for they acknowledge sufferings does away with the salvation.
the Lord Christ to be man. Eran. I hold it profitable to acknowl- —
Eran. — You are right. edge the assumed nature but to style the
Orth. — And in arguing with Arius and Saviour of the world man is to belittle the
;
Eunomius about the nicarnation of the only glory of the Lord.

begotten, what sliould we persuade them to Orth. Do you then deem yourself wiser —
add to their own confession? than Peter and Paul aye, and than the
—
;
Eran. The assumption of the soul for Saviour Himself? For the Lord said to the
,
"
they say that the divine Word took only a Jews do ye seek to kill me, a man Why
body. that hath told you the truth, which I heard
Orth. — And what does Apollinarnis lack of my Father? " And He frequently called '
to make his teachnig accurate about the Himself Son of Man.

incarnation ? And the meritorious Peter, in his sermon
Eran. — Not to separate the mind from to the Jewish people, says, men — "Ye
the sold, but to confess that, with the body, of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Naz-
areth, a man approved of God among you."
*
was assumed a reasonable soul.
Orth. — Then shall we dispute with him And the blessed Paul, when bringing the
on tills point? message of salvation to the chiefs of the
Eran. — Areopagus, among many other things said
Orth. — Certainly.
But under this head what did we this, —
assert to be confessed, and what altogether "And the times of this ignorance God
denied, by Marcion, Valentinus, Manes and winked at; but now commandeth all men
their adherents? everywhere to repent Because he hath ap- :
Eran. — That they admitted their belief pointed a day in the which he will judge the
in the Godhead of Christ, but do not accept world in righteousness by that man whom
the doctrine of His manhood. he hath ordained, whereof he hath
given
Orth. — We shall therefore do our best to assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised
persuade them to accept also the doctrine him from the dead."^ He then who excuses
of the manhood, and not to call the divine himself from using the name appointed and
incarnation a mere appearance. preached by the Lord and his Apostles
'
Erati. — It will be well so to do. deems himself wiser than even these great
Orth. — We will therefore tell them that instructors, aye, even than the very well-
it is
right to style the Christ not only God, spring of the wisest.
but also man. Eran. They gave this instruction to —
Eran. — By all means. the unbelievers. Now the greater part of
Orth. — *
And how is it possible for us to the world has professed the faith.
induce others to style the Christ man while Orth. '
But we have still among us Jews
' —
we excuse nmselves from doing so? They
will not yield to our persuasion, but on the '
John viii. Note the looseness of citation. 40.
= Acts ii. 22. 3 Acts xvii. 30, 31 .
'
17 means of course the Empire and the adjacent
oi.Kovii.ivn
•
cf. p. 72, note. " orbis
olKoi'Ofiâi', countries, the veteiibus notus."
DIALOGUES. 187
and pagans and of heretics systems innumer- having the distinct characteristics of the
able, and to each of these we must give fit archetype, a type?
and appropriate teaching. But, supposing Orth. The imperial images, it seems, —
we were all of one mind, tell me now, what you do not call images of the emperor.
harm is there in calling the Christ both God Erati. Yes, I do. —
and man.^ Do we not behold in Him perfect Orth. Yet they have not all the charac- —
Godhead, and manhood likewise lacking in teristics which their archetype has. For in the
first place they have neither life nor reason
nothing.? ;
Mr an. — we
have owned again and secondly they have no inner organs, heart, I
This
again. mean, and belly and liver and the adjacent
Orth. —
Why then deny what we have parts. Further they present the appearance
again and again owned? of the organs of sense, but perform none of
Eran. —
I hold it unnecessary to call the their functions, for they neither hear, nor
Christ man,' ' —
especially when believer is speak, nor see they cannot write they can- ; ;
conversing with believer. not walk, nor peiform any other human
Orth. —
Do you consider the divine action and yet they are called imperial ;
Apostle a believer ? statues. In this sense Moses was a medi-

Eran. —
Yes: a teacher of all believers. ator and Christ was a mediator but the ;
—
Orth. And do you deem Timothy former as an image and type and the latter
worthy of being so But that I may make this point
as reality.
Eran. — Yes both as a disciple of the
:
styled.''
you from yet another authority,
clearer to
call to mind the words used of Melchisedec
Apostle, and as a teacher of the rest.
Orth. — Very well then hear the teacher in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
of teachers writing to his very perfect dis-
:
Eran. What words? —

ciple.
" There is one God, and one medi- Orth. Those in which the divine —
ator between God and man, the man Christ Apostle comparing the Levitical priesthood
Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all."
with that of the Christ likens Melchisedec
^
Do stop your idle pratmg, and laying down in other respects to the Lord Christ, and says
the law about divine names. Moreover in that the Lord had the priesthood after the
'
this passage that very name mediator stands order of Melchisedec*
'
indicative both of Godhead and of manhood. Eran. I think the words of the divine —
He is called a mediator because He does not Apostle are as follows " For this Melchis-
;
—
exist as God alone for how, if He had had edec, king of Salem, priest of the most
;
nothing of our nature could He have medi- high God who met Abraham returning
from
ated between us and God? But since as the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him ;
God He joined with God as having the to whom also Abraham gave
is a tenth part of
same substance, and as man with us, be- all first being by interpretation king of ;
cause from us He took the form of a servant. righteousness, and after that also king of
He is properly termed a mediator, uniting in Salem, which is king of peace without ;
Himself distinct qualities by the unity of father, without mother, without descent,
natures of Godhead, I mean, and of man- having neither beginning of days, nor end of
hood.^ life but made like unto the son of God ;
Eran. —
But was not Moses called a abideth a priest continually."^ I presume
;
mediator, though only a man?^ you spoke of this passage.

Orth. —
He was a type of the reality: Orth. Yes, I spoke of this; and I must —
but the type has not all the qualities of the praise you for not mutilating it, but for
reality. Wherefore though Moses was not quoting the whole. Tell me now, does each
by nature God, yet, to fulfil the type, he was one of these points fit Melchisedec in nature
called a god. For He says " See, I have and reality?
made thee a god to Pharaoh." * And then Eran. has the audacity to deny a —Who
has asserted
directly afterwards he assigns him also a fitness where the divine apostle
" Aaron
Prophet as though to God, for thy it?
brother," He says,
" shall be thy Prophet." Orth. Then you say that all this fits
'"
—
But the i"eality is by nature God, and by Melchisedec by nature?
nature man. Eran. Yes. —
Eran. —
But who wôuld call one not Orth. Do you say that he was a man, —
or assumed some other nature?
1 I. Tim. ii. 5, 6.
2cf. Jobix. 33. betwixt us that
"daysman his
Eran. man.
might lay
—A
hand upon us both."
3 Gal. iii. cf. Deut. v.
19. 5.
^ Exodus vii. I. ^ Ex. vii, i. Hebrews vi. ao. s Hebrews vii. i| 2, 3.
i88 THI':ODORET.
Orth. — Begotten or unbegotten? Eran. —Agreed.

Eraii. — You are asking very absurd Orth. —
And yet, as the generation He
has of the Father is ineffable, He is spoken
Orth. — The
questions.
with you of as " without descent." " Who "
fault lies
openly for says the '" ^
opposing the truth. Answer then. prophet "shall declare His generation.?
Eran. — There one only unbegotten,
is Eran. — You are right.
who God and Father.
is Orth. — Thus it becomes Him to have
Orth. — Then we assert that Melchisedec neither beginning of days nor end of life for ;
was begotten ? He is without beginning, indestructible, and,

Eran. — Yes. in a word, eternal, and coeternal with the
Orth. — But the passage about him teaches Father.
the opposite. Remember the words which Eran. This is my view too. But we —
"
you quoted a moment ago, Without father, must now consider how this fits the admirable
without mother, without descent, having Melchisedec.
neither beginning of days nor end of life." Orth. —
As an image and type. The
How then do the words "Without fother
"
image, as we have just observed, has not all
and without motlier fit him and how the ;
the properties of the archetype. Thus to the
statement that he neither received beginning Saviour these qualities are proper both by
of existence nor end, since all this transcends nature and in reality but the story of the
;
origin of the race has attributed them to

Erati. — These things do in
humanity.''
overstep fact Melchisedec. For after telling us of the
human nature.
the limits of father of the patriarch Abraham, and of the
Orth. — Then shall we say that the Apostle father and mother of Isaac, and in like man-
told lies? ner of Jacob and of his sons, and exhibiting
Eran. — God forbid. the pedigree of our first forefathers, of Mel-
Orth. — How then possible bothis it to chisedec it records neither the father nor the
testify to the truth of
the Apostle, and apply mother, nor does it teach that he traced
the supernatural to Melchisedec.'' his descent from any one of Noah's sons, to
Eran. — The a very difficult the end that he may be a type of Him who
passage is
one, and requires much explanation. is in reality without father, and without
Orth. —
For any one willing to consider mother. And this is what the divine Apos-
it with attention it will not be hard to attain tle would have us understand, for in this
" But he whose
perception of the meaning of the words. very passage he says further,
After " without father, without descent is not counted from them received
saymg
mother, without descent, having neither tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had
beginning of days nor end of life," the the promises."^
divine Apostle adds " made like unto the Eran. —
Then, since Holy Scripture has
Son of God, abideth a priest continually." ^ not mentioned his parents, can he be called
Here he plainly teaches us that the Lord Christ without father and without mother.?
is archetype of Melchisedec in things con- Orth. —
If he had really been without
cerning the human nature. And he speaks father and without mother, he would not
of Melchisedec as " made like unto the Son have been an image, but a reality. But since
of God." Now
let us examine the point in these are his qualities not by nature, but ac-
this manner ;
—
do you say that the Lord had cording to the dispensation of the Divine
a father according to the flesh.'' Scripture, he exhibits the type of the reality.
Eran. —
Certainly not. Eran. —
The type must have the charac-
Or//^. —
Why.? ter of the archetype.
Eran. —
He was born of the holy Virgin Orth. —
Is man called an image of God
—
.?
alone. Eran. Man is not an image of God, but

Orth. —
He is therefore properly styled was made in the image of God. ^
"without father".? Orth. —
Listen then to the Apostle. He
Eran. —
True. says
" For a man indeed :
ought not to cover
Orth. —
Do you say that according to the his head, forasmuch as he is the image and
divine Nature He had a mother.?^
^
glory of God."
Erati. —
Certainly not. Eran. —
Granted, then, that he is an
Orth. —
For He was begotten of the Father image of God.
alone before the ages.? Orth. —
According to your argument then
he must needs have plainly preserved the
1 Heb. vii. 3.
2 The hearing of this on Theodoret's relation to Nestorianism «Is. liii.8. 8 Gen. i. 27.
will be observed. 2
Heb. vii. 6. » I. Cor. xi. 7.
DIALOGUES. 189
characters of the archetype, and have been priest ot the people, and the Lord Christ
uncreate, uncompounded, and infinite. He for all men has made the right holy oflering
ought in like manner to have been able to of salvation.
create out of the non existent, he ought to Eraii. We have spent many words on —
have fashioned all thirigs by his word and this matter.
without labour, in addition to this to have Orth. Yet more were needed, as you —
been free from sickness, sorrow, anger, and know, for you said the point was a difficult
sin, to have been immortal and incorruptible one.
and to possess all the qualities of the arche- Eran. — Let us return the question be-
to
foi-e us.
type.
Eraii. — Man is not an image of God in Orth. — What was the question?
every respect. Eran. — On my remarking that Christ
Orth. —
Though truly an image in the must not be called man, but only God, you
qualities in which you would grant him to yourself besides many other testimonies ad-
be so, you wîll find that he is separated by a duced also the well known words of the
wide interval from the reality. Apostle which he has used in his epistle to
Eraii. —
Agreed. Timothy
" One God, one mediator be- —
Orth. —
Consider now too this point. The tween God and men, the man, Christ Jesus,
divine Apostle calls the Son the image of the who gave himself a ransom for all to be tes-
Father; for he says "Who
is the image of tified in due time."
'
the invisible God.?" '

Orth. I remember from what point we —
Eran. —
What then has not the Son all divei'ged into this digression. It was when
;
the qualities of the Father.'' I had said that the name of mediator exhibits
Orth. —
He is not Father. He is not un- the two natures of the Saviour, and you said
caused. He is not unbegotten. that Moses was called a mediator though he
Eran. —
If He were He would not be Son. was only a man and not God and man. I
Orth. —
Then does not what I said hold was therefore under the necessity of following
good ; the image has not all the qualities of up these points to show that the type has not
the archetype.'' all the qualities of the archetype. Tell me,
Eran. —
True. then, whether you allovv that the Saviour
Orth. —
Thus too the divine Apostle said ought also to be called man.
that Melchisedec is made like unto the Son Eran. I call Him God, for He is God's —
of God.2 Son.
Eran. —
Suppose we grant that he is Orth. If you call him God, because you —
without Father and without Mother and have learnt that he is God's Son, call him
without descent, as you have said. But how also man, for he often called Himself " Son
are we to understand his having neither of Man."
beginning of days nor end of life.'' Eran. The name man does not apply —
Orth. —
The holy Moses when writing to Him in the same way as the name God.
the ancient genealogv tells us how Adam Orth. As not really belonging to Him —
being so many years old begat Seth,^ and or for some other reason }
when he had lived so many years he ended Eran. God is his name by nature man — ;
his life.'* So too he writes of Seth, of Enoch, is the designation of the Incarnation.-
and of the rest, but of Melchisedec he men- Orth. But are we to look on the Incar- —
tions neither beginning of existence nor end nation as real, or as something imaginary and
of life. Thus as far as the story goes he has false
—
.''
neither beginning of days nor end of life, but Eran. As real.

in truth and reality the only begotten Son of Orth. If then the grace of the Incarna- —
God never began to exist and shall never tion is real, and what we call Incarnation
have an end. is the divine Word's being made man, then
Era7z. —
Agreed. the name man is real for after taking man's
Orth. —
Then, so far as what belongs to nature He is called man.
;
God and is really divine is concerned, Mel- Eran. Before His passion He was —
cliisedec is a type of the Lord Christ but as styled man, but afterward He was no longer
;
far as the priesthood is concerned, which so styled.
belongs rather to man than to God, the Lord Orth. But it was after the Passion and —
Christ was made a priest after the order of the Resurrection that the divine Apostle wrote
Melchisedec* For Melchisedec was a high the Epistle to Timothy wherein he speaks of
1 Coloss. I. 15. 3 Gen. iv. 25. 6 Heb, vi. 20.
* Hebrews vii. 3. Gen. V. 5. 1
Tim. ii. 5,6.
*
oiicovoiaia. Vide p. 72 n.
I90 THEODORET.
the Saviour Christ as man,' and writing after he find the cold redundant.'* He supplies the
the Passion and the Resurrection to the hot, and so on with the rest ;
and this is what
Corinthians he exclaims " For since by the Lord does.
man came death, by man came also the Eran. — And where you will show that
resurrection of the dead."
-
And in order the Lord has done this.-*
to make his meaning clear he adds, *'
For Orth. — In the holy gospels.
as in Adam all die, even so
Christ shall Eran. inShow me then and fulfil your —
all be made And after the Passion promise.
alive."
^
and the Resurrection the divine Peter, in Orth. What did the Jews consider our —
his address to the Jews, called Him man.'' Saviour Christ.''
And after His being taken up into heaven, Eran. man. —A
Stephen the victorious, amid the storm of Orth. And that He was also God they —
"
stones, said to the Jews, Behold, I see the were wholly ignorant.
heavens oixmcd, and the Son of man stand- Eraii. Yes. —
ing on the right hand of God."
*
Are we to Orth. Was it not then necessary for the —
suppose ourselves wiser than the illustrious ignorant to learn }
heralds of the truth ? Eran. Agreed.
—
Eran. —
I do not
suppose myself wiser Orth. Listen to Him then saying to —
than tlie holy doctors, but I fail to find the them: "Many good works have I shewed
use of the name. you from my Father for which of these
Orth. —
How then could you persuade works do ye stone me.''"' And when they
;
them that deny the incarnation of the Lord, replied: "For a good work we stone thee
Marcionists, I mean, and Manichees, and all not, but for blasphemy, and because that
the rest who arc thus unsound, to accept the thou being a man makest thyself God," -
" It is written in
teaching of the truth, imless you adduce He added your law I said
these and similar proofs with the object of ye are gods. If he called them gods unto
shewing tliat the Lord Christ is not God only whom the word of God came and the script-
but also man ? ure cannot be broken, say ye of Him whom
Eran. —
Perhaps it is necessary to adduce the Father hath sanctified and sent into the
them. world thou blasphemest, because I said I
Orth. —
Why not then teach the faithful am the vSon of God.'* If I do not the works
tlic reality of the doctrine? Are you forget- of my fatlier believe me not that I . . .
enjoining us to am in the Father and the Father is in me."

^
ful of tiie apostolic precept
be " ready to give an answer." Now let us Eran. In
*^
the passages you have just
—
look at the matter in this light. Does the read you have shewn that the Lord shewed
best general engage the enemy, attack with Himself to the Jews to be God and not man.
arrows and javelins, and endeavour to break Orth. Yes, for they did not need to —
their column all alone, or does he also arm learn what they knew that He was a man ;
his men, and marshal them, and rouse their they knew, but they did not know that He
hearts to play the man ? was from the beginning God. He adopted
Eran. —
He ought rather to do this latter. this same course in the case of the Pharisees
Orth. —
Yes; for it is not the part of a for when He saw them accosting Him as a
;
" What think

general to expose his own life, and take his mere man He asked them ye
" *
place in the ranks, and let his men go fast of Christ } Whose son"is He } And when
" Of David He went on " How
asleep, but ratlier to keep them awake for they said
their work at their post. then doth David calling him Lord say ' The
Eran. — True. Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my
Orth. — This
what the divine Paul right hand.'
is
" ^
Then He goes on to argue,
" If then He is His Lord how He
did, for in writing to them wlio had made is His
" Take uiato Son "
profession of their faith he said,
—
.?
you the whole armour of God tliat ye be able Eran. You have brought testimony
to stand against the wiles of tlie Devil.' And
against yourself, for the Lord plainly taught
" Stand therefore with the Pharisees to call Him not "Son of David,"
again, your loins girt
about with truth,"' and so on. but " Lord of David."
Bear in Wherefore He is
mind too what we have already said, that a distinctly shown wishing to be called God
physician supplies what nature lacks. Does and not man.
1
Tim 11.5.
I * Acts ii. 22.
Orth. I am afraid
you have not attended
—
'Coi. XV.21. *Actsvii. 56 '
X. 32. 2
John X
' 1 8
John
Cor. XV. 22. 1 Peter lii. 15. =*
X. Observe the
tlie variation in 3), anj
'
John 3.^, 35, 36, 37, 3S.
Epii. vi. II .nnd 13, and observe looseness of ([uotalion. llu' iimission in 3S.
• vi.
Eph. \/i^.
••
Matt. xxil. 42. 5 Matt. xxii. 43 and 44.
DIALOGUES. IQt
to the divine teaching. He

did not repudi- Orth. And when did he begin his teach- —
ate the name of "Son of David," but He ing:
added that He ought also to be believed to Eran. After the ascension of the Sav- —
be Lord of David. This He clearly shews iour, the coming of the Spirit, and the ston-
in the words " If He is his Lord how is He ing of the victorious Stephen.
then his Son?" He did not say " if He is Orth. Paul, at the very end of his life,—
Lord He is not Son," but " how is He his when writing his last letter to his disciple
Son?" instead of saying in one respect He is Timothy, and in giving him, as it were, his
Lord and in another Son. These passages paternal inheritance by will, added "Re-
both distinctly show the Godhead and the member that Jesus Christ of the seed of
manhood. David was raised from the dead according
Eran. —
There is no need of argument. to my gospel." ^ Then he went on to men-
The Lord distinctly teaches that He does not tion his sufferings on behalf of the gospel,
wish to be called Son of David. and thus showed its truth saying, " Wherein
Orth. —
Then He ought to have told the I suffer trouble as an evil doer even unto
blind men and the woman of Canaan and bonds."
''
the multitude not to call Him Son of David, It were easy for me to adduce many
and yet the blind men cried out " Thou Son similar testimonies, but I have judged it
of David have mercy on us." ^ And the needless to do so.
woman of Canaan "Have mercy on me Son Eraji. O
You promised to prove that the —
of David my daughter is grievously vexed Lord supplied the lacking instruction to
;
with a Devil."- And the multitude: " Ho- them that needed, and you have shown that
sanna to the Son of David Blessed is He He discoursed about His own Godhead to
!
that Cometh in the name of the Lord." ^ the Pharisees, and to the rest of the
Jews.
And not only did He not take it ill, but even But that He gave also His instruction about
praised their faith for the blind He freed the flesh you have not shewn.
;
from their long weary night and granted Orth. — It would have been quite
super-
them the power of sight the maddened and
;
fluous to have discoursed about the flesh
distraught daughter of the woman of Canaan which was before their eyes, for He was
He healed and drove out the wicked demon ; plainly seen eating and drinking and toiling
and when the chief priests and Pharisees and sleeping. Furthermore, to omit the
were oftended atthem that shouted "Hosanna many and various events before the passion,
"
to the Son of David He did not merely after His resurrection He proved to His dis-
not prevent them from shouting, but even believing disciples not His Godhead but His
sanctioned their acclamation, for, said He, manhood; for He said, "Behold hands
my
" I tell
you that if these should hold their and my feet that it is I myself. Handle me
peace the stones would immediately cry and see for a spirit hath
'
not flesh and bones
out."" as ye see me have."
Eran. —
He put up with this style of ad- Now I have fulfilled my promise, for we
dress before the resurrection in condescension have proved the giving of instruction about
to the weakness of them that had not yet the Godhead to them that were ignorant
properly believed. But resurrec- of the Godhead, and about the resurrection
after the
tion these names are needless. of the flesh to them that denied this latter.
Orth. — Where shall we rank the blessed Cease therefore from contending, and con-
Paul? among the perfect or the imperfect? fess the two natures of the Saviour.
Eran. — It is wrong to
joke about sei-ious Eran. There were two before the —
things. union, but, after combining, they made one
Orth. — It is
wrong make light of the
to nature.
reading of the divine oracles. Orth. — When do you say that the union
Eraji. — And who such a wretch as
is to was effected ?
despise his own salvation ? Eran. I —
say at the exact moment of
Orth. — Answer my question, and then the conception.
you will learn your ignorance. Orth. —And do you deny that the divine
Eran. — What question? Word existed before the conception ?
Orth. — Where are we rank the divine
to Eran. — I say that He was before the
?
Apostle
Eran. — Plainly among the most perfect, Orth. — And
ages.
that the flesh was co-exist-
and one of the perfect teachers. ent with Him ?
1 Matt. XX. 31. 8 Matt. xxi. 9.

1 II. Tim. li.S. * Luke xxiv, 39.
* Matt. XV. 22. *
Luke xix. 40. 2 II. Tim. ii. 9,
192 THEODORET.
Era7i. — By no means. sumed nature did not precede the assump-
Orth. — But was formed, after the salu- tion and the union, then incarnation and
tation of the angel, of the Holy Ghost? union signify one and the same thing, and so
ErciJZ. — So I say. before the union and incarnation there was
OrtJi. — Therefore before the union there one nature, while after the incarnation we
were not two natures but only one. For if speak properly of two, of that which took
the Goclliead pre-existed, but the manhood and of that which was taken.
was not co-existent, being formed after the Eran. —
I say that Christ was of two
angelic salutation, and the union being co- natures, but I deny two
natures.
incident with the formation, then before the Orth. —
Explain to us then in what sense
"
union there was one nature, that which ex- you understand the expression of two
ists always and existed before the ages. natures;" like gilded silver? like the com-
Now let us again consider this point. Do position of electron?^ like the solder made
you understand the making of flesh or be- of lead and tin?
coming man to be anything other than the Eran. —
I deny that the union is like any
union? of these; it is ineffable, and passes all under-

Eraii. — No. standing.
Orth. — For when He took flesh He was Orth. —
I too confess that the manner of the
made flesh. union cannot be comprehended. But I have

Erait. — Plainly. at all events been instructed by the divine
Orth. — And the union coincides with Scripture that each nature remains unim-
the taking flesh. paired after the union.
Eran. —
So I say. Eran. —
And where is this taught in the
Orth. —So before the making man there divine Scripture?
was one nature. For if both union and Orth. —
It is all full of this teaching.
making man are and He was Eran. —

Give proof of what you assert.
identical,
made man by taking man's nature, and the Orth. —
Do you not acknowledge the prop-
form of God took the form of a servant, then erties of each nature?
before the union the divine nature was one. Eran. —
No not, that is, after the
:
Eran. — And how are the union and the union.

making man identical? Orth. —
Let us then learn this very point
Orth. —A moment ago you confessed from the divine Scri^Dture.
that there is no distinction between these Eran. —
I am ready to obey the divine
terms.
Eran. — You led me astray by your argu- Scripture.
Orth. — When, then, you hear the divine
ments. John exclaiming "In the beginning was the
Orth. — Then, you if us go over
like, let word, and the word was with God, and the
"
the same ground again. word was God ^ and " By Him all things
Eraji. — We had better so do. wei-e made "
^
and the rest of the parallel
Orth. — Is there a distinction between the passages, do you aflSrm that the flesh, or the
incarnation and the union, according to the divine Word, begotten befoi'e the ages of
nature of the transaction? the Father, was in the beginning with God,
Eran. — Certainly a very great distinc- and was by nature God, and made all
;
tion. things?
Orth. — Explain fully the character of Eran. —
I say that these things belong to
thisdistinction. the Word.
God But I do not separate Him
Eran. — Even the sense of the terms from the flesh made one with Him.
shows the distinction, for the word " incar- Orth. —
Neither do we separate the flesh
"
nation shows the taking of the flesh, while from God the Word, nor do we make the
"
the word " union indicates the combina- union a confusion.
tion of distinct things. Eran. —
I recognise one nature after the
Orth. — Do you represent the incarnation union.
to be anterior to the union ? Orth. —
When did the Evangelists write
Eran. — By no means. the gospel? Was it before the union, or a
Orth. — You say that the union took very long time after the union?
place in the conception?
Eran. — I do. 1 The metallic
compound called electron is described by
Orth. — Straho p. 146 as the mixed residuum, or scourinp, (icaflopfia)
Therefore if not even the least lifl after the first smcltinfj of gold ore. Pliny (H. N. xxxiii. 2.U
moment of time intervened between the describes it asandooiitaininir
Herod,
part silver to 4 gold. cf. Soph.
I
Antiu;. io_^S, 50. i.
taking of flesh and the union, and the as- '

Jolini. 1. s
John i. 3.
DIALOGUES. 193
Era7i. —
Plainly after the union, the na- God. In short the new is inconsistent with
tivity, the miracles, the passion, the resur- the eternal.
rection, the taking up into heaven, and the Let us also look at the matter in this way.
coming of the Holy Ghost. Do we say that the divine Word is Creator
Orth. —
Hear then John saying " In the of the Universe
beginning was the wôrd, and the word was Eran. — .''
So we have learnt to believe

with God, and the word was God. He was from the divine Scriptures.
in the beginning with God. All things were Orth. —And how many days after the
made by Him, and without Him was not creation of heaven and earth are we told
" ^
anything made and so on. Hear too Mat- that Adam was formed
thew,
" The book of the
generation of Jesus Eran.— On the sixth day.
.''
Christ, Son of David,

—
Son of Abraham," Orth. — And from Adam to Abraham
— and so on.^ Luke too traced His geneal- how many generations went by ?
ogy to Abraham and David.
^
make the Now Eran. — I think twenty.
former and the latter quotation fit one nature. Orth. —
And from Abraham to Christ
You will find it impossible, for existence in our Saviour how many generations are
the beginning, and descent from Abraham, reckoned by the Evangelist Matthew.
— the making of all things, and derivation Eran. —
from a created forefather, are inconsistent. Orth. —Forty-two.^
If then the Lord Christ is one
Eran. — By thus arguing you divide the nature how can He be Creator of all things
only begotten son into two Persons. visible and invisible and, at the same time,
Orth. — One Son of God I both know after so many generations, have been formed
and adore, the Lord Jesus Christ but I by the Holy Ghost in a virgin's womb?
;
have been taught the difference between His And how could He be at one and the same
Godhead and his manhood. You, how- time Creator of Adam and Son of Adam's
ever, who say that there is only one nature descendants ?
after the union, do you make this agree with Eran. I have already said that both —
the introductions of the Evangelists. these properties are appropriate to Him as
Eran. —
You appear to assume the pro- God made flesh, for I recognise one nature
position to be hard, nay impossible. Be it, made flesh of the Word.
I beg, short and easy only solve our;
—Orth. Nor yet, my good sir, do we say —
question. that two natures of the divine Word were
OrtJi. —
Both qualities are proper to the made flesh, for we know that the nature of
Lord Christ, —
existence from the beginning, the divine Word is one, but we have been
and generation, according to the flesh, from taught that the flesh of which He availed
Abraham and David. Himself when He was incarnate is of an-
Eran. —
You laid down the law that other nature, and here I think that you too
after the union it is not right to speak of agree with me. Tell me now; after what
one nature. Take heed lest in mentioning manner do you say that the making flesh
the flesh you transgress your own law. took place?
Orth. —
Even without mentioning the Eran. I know not the manner, but I —
flesh it is quite easy to explain the point in believe that He was made flesh.
question, for I am applying both to the Orth. You make a pretext of your —
Saviour Christ. ignorance unfairly, and after the fashion of
Eran. —I too assert that both these qual- the Pharisees. For they when they beheld
ities belong to the Lord Christ. the force of the Lord's enquiry, and suspect-
Orth. —
Yes but you do so in contem- ing that they were on the point of conviction,
;
" do not know." ^ But We

plation of two natui'es in Him, and applying uttered their reply
to each its own properties. But if the I proclaim quite openly that the divine
Christ is one nature, how is it possible to incarnation is without change. For if by
attribute to it properties which are incon-
any variation or change He was made flesh,
sistent with one another? For to have then after the change all that is divine in
derived origin from Abraham and David, His names and in His deeds is quite in-
and still more
have been born many appropriate to Him.
to
generations after David, is inconsistent with Eran. We have agreed again and —
existence in the beginning. Again to have again that God the Word is immutable.
sprung from created beings is inconsistent Orth. He was made flesh by taking —
with being Creator of all things to have had flesh. ;
human fathers with existence derived from

1 Matt. i. 17.
>Johnl. 1-3.
2 Matt. i. I. 3 Luke Jii. 23.
» Matt. xxi. 27. A. V. " We cannot tell."
VOL. Ill,
194 THEODORET.
Eran. — Yes. rest of its desires. So forthwith after its
Oi'th. — The the Word dissolution, since it has no longer its vital
nature of God
made flesh is different from that of the flesh, energy, it does not even crave for what is
by assumption of which the nature of the lacking, and, ceasing to i-eceive it, it under-
divine Word was made flesh and became goes corruption.
man. Eran. —
You see that to thirst and to
Eran. —
Agreed. hunger and similar appetites belong to the
Orth. — Was He then changed into flesh ? soul.
Eran. — Certainly not. Orth. — Did
these belong to the soul
Orth. — If then He was made not flesh, it would
hunger and thirst, and the
suffer
by mutation, but by taking flesh, and both similar wants, even after its release from the
the former and the latter qualities are appro- body.
priate to Him as to God made flesh, as you Eran. What then do you say — to be
said a moment ago, then the natures were proper to the soul
^
—
.''
not confounded, but remained imimpaired. Orth. The reasonable, the absolute, the
And as long as we hold thus we shall perceive immortal, the invisible.
too the harmony of the Evangelists, for while Era?z. —
And vi^hat of the body.''
the one proclaims the divine attributes of the Orth. —
The com^Dlex, the visible, the
one only begotten —
the Lord Christ the mortal. —
other sets forth His human qualities. So too Eran. —
And we say that man is com-
Christ our Lord Himself teaches us, at one posed of these.''
time calling Himself Son of God and at 07-th. Yes. —
another Son of man at one time He givês
: Eran. —
Then we define^ man as a mor-
honour to His Mother as to her that gave tal reasonable being.
Him birth ;^ at another He rebukes her as Orth. Agreed. —
her Lord.^ At one time He finds no foult Eran. —
And we give names to him from
with them that style Him Son of David at both these attributes.
another He teaches the ignorant that He is Orth.
;
Yes. —
not only David's Son but also David's Lord.^ Eran. —
As then in this case we make no
He calls Nazareth and Capernaum His coun- distinction, but call the same man both
" Before Abra- reasonable and
try,* and again He exclaims mortal, so also should we do
ham was I am." ' You will find the divine in the case of the Christ, and apply to Him
Scripture full of similar passages, and they both the divine and the human.
all point not to one nature but to two. Orth. —
This is our argument, although
Eran. —
He who contemplates two you do not accurately express it. For look
natures in the Christ divides the one only you. When we are pursuing the argument
begotten into two sons. about the human soul, do we only mention
Orth. —
Yes; and he who says Paul is what is appropriate to its energy and nature }
made up of soul and body makes two Pauls Eran. This only. —
out of one. Orth. —
And when our discussion is
Eran. —
The analogy does not hold good. about the body, do we not only recall what is
Orth. —
I know it does not,^ for here the appropriate to it.''
union is a natural union of parts that are Era?i. Qiiite so.
—
coa3val, created, and fellow slaves, but in Orth. —
But, when our discourse touches
the case of the Lord Christ all is of good the whole being, then we have no difficulty
will, of love to man, and of grace. Here in adducing both sets of qualities, for the
too, though the union is natural, the proper
qualities of the natures remain unimpaired.
Eran. — All through the arg-ument there seems to be some confu.
'
If the proper qualities of the sion between the two senses of i//ux>j as denoting the inimnrtnl
and the animal part of man, and so between the \^vxik6v and
natures remain distinct, how does the soul the irvivnariKov. Accordin<^ to the Pauline
psycholog^y, (cf. in
I. Cor. 15) the immortal and in^'isible could not be said to be
together with the body crave for food-f*
Orth. — proper to the o-iuâ i|/ux"«>i'. This " natural body" is a body
The soul does not crave for food. of death (Rom. vii. 24) and requires to be redeemed (Rom. viii.
" house which is from heaven."
How could it when it is immortal 23) and changed into the
But Cor. "^
V. 2.) Something of the same confusion attaches to the
(II.
the body, which derives its vital force from common use of the word "soul" to which we find the lan-
of Holy Scripture frequently .accommodated. On the
the soul, feels its need, and desires to receive guage
|)opular language of the dichotomy and the more exact trichot-
what is lacking. So after toil it longs for omy wellI. Thess.
of V. 23 a note of Bp. Ellicott on that passage
be consulted.
may
rest, after waking for sleep, and so with the 2 "
^liof AoyiKoi' ^vr]r6v." The definition m.ay be compared
with those of —
iLukeii.si.
» Matt. xxii.
42. John viii. jS.
J'
Plato. — îaov anTepov, SCnow, TT\aTvuivv\ov o fiovov
< Mark vi. I.
*
John 11.4. Ttou ovTiov r^t Kari Adyou?
eni.<TTy}fi.r)(;
"This, it will be remembered is the analogy employed in SeKTiKOV €(TTt. OcflT.

the-
"
iQîiictiiiqiie villi."
AllISTOTLS. — TToKiTiKuf i'ujov. Pol. I. ii. 9.
DIALOGUES. 195
properties both of the body and of the soul the one Son in two and to gainsay the dual-
are applicable to man. of the natures. But now in truth's name
Eran. — Unquestionably.
ity
tell me. Were one of the faction of Arius or
Orth. — Well just in this way should we
; Eunomius endeavour, while disputing
to
speak of the Christ, and, when arguing with you, to belittle the Son, and to descril)e
about His natures, give to each its own, Him as less than and inferior to the Father,
and recognise some as belonging to the God- by the help of all their familiar arguments
head, and some as to the manhood. But and citations from the divine Scripture of
when we are discussing the Person we must the text "Father, if it be possible, let this
"
then make what is proper to the natures cup pass from me and that other, " Now
^
" -
common, and apply both sets of qualities to is
my soul troubled and other like pas-
the Saviour, and call the same Being both sages, how would you dispose of his ob-
God and Man, both Son of God and Son of jections? How could you show that
—
Man both David's Son and David's Lord, the Son is in no way diminished in dignity
both Seed of Abraham and Creator of Abra- by these expressions and is not of another
ham, and so on. substance, but begotten of the substance of
Eran. — That the person of the Christ is the Father?
one, and that both the divine and the human Eran. I —
should say that the divine
are attributable to Him, you have quite Scripture uses some terms according to the
rightly said, and I accept this definition of theology and some according to the 03con-
the Faith ;
but your real position, that in dis- omy, and that it is wrong to apply what be-
cussing the natures we must give to each its longs to the ccconomy to what belongs to the
own properties, seems to me to dissolve the theology.^
iniion. It is for this reason that I object to Orth. —
But your opponent would retort
accept these and similar arguments. that even in the Old Testament the divine
Orth. — Yet when we were enquiring Scripture says many things oeconomically, as
•
about soul and body you thought the distinc- for instance, " Adam heard the voice of the
tion of these terms admirable, and forthwith Lord God walking,'"' and " I will go down
gave it your approbation. Why then do you now and see whether they have done alto-
refuse to receive the same rule in the case of gether according to the cry of it which has
*
the Godhead and manhood of the Lord come to me and if not I will know," and
;
"
Christ? Do you go so far as to object to again," Now I know that thou fearest God ®
comparing the Godhead and the manhood of and the like.
the Christ to soul and body? So, while you Eran. —
I might answer to this that there
grant an unconfounded union to soul and is a great distinction between the ceconomies.
body, do you venture to say that the God- In the Old Testament there is an cEConomy
head and manhood of the Christ have under- of words in the New Testament of deeds.
gone commixture and confusion? Orth. —;
Then your opponent would ask

Erajz. — I hold the Godhead of the of what deeds?
Christ aye, and His flesh too, to be infinitely Eran. —
He shall straightway hear of the
higher in honour than soul and body; but deeds of the making flesh. For the Son of
after the union I do assert one nature. God on being made man both in word and
Orth, — But now is it not impious and deed at one time exhibits the
flesh, at an-
shocking, while maintaining that a soul other the Godhead
as of course, in the pas-
:
united to a body is in no way subject to con- sage quoted. He shews the weakness of the
fusion, to deny to the Godhead of the Lord flesh and of the soul, the sense namely of fear.
of the universe the power to maintain its Orth. —
But if he were to go on to say,
own nature unconfounded or to keep within " But he did not take a soul but only a body ;
its pioper bounds the

humanity which He the Godhead instead of a soul being
for
assumed ? Is it not, I say, impious to mix united to the body performed all the func-
the distinct, and to commingle the separate? tions of the soul," with what arguments could
The idea of one nature gives ground for sus- you meet his objections?
picion of this confusion. Eran. —
I could bring proofs from the
Eran. — I am equally anxious to avoid the divine
Scripture shewing how God the Word
term confusion, but I shrink from asserting took not only flesh but also soul.
two natures lest I fall into a dualism of sons. Orth. —
And what proofs of this shall we
Orth. — I am equally anxious to escape find in Scripture ?
either horn of the dilemma, both the impious

confusion and the impious distinction for to 1 Miitt. xxvi. 39. 4 Gen. iii.S.
;
2John xii. 27.
s Gen. xviii. 21
me it is alike an unhallowed thought to split 3 Consult note on
page 72.
" Gen. xxii. (2
O
196 THEODORET.
Eran. — Have
you not heard the Lord dom and in stature and in favour with God
"
have power to hiy it down, and I and men."^ I should say that these have
I
saying
have power to take it again. ...
I hiy nothing to do with Godhead for the body
it down of mvscif that I might take it asfain." increased in stature, and in wisdom the
^
And again, "Now is my soul troubled." - soul not that which is without reason, but —
And again, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful the reasonable. God the Word then took
even unto death," ^ and again David's words on Him a reasonable soul.
as interpreted by Peter " His soul was not Orth. Good Sir, you have bravely —
left in hell neither did His flesh see corrup- broken through the three fold phalanx of
tion." These and similar passages clearly your foes but that union, and the famous
''
pohit out that God the Word assumed not commixture and confusion, not in two ways
only a body but also a soul. only but in three, 3'ou have scattered and
Orth. —
You have quoted this testimony undone and not only have you pointed out ;
most appositely and properly, but your op- the distinction between Godhead and man-
ponent might reply that even before the in- hood, but you have in two ways distinguished
carnation God said to the Jews, Fasting " the manhood by pointing out that the soul
and holy day and feasts my soul hateth." '"
is one thing and the body another, so that
Then he might go on to argue that as in the no longer two, according to our argument,
Old Testament He mentioned a soul, though but three natures of our Saviour Jesus Christ
.He had not a soul, so He does in the New. may be understood.
^r«/z. ^Buthe shall be told again how Eran. Yes for did not you say that — ;
the divine Scripture, when speaking of God, there is another substance of the soul besides
mentions even parts of the body as " In- the nature of the body
—
.'*
cline thine ear and hear"

^
and " Open thine Orth. Yes,
eyes and see
" '
and " The mouth of the Lord Eran. then does the argument— How
hath spoken it"® and "Thy hands have seem absurd to you ?
made me and fashioned me " ® and countless Orth. —
Because while 3'ou object to two,
other passages. you have admitted three natures.
If then after the incarnation we are for- Eran. —
The contest with our antagonists
bidden to understand soul to mean soul, it compels us to this, for how could any one in
is equally forbidden to hold body to mean any other way argue against those who deny
body. Thus the great mystery of the (Eco- the assumption of the flesh, or of the soul,
nomy will be found to be mere imagination or of the mind, but by adducing j^roofs on
;
and we shall in no way diflcr from Marcion, these points from the divine Scripture? And
Valentinus and Manes, the inventors of all how could any one confute them who m
these figments. their madness strive to belittle the Godhead
Orth. —
But if a follower of Apollinarius of the only Begotten hut by pointing out that
were suddenly to intervene in our discussion the divine Scripture speaks sometimes theo-
and were to ask " Most excellent Sir; what logically and sometimes CEConomically.
kind of soul do you say that Christ as- Orth. —
What you now say is true. It is
sumed.''" what would you answer.^ what I, nay what all say, who keep whole
Eraji. —
I should first of all say that I the apostolic rule. You yourself have be-
know only one soul of man; then I should come a supporter of our doctrines.
answer,
" But if
you reckon two souls, the Era?i. — How
do I support yours, while I
one reasonable and the other without reason, refuse to acknowledge two sons.''
I say that the soul assumed was the reason- Orth. When did you ever hear of our—
able. Yours it seems is the unreasonable, affirming two sons .''
inasmuch as you think that our salvation Eran. —

He who asserts two natures as-
was incomplete." serts two sons.
Orth. —
But suppose he were to ask for Orth. —
Then you assert three sons, for
proof of what you say } you have spoken of three natures.
Eran. —
I could very easily give it. I Eran. —
In no other way was it possible
shall quote the oracles of the Evangelists to meet the argument of my opponents.
" The Child
Jesus grew and waxed strong Orth. —
Hear this same thing from us too ;
in spirit and the grace of God was upon for both you and I confi'ont the same antag-
him"'" and again "Jesus increased in wis- onists.
Erafz. —
But I do not assert two natures
' 8 Daniel Ix. iS.
John X. iS, 17. after the union.
Orth. — And
s ' nîd.
John xii. 27.
s Matt. xxvi. 3S. 8
"
Isaiali Iviii. 14. yet after many generations
« Psahn xvi. lo and Acts il. 31. Ps. cxix. 73,
' Isaiah i. 13, 14. Sept.
1" Luke ii, 40. 'Luke jl, 52.
DIALOGUES. 197
of the union a moment ago you used the Orth. —

And does all the light seem to
same words. Explain to us however in what you to be diffused through all the atmos-
sense you assert one nature after the union. phere }
Do you mean one nature derived from both Eran. I am with
you so far.
—
or that one nature remains after the destruc- Orth. —
And is not the mixture diffused
tion of the other.? through all that is subject to it.''
Eran. —
I maintain that the Godhead re- Eran. —
mains and that the manhood was swallowed Orth.
Certainly.
—
But, now, this illuminated atmos-
up by it.^ phere, do we not see it as light and call it
Orth. —Fables of the Gentiles, all this, light }

and follies of the Manichees. I am ashamed Eran. — Qiiite so.
so much as to mention such things. The Orth. — And yet when the light is present
Greeks had their gods' swallowings and the we sometimes are aware of moisture and
'^
Manichees wrote of the daughter of light. aridity frequently of heat and cold.
But we reject such teaching as being as Eran. Yes.
;
—
absurd as it is
impious, for how could a Orth. — And
after the departure of the
nature absolute and uncompounded, compre- light the atmosphere afterwards remains
hending the universe, unapproachable and alone by itself.
infinite, have absorbed the nature which it Eran. True. —
assumed ? Orth. — Consider this example too.
Eran. — Like the sea receiving a drop of When iron is brought in contact with fire
iioney, for straightway the drop, as it min- it is fired.
gles with the ocean's water, disappears. Eran. —
Orth. —The sea and the drop are differ- Orth.
Certainly.
—
And the fire is diffused through its
ent in quantity, though alike in equality the whole substance.''
one is greatest, the other is least ; the one is ^ra;?.
;
Well.? —
sweet and the other is bitter but in all other
;
Orth. —
How, then, does not the com-
respects you will find a very close relation- plete union, and the mixture universally
ship. The nature of both is moist, liquid, diflused, change the iron's nature.?
and fluid. Both are created. Both are life- Eran. —
But it changes it altogether.
less yet each alike is called a
body. There It is now reckoned no longer as iron, but as
is nothing then absurd in these cognate fire, and indeed it has the active properties
natures undergoing commixture, and in the of fire.
one being made to disappear by the other. Orth. —
But does not the smith call it
In the case before us on the contrary the dif- iron, and put it on the anvil and smite it with
ference is infinite, and so great that no figure his hammer.?
of the reality can be found. I will however Eran. Unquestionably.
—
endeavour to point out to you several instances Orth. —
Then the nature of the iron was
of substances which are mixed without being not damaged by contact with the fire. If
confounded, and remain unimpaired. then, in natural bodies, instances may be
Eran. —
Who in the world ever heard found of an unconfounded mixture, it is
of an unmixed mixture? sheer folly in the case of the nature which
Orth. —
I shall endeavour to make
you knows neither corruption nor change to en-
admit this. tertain the idea of confusion and destruction
Eran. —
Should what you are about to of the assumed nature, and all the moi'e so
advance prove true we will not oppose the when this nature was assumed to bring bless-
truth. ing on the race.
Orth. — Answer then, dissenting Erajz. or as- —
What I assert is not the destruc-
senting as the argument may seem good to tion of the assumed nature, but its change
you. into the substance of Godhead.
Eran. — I will answer. Orth. —
Then the human race is no
Orth. — Does the light at its rising seem longer limited as heretofore?
to you to fill all the
atmosphere except Eran. No. —
where men shut up in caverns might remain Orth. —
When did it undergo this
bereft of it.^* change
Eran. — Yes. Eran.
.?
—
After the complete union.
1
Orth.
KaToTro^î/ai i.e., was absorbed and made to disappear.
And —
what date do you assign to
Contrast the adsumptione Humanitatis in Deiim (or " in Deo,' this
Eran. —
.?
as the older MSS. read) of the Athanasian Creed.

2 The allusion is to the fable of
I have said again and again, that
Saturn devouring his chil-
dren at their birth. of the conception.
198 TIIEODORET.
Orth. — Yet after the conception He was the flesh, for He said "Why are ye troubled ?
an unborn babe in the womb after His birth, ;
and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
'
Pic was a babe and was called a babe, and

'
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I
was worshipped by shepherds, and in like m3'sclf: handle me, and see; for a spirit
manner became a boy, and was so called by hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me
the angel. ^ Do you acknowledge all this? have." And observe the exactness of the
^
or do you think I am inventing fables? language. He does not say " is not flesh
Eratt. —
This is taiiglit in the history of and bones," but " has not flesh and bones,"
the divine gospels, and cannot be gainsaid. in order to point out that the nature of the
Orth. — Now let us investigate what fol- possessor and the nature of that which is
lows. We
acknowledge, do we not, that the possessed are distinct and separate. Just in
Lord was circumcised? the same way that which took and that
Eran. —Yes. which was taken are separate and distinct,
Orth. — Of what was there a circum- and the Christ is beheld made one of both.
cision Of ? or Godhead (Icsh ? Thus the part i:)ossessing is
entirely diflerent
Eran. — Of the flesh. from the part possessed, and yet does not
Orth. — Of what was then the growth divide into two persons Him who is an ob-
and increase wisdom and stature?
in ject of thought in them. The Lord, indeed,
Eran. — This, of course, not applicable is while the disciples were still in doubt, asked
to Godhead. for food and took and ate it, not
consuming
Orth. — Nor hunger and thirst? the food only in a])2oearance, nor
Eran. — No.
satisfying
to the need of the body.
Orth. — Nor walking about, and being Eran. —
But one of these alternatives
weary, and asleep? must be accepted either He partook because
Eran. — falling
No.
;
He needed, or else, needing not, He seemed

Orth. — If then the union took place at to cat, and did not really partake of food.
the conception, and all these things came to Orth. —
His body now become immortal
pass after the conception and the birth, then, required no food. Of them that rise the
after the union, the manhood did not lose its Lord says: "they neither marry nor are
own nature. given in marriage but are as Angels."- The
Eran. —
I have not stated my meaning apostles however bear witness that He partook
exactly. It was after the resurrection from of the food, for the blessed Luke in the pref-
the dead that the flesh underwent the chansfe ace to the Acts says "being assembled
into Godhead. together with the apostles the Lord com-
Orth. —
Then, after the resurrection, manded them that they should not depart
"^ and the
nothing of all that indicates its nature re- from Jerusalem very divine Peter
mained in it? says more "Who did eat and
Eran. — If
remained, the divine change drink with Him after He rose from the
it
distinctly:
did not take place. dead."* For since eating is proper to them
Orth. —
How then was it that He shewed that live this present life, of necessity the
His hands and His feet to tlic disciples who Lord by means of eating and drinking proved
disbelieved ? the resurrection of the flesh to them tliat did
Eran. Just
—as He came in when the not acknowledge it to be real. This same
doors were shut. course He pursued in the case of Lazarus
Orth. —
But He came in when the doors and of Jairus' daughter. For when He had
were shut Just as He came out from the raised up the latter He ordered that some-
womb, though the virgin's l)olts and bars thing should be given her to eat* and He
were undrawn, and just as He walked upon made Lazarus sit with Him at the table" and
the sea. Then according to 3'our argument so shewed the reality of the rising again.
not even yet had tlie change of nature taken Eran. If we grant that the Lord really —
place ? ate, letus grant that after the resurrection all
Eran. — The Lord shewed His hands to men partake of food.
the Apostles in the same way as He wrestled Orth. —
What was done by the Saviour
with Jacob. through a certain occonom)'- is not a rule and
Orth. —
No; the Lord does not allow us law of nature. This follows from the fact
to understand it in this sense. The disciples that He did other things by occonomv which
shall by no means be the lot of them that live
thought they saw a spirit, but the L(jrd dis-
pelled this idea, and shewed the nature of again.
1 Luke xxiv. 3S, 39. 3 Acts i. 4. • Mark v. 43.
^ » Matt. s M;irk
Iûke ii. 13 and i6. ii. >3- xii. 25. Acts X. 41. ''John xii. 21.
DIALOGUES. 199
Eran. —
What do you mean ? has a broken leg, or has undergone some
— Will
Orth. not the bodies of them that other suffering.
rise become incorruptible and immortal? Eran. —
But to the same nature belong
Eran. — So the divine Paul has taught us. both health and sickness.
" It is sown "
he says "in corruption; it is Orth. —
So the body is called substance;
raised in iacorruption it is sown in dishon- disease and health are called accident.
;
our it is raised in glory ; it is sown in weak-

;
Era7i. —
Of course. For these things are
ness ; it is raised in power it is sown a natural ;
accidents of the body, and again cease to be
^
so.
body it is raised a spiritual body."
Orth.
;
—
But the Lord, who raises the Orth. In the same way corruption and —
bodies of men, unmaimed and unmarred death must be called accidents, and not sub-
all
(for lameness of limb and blindness of eye stances, for thev too are accidents and cease
are unknown among them that are risen)," to be so.
left in His own body the prints of the nails, Eran. True. —
and the wound in His side, whereof are wit- Orth. So the body of the Lord rose —
nesses both the Lord Himself and the hand incorruptible, impassible, and immortal, and
of Thomas. is worshipped by the powers of heaven, and is
Eran. True. — yet a body having its former limitation.

Orth. —
If then after the resurrection the Eran. In these points you seem to say —
Lord both partook of food, and shewed His sooth, but after its assumption into heaven I
hands and His feet to His disciples, and in do not think that you will deny that it was
them the prints of the nails, and His side with changed into the nature of Godhead.
the mark of the wound in it, and said to Orth. I would not so say persuaded only —
them, " Handle me and see for a spirit hath by human arguments, for I am not so rash
"
not flesh and bones as ye see me have ^ it as to say anything concerning which divine
follows that after His resurrection the nature Scripture is silent. But I have heard the
of His body was preserved and was not divine Paul exclaiming "God hath appointetl
changed into another substance. a day in the which He will judge the world
Eran. —
Then after the resurrection it is in righteousness by that man whom He hath
mortal and subject to suffering.'' ordained whereof He hath given assurance
Orth. By no —
means it is
incorruptible, unto all men
;
in that He hath raised Him
impassible, and immortal. from the dead,"-^ and I have learnt from the
Eran. —
If it is incorruptible, impassible, holy Angels that He will come in like manner
and immortal, it has been changed into as the disciples saw Him going into heaven.^
another nature. Now they saw His nature not unlimited.
Orth. —
Therefore the bodies of all men For I have heard the words of the Lord,
will be changed into another substance, for all "Ye shall see the Son of Man coming in the
will be incorruptible and immortal. Or have clouds of heaven," ^ and I acknowledge that
"
you not heard the words of the Apostle, For what is seen of men is limited, for the unlim-
this corruptible must put on incorruption, and ited nature is invisible. Furthermore to
this mortal must put on immortality"?" sit upon a throne of glory and to set the
Eran. —
I have heard. lambs upon the right and the kids upon the
Orth. — Therefore the nature remains, but leff* indicates limitation.
its corruption is changed into incorruption, Eran. Then He was not unlimited even —
and its mortal into immortality. But let us before the incarnation, for the pro^^het saw
look at the matter in this way we call a Him surrounded by the Seraphim."
body that is sick and a body that is whole, in Orth.
;
The prophet did not see the sub- —

the same way, a body. stance of God, but a certain appearance ac-
Eran. — Unquestionably. commodated to his capacity. After the resur-
Orth. — Wherefore? rection, however, all the world will see the
Era?z. — Since both partake of the same very visible nature of the judge.
substance. Eran. —
You promised that you would
Orth. — Yet we see them very great in a adduce no argument without evidence, but
difference, for the one is whole, perfect, and you are introducing arguments adapted to us.
unhurt the other has either lost an eye, or
;
Orth. —
I have learnt these things from
1
the divine Scripture. I have heard the
I.Cor. XV. 42, 43, 44.
2 Contrast Plato
Gorgias § 169 Kareayora. re el rov rjv ixeXt] words of the prophet Zechariah "They
ij
SLe<rTpa.f/ilxei'a ûcTOs xai re^reuiTOs ravra evS-qKa, and Virgil ^n.

shall look on Him whom they pierced,"*
"
Atque hie Priamiden lafiiatum corpore toto
* 5
Deiphphum vidit lacerum crudeliter ota." 1 Acts xvii. 31. Matt. xxvi. 64. Isaiah vi. 3.
* Luke xxiv. 39. * I. Cor. xv. 53. 2 Acts i. II. * Matt. XXV. 31-33. ^ Zech. xii. 10.
200 THEODORET.
and how shall the event follow the prophecy Further, if you please, let us look at the
unless the crucifiers recognise the nature matter in yet another way.
which they crucified? And I have heard Eran. One ought "to stir every —
the cry of the victorious martyr Stephen, stone," as the proverb says,' to get at the
" Behold I see the heavens
opened and the truth above all when it is a question of di- ;
Son of Man
standing on the right hand of vine doctrines.
God,"^ and he saw the visible, not the invis- Orth. Tell me now; the mystic sym- —
ible nature. bols which arc offered to God by them who
Era)i. —
These things are thus written, perform priestly rites, of what are they sym-
but I do not think that you will be able to bols?
show that the body, after the ascension Eran. — Of the body and blood of the
into heaven, is called body by the inspired Lord.
writers. Orth. — Of the real body or not?
OrtJi. — What has been already said indi- Eran. — The real.
cates the body perfectly plainly for what is ;
Orth. — Good. For there must be the
seen is a body but I will nevertheless point archetype of the image. So painters imi-
;
out to you that even after the assumption the tate nature and paint the images of visible
body of the Lord is called a bod}'. Hear objects.
the teaching of the Apostle, " For our con- Eran. True. —
versation is in Heaven from whence also we Orth. If, then, the divine mysteries are
—
look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus, who antitypes of the real body,- therefore even
shall change our vile body that it may be now the body of the Lord is a body, not
"
fashioned like unto his glorious body." It changed into nature of Godhead, but filled
was not changed into another nature, but with divine glory.
remained a body, full however of divine Era?!. You have opportunely intro- —
glory, and sending forth beams of light. duced the subject of the divine mysteries for
The bodies of the saints shall be fashioned from it I shall be able to show you the
like unto it. But if it was changed into change of the Lord's body into another
— will now
another nature, their bodies will be like- nature. Answer my questions.to
wise changed, for they shall be fashioned Orth. answer.
I
like unto it. But if the bodies of the saints Eran. — What do you the whichcall gift
preserve the character of their nature, then is ? offered before the priestly invocation
also the body of the Lord in like manner It to Orth. — were wrong say openly ;
keeps its own nature unchanged. perhaps some uninitiated are present.
Eran. —
Then will the bodies of the Eran. Let your answer be put enigmat- —
saints be equal with the ])ody of the Lord? ically.
Orth. —
In its incorruption and its im- Orth. Food of grain of such a sort. —
mortality they too will share. Moreover in Eran. And how name we the other —
its
glory they will participate, as says the symbol ?
Apostle,
" If so be that we suffer with Him, Orth. — This name too common, is signi-
^
that we may be also glorified together." It fying species of drink.
is in quantity that the vast difference may be Eran. — And the consecration how
after
found, a difference as great as between sun do you name these?
and stars, or rather between master and Orth. — Christ's body and Christ's blood.
slaves, and that which gives and that which Eran. — And do you believe that you
receives light. Yet has He given a share of partake of Christ's body and blood?
His own name to His servants and as He Orth.— I do.
is Light, calls His saints light, for "Ye," Eran. As, then, the symbols of the —
He says, "are the Light of the world," ^ and Lord's body and blood are one thing before
being named servants and being named the priestly invocation, and after the invoca-
"Sun of Righteousness"* He says of his tion are changed and become another thing ;
servants " Then shall the righteous shine so the Lord's body after the assumption is
forth as the Sun."
"^
It is therefore according changed into the divine substance.
according to quantity, that the

to quality, not Orth. You are caught in the net 3'ou —
bodies of the saints shall be fashioned like have woven yourself. For even after the
unto the body of the Lord. Now I have consecration the mystic symbols are not de-
shewn you plainly what you bade me.
Probably the Ai'So? in the stone on the Draiig:ht Board. So
•
1 Acts vii. 56. navTa Kivilv KiOov is to make every effort in the jjame.
' Phil. iii. 20, 21. Observe omission of " Christ." 2 ToO OfTw?
(TiOfxaTUi^ at'TLTVird eari Ti Beta fXV<TTrjpia, The
8 Rom. viii. 17. B Malachi iv. 2. view of Orthodoxus, it will be seen, is not that of the Roman
* Matt. V. 14. 6 Matt. xiii. 43. confession, cf. note on p. 2o6.
DIALOGUES. 201
prived of their own nature they remain in ;

Of the same from the same epistle :
—
their former substance figure and form
" And after His Resurrection He ate with
tliey ;
are visible and tangible as they were before. them, and drank with them, as being of the
But they are regarded as what they are be- flesh, although He was spiritually one with
come, and believed so to be, and are wor- the Father."
Testimony of Irencetts^ the ancient bishop
^
shipped as being what they are believed to
be. Compare then the image with the arche- of Lyons : —
type, and you will see the likeness, for the
From the third Book of his work " Against
type must be like the reality. For that Heresies." (Chap. XX.)
" As we have said before. He united man
body preserves its former form, figure, and
limitation and in a word the substance of the to God. For had not a man vanquished
body but
;
after the resurrection it has be- man's adversary, the enemy would not have
come immortal and superior to corruption been vanquished aright; and again, had not
;
it has become worthy of a seat on the right God granted the boon of salvation we should
hand ; it is adored by every creature as being not have possessed it in security. And had
called the natural body of the Lord. not man been united to God, he could not
Erati, —
Yes and the mystic symbol have shared in the incorruption.
;
For it
changes its former appellation it is no longer behoved the mediator of God and men, by
;
called by the name it went by before, but is means of His close kinship to either, to bring
styled body. So must the reality be called them both into friendship and unanimity, and
God, and not body. to set man close to God and to make God
Orth. — You seem to be ignorant to known to men."
me —
for He is body but even bread
called not only Of the same from the third book of the
of life. So the Lord Himself used this same treatise (Chapter XVIII) :
—
name' and that very body we call divine " So
again in his Epistle he says 'Whoso-
body, and giver of life, and of the Master and ever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born
of the Lord, teaching that it is not common of God,' recognising one and the same Jesus
^
to every man but belongs to our Loi*d Jesus Christ to whom the gates of heaven were
Christ Who is God and Man. " For
Jesus opened, on account of His assumption in the
Christ" is "the same yesterday, to-day, and flesh. Who in the same flesh in which He
forever." ^ come revealing the glory
also suffered shall
Eran. — You have said a great deal about of the Father."
this,but I follow the saints who have shone Of the same from the fourth book (Chap-
of old in the Church show me then, if you ;
ter VII) :
—
can, these in their writings dividing the Isaiah saith 'He shall cause them "As
natures after the union. that come of Jacob to take root. Israel shall
Orth. —
I will read you their works, andblossom and bud and fill the face of the world
I am sui'e you will be astonished at the with fruit.' ^ So his fruit being scattered
countless mentions of the distinction which through the whole world, they who erst
in their struggle against impious heretics brought forth good fruit (for of them was
they have inserted in their writings. Hear produced the Christ in the flesh and the apos-
now those whose testimony I have already tles) were abandoned and removed. And
adduced openly and distinctly on now they are no longer fit for bringing forth
speaking
these points. fruit."
Of from the same book (Chapter
— same
Testimony of the holy Ignatius.^ bishop of the
Antioch^ atzd martyr :
— LIX) :
From the Epistle to the Smyrnseans :

* " I "And he judges also them of Ebion.^
acknowledge and believe Him after His How can they be saved unless it was God
resurrection to be existent in the flesh : and who wrought their salvation on earth, or how
when He came were with Peter shall man come to God unless God came to
to hem that
He said to them Take handle me and see, man.'"'
'
;
*
for I am not a bodiless daemon.' And straight- Of the same from the same book (Chapter
way they took hold of him and believed." LXIV) :
—
TrpocTKUveiTai. SHeb. xiii.8. to the Hebrews from that used by Origen and Eusebius.
^Tohnvi. SI. «AdSmjr. III. Ignatius may be quoting a verbal tradition. Bp. Lightfoot
6 The quotation not from the canonical gospels. Eusebius
is further points out that Origen (1. c.) supposes the author of
(iii. 36) says he does not know from what source it comes. Jerome
the Doctrina Petri to use this epithet a.<Ju>^l.aôv not in its philo-
states it to be derived from the gospel lately translated by him, sophical sense (= incorporeal) but as meaning composed of
the gospel according to the Hebrews (Vir. 111. 2) Origen some subtle substance and without a gross body like man.
ascribes the words to the " Doctrina Petri." (de Princ. Praaf. Further Origen (c. Cels. V. J) warns us that to Christians the
8) Bp. Lightfoot, by whom the matter is fully discussed, ( Ap. word daemon has a special connotation, in reference to the
Fath. pt. II. Vol. ii. p. 295) thinks that either Jerome, mort powers that deceive and distract men.
2 Xsaiah xxvii. 6. ^ Vide note on
euo, was forgetful, or had a different recension of the gospel I.John V.I,
X
page 38
202 THEODORET.
"
The}' who preach that Emmanuel was of when the disciples were doubting, called
the Virgin set forth the union of God the Thomas to Hitn, and said, ' Come hither
Word with His creature." handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh
Of the same from the same treatise (Book and blood as ye see me have.'"^
V. Ciuip. I.) — Of the same from his discourse on Elka-
—
:
" Now
these tilings came to pass not in nah and Hannah :
seeming but in essential truth, for if He ap- "Wherefore three seasons of the year
peared to be man though He was not man typified the Saviour Himself that He might
then the Spirit of Gut! did not continue to be fulfil the mysteries predicted about Him.
what in truth It is for the Spirit is invisible In the Passover, that He might shew Him-
; ;
nor was there any truth in llim, for He was self as the sheep doomed to be sacrificed and
not what He appeared to be. And we have shew a true Passover as says the Apostle,
said before that Abraham and the rest of the Christ, God,^ our Passover was sacrificed
'
prophets beheld Him in j^rophecy propliesy- for us.' At Pentecost that He might an-
ing what was destined to come to pass in act- nounce the kingdom of heaven ascending
ual sight. If then now too He appeared to Himself first into heaven and oflering to
be of such a character, though in reality He God man as a gift."
was not what He appeared, then a kind of Of the same from his work on the great
prophetic vision would have been given to Psalm :
^ —
" He who drew from
men, and we must still look for yet another the nethermost hell
advent in which He will really be what He man formed of the earth when lost and
first
is now seen to be in prophecy. Now we held fast in bonds of death He who came ;
have demonstrated that there is no difference down from above and lifted up him that was
between the statements that He only appeared down He who became Evangelist of the
;
in seeming and that He took nothing from dead, ransomer of souls and resurrection of
Mary, for He did not really even possess flesh them that were entombed ;
this was He
and blood whereby He redeemed us, unless who became succourer of vanquished man
He renewed in Himself the old creation of in Himself, like man firstborn Word ;
visit-
Adam. The sect of Valentinus are therefore ing the first formed Adam in the Virgin ;
vain in teaching thus that they may cast out the spiritual seeking the earthy in the womb ;
the life of the flesh." the ever-living him who by disobedience

Testi77io7iy of the holy Hippolytus^ bishop died the heavenly calling the earthly to
;
and martyr^ fro7n his work on the disf/'ib?i- tlie world above, the highborn meaning to
tio7i
of the talents :
^ —make the slave free by His own obedi-
"Any one might say that these and those ence He who turned to adamant man ;
who uphold otherwise are neighbours, erring crumbled into dust and made serpents*
as they do in the same manner, for even they meat He who made man hanging on a tree
;
either confess that the Christ appeared in life ofwood Lord over him who had conquered
as mere man, denying the talent of His God- Him and so by a tree of wood is proved
head, or else acknowledging Him as God, victorious."
on the other hand they deny the man, repre- Of the same from the same book :
—
"
senting that He deluded the sight of them They who do not now recognise the
tliat beheld Him by unreal appearances Son of God in the flesh will one day recog-
;
and that He wore manhood not as a Man nise Him when He comes as judge in glory,
but was rather a mere imaginary semblance, though now in an inglorious body suflermg
as Marcion and Valentinus and the Gnostics wrong."
teach, wrenching away the Word from the Of the same from the same book :
—
flesh, and rejecting the one talent, the incar- "Moreover the apostles when they had
nation." come to the sepulchre on the third day did
Of the same from his letter to a certain not find the body of Jesus, just as the chil-
Qiieen
-
:
— dren of Israel went up on the mountain, and
'^
He calls Him the first fruits of them could not find the tomb of Moses."
'
that sleep,' as being ' the first born from the Of the same from his interpretation of
'
dead,' and He, after Ilis resurrection, wish- Psalm II. :
—
" When He had come into the world He
mg to show that tliat which was risen was
the same as that which had undergone death,
'
Vide John xx. 27 and I.ukc xxiv. 39. The (iiiotntioii con-
fuses the words of the resurrection day and of the week after.
1
The only frat^ment <if this work. Cor. V.7. The addition of o S^n<: has no authority.
- I.
It is doubtful whether the work

2 Several fragments of this letter will be found ' Probably the cxixth Ps.
in Dialogue
III forms part of a Commentary on the Pss. or is quoted from a
» Coloss. i. i8. homily on this special Psalm.
DIALOGUES. 203
was manifested as God and Man. His man- tion. He appeared them in His very body to
hood is easy of perception because He is and confessed that He
had complete flesh and
ahungered and aweary, in toil He is athirst, bones, submitting to their sight His wounded
in fear He
flees/ in prayer He grieves He ;
side and shewing them the prints of the
falls asleep upon a pillow, He prays that the nails."
cup of sutfering may pass from Him, being Of the same from his discourse on " The
in an agony He sweats, He is strengthened Lord formed me in the beginning of His
by an angel, betrayed by Judas, dishonoured ways
" 1
:
—
" Paul did not say conformed to the Son '
byCaiaphas, set at nought by Herod, scourged
by Pilate, mocked by soldiers, nailed to a of God ^but conformed to the image of
'
'
cross by Jews, He commends His spirit to His Son

'
in order to point out a distinction
the Father with a cry, He leans His head as between the Son and His image, for the Son,
He breathes His last, He is pierced in the wearing the divine tokens of His Father's
side with a spear and rolled in fine linen, is Excellence, is an image of His Father for ;
laid in a tomb, and on the third day He is since like are generated of like, ofl'spring
raised by the Father. No less plainly may appear as very images of their parents, but
His divinity be seen when He is worshipped the manhood which He wore is an image of
by angels, gazed on by shepherds, waited the Son, as images even of different
for by Simeon, testified to by Anna, sought colours are painted on wax,^ some being
out by Magi, pointed out by a Star, at the wrought by hand and some by nature and
wedding feast makes water wine, rebukes likeness. Moreover the very law of truth
the sea astir by force of winds, and on the announces this, for the bodiless spirit of
same sea walks, makes a man blind from wisdom is not conformed to bodily men,
birth see, raises Lazarus who had been four but the express image made man by the "*
days dead, works many and various wonders, spirit bearing the same number of mem-
remits sins and gives power to His disciples." bers with all the rest, and clad in similar
Of the same from his work on Psalm form."
XXIV. : — Of the same from the same work :
—
" He comes to the " That he
heavenly gates, angels speaks of the body as conformed
travel with Him and the gates of the heavens to those of men he teaches more clearly in
are shut. For He hath not yet ascended his Epistle to the Philippians, our conversa- '
into heaven. Now first to the heavenly tion he says is in Heaven from whence also'
'
powers flesh appears ascending. The Word we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus
then goes forth to the powers from the Christ, who shall change our vile body that
angels that speed before the Lord and it may ^ be fashioned like unto His glorious
Saviour, Lift the Gates ye princes and be body.'
'
And if by changing the form of
ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King the vile body of men He fashions it like unto
of glory shall come in.' "^ His own body, then the false teaching of our
Testimony of the holy Sustathius, bishop opponents is shewn to be in every way
oj" Antloch and confessor. worthless."
From his work on The Titles of the Of the same from the same work —
—
:
" But as
Psalms :
being born of the Virgin He is
" He that He would sit a said to have been made man of the woman,®
predicted upon
holy throne, shewing that He has been set so He is described as being made under the
forth on the same throne as the divine Spirit law because of His sometimes walking by
on account of the God that dwells in Him the precepts of the law, as for instance
continually." when His parents zealously urged His circum-
Of the same from his work upon the cision, when He was a child eight days old,
Soul :
— as relates the evangelist Luke, afterwards
" Before His
passion in each case He pre- they brought Him to present Him to the
'
'
bodily death, saying that He Lord,' bringing the offerings of purification

His '
dicted
would be betrayed to the father of the High to offer a sacrifice according to that which
'
Priest, and announcing the trophy of the is said in the law of the Lord a pair of
Cross. And after the passion, when He had turtle doves or two young pigeons.' ' As
risen on the third day from the dead, His then the gifts of purification were offered on
disciples being in doubt as to His resurrec- 1 Proverbs
viii. 22. Sept. Romans viii. 29. 2
3 The
original here is corrupt.
The word iêuyen' is not used of the Saviour in the Gospel.
1 *
XapaKT-qp cf. Heb. i. 3. I have used the equivalent given
Joseph was bidden (êOye ei? Slyvmov, When our Lord was in A. V. for the Greek word of the text meaning literally
Drought to the cliff overhanging Nazareth SicAflwi' 6ia nivov stamp or impression, as on coin or seal, and so exact represen-
aUTUiU ilTOpeutTO. tation.
* Ps. xxiv. Sept. 5 Phil. iii. 20, ai.
« Gal. iv. 4.
' Luke ii. 22, 24.
204 THEODORET.
His behalf according to tlie law, and He "Let them be told that if the Word had
underwent circumcision on the eighth day, been a creature, the creature would not have
tlie Apostle very properly writes that He was assumed a body to quicken it. For what
thus brought under the law. Not indeed help can creatures get from a creature stand-
that the Wonl was subject to the law, (as ing itself in need of salvation? But the
our calumnious opponents suppose) being Word, Himself Creator, was made maker of
Himself the law, nor did God, who by one created things, and therefore in the fulness
breath can cleanse and hallow all things, of the ages He attached the creature to
need sacrifices of purification. But He took Himself, that once more as a Creator He
from the Virgin the members of a man and might renew it, and might be able to create
became subject to the law and was purified it afresh."
according to the rite of the firstborn, not be- From the longer Discourse " De Fide " :
—
cause He submitted to this treatment from " This also we add
concerning the words
any need on His part of such observance, but Sit thou on my right hand,' ^ that they are
'
in order that He might redeem from the said of the Lord's body. For if the Lord '
^
slavery of the law them that were sold to the saith, do not I fill heaven and earth,' as says
doom of the curse." Jeremiah, and God contains all things, and
Tcstii)io7iy of the holy Athaizasius, bishop is contained of none, on what kind of throne
of Alexandria. does He sit? It is therefore the body to
From his Second Discourse against here- which He says Sit thou on my right hantl,' '
sies
^
:
— of which too the devil with his wicked
" We should not have been redeemed
powers was foe, and Jews and Gentiles
from sin and the curse had not the flesh too. Through this body too He was made
which tlie Word wore been by nature that and was called High Priest and Apostle
of man, for we should have had nothing through the mystery whereof He gave to
in common with that which was not our us, saying 'This is my Body for you'^
own just so man would not have been and my Blood of the New Testament'
;
'
made God, had not the Word whicli was (not of the Old), shed for you.''' Now God-
made flesh been by nature of the Father head hath neither body nor blood but the ;
and verily and properly His. And the com- manhood whicli He bore of Mary was the
l)ination is of this character that to the natural cause of them, of whom the Apostles said
God may be joined the natural man, and Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God
'
" *
so his salvation and deification be secure. among you.'
Therefore let them that deny Him to be Of the same from his book against the
naturally of the Father, and own Son of His Arians :
—
substance, deny too that He took very flesh And when he says Wherefore God
''• '
of man from the Virgin ISIary." hath also highly exalted Him and given
Of the same from his Epistle to Epicte- Him a name which is above every name'"
tus: — he speaks of the temple of the body, not of
" If on accomit of the Saviour's
Body the Godhead, for the Most High is not
being, and being described in the Scriptures exalted, but the flesh of the Most High is
as being, derived from Mary, and a human exalted, and to the flesh of the Most High
Body, they fancy that a quaternity is substi- He gave a name which is above every name.
tuted for a Trinity, as though some addi- Nor did the Word of God receive tlie desig-
tion were made by the body, they are quite nation of God as a favour, but His flesh was
wrong they put the creature on a par with held divine as well as Himself."
;
the Creator, and suppose that the Godhead Of the same from the same work :
—
is capable of being added to.
They fail to "And when he says 'the Holy Ghost was
see that the Word was not made flesh on not yet because that Jesus was not yet glori-
'
account of any addition to Godhead, but fied,' he says that His flesh was not yet
that the flesh may rise. Not for the aggran- glorified, for the Lord of glory is not
disement of the Word did He come forth glorified, but the flesh itself receives glory
from Mary, but that the human race may be of the glory of the Lord as it mounts with
redeemed. How can they think that the Him into Heaven; whence he says the
body ransomed and quickened by the Word spirit of adoption was not yet among men,
can add anything in the way of Godhead to because the first fruits taken from men had
the Word that quickened it.?" not yet ascended into heaven. Wherever
Of the same from the same Epistle >Ps. ex. I.
:
— BActsii.23.
2
Jerein. xxiii. 24. sphil.ii.g.
3 I. Cor. xi. 24. 'Johnvii. 39.
Oratio Secitnda contra Arianos. Ben. Ed. I. i-
53S. * Matt, xxvi, 23; Mark xiv. 24.
DIALOGUES. 205
then the Scripture snys that the Son received, the conception did He depart from His own
and was glorified, it speaks because of His temple, nor indeed through His ineft'able
manhood, not His Godhead." love for mankind could depart.
Of the same from the same work :
—
" The same Christ is both
passible and im-
" So that He is God both before His as His manhood
very passible touching ;
passible
being made man and after His being made and as touching His Godhead impassible.
mediator of God and men, Jesus Christ '
Behold behold me, it is I, I have undergone
united to the Father in spirit, and to us in no change '
—
and when God the Word had
flesh, who mediated between God and men, raised His own temple and in it had wrought
and who is not only man but also God." out the resurrection and renewal of our nat-
Test/?}iony of the Holy Ajubrosius^ bisJiop ure, He shewed this tiature to His disciples
of Milan. and said Handle me and see for a spirit hath
'
In his Exposition of the Faith :

— not flesh and bones as ye see me,' not be ' '
"We confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, but 'have.'^ So He says, referring to both
the Only Begotten Son of God, was begotten the possessor and the possessed in order that
before all ages, without beginning, of the you may perceive that what had taken place
Father, and that in these last days the same was not mixture, not change, not variation,
was made flesh of the holy Virgin Mary, but union. On this account too He shewed
assumed the manhood, in its perfection, of a the prints of the nails and the wound of the
reasonable soul and body, of one substance spear and ate before His disciples to convmce
with the Father as touching His Godhead them by every means that the resurrection of
and of one substance with us as touching our nature had been renewed in Him ;
and
His manhood. For union of two perfect further because in accordance with the blessed
natures hath been after an ineffable manner. substance of His Godhead unchanged, impas-
Wherefore we acknowledge one Christ, one sible, immortal, He lived in need of nought.
Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; knowing that He by concession permitted all that can be
being coeternal with His own Father as felt to be brought to His own temple, and by
touching His Godhead, by virtue of which His own power raised it up, and by means of
also He is creator of all, He deigned, after His own temple made perfect the renewal of
the assent of the Holy Virgin, when she our nature.
said to the angel Behold the handmaid of
' " Them therefore that assert that the Christ
the Lord, be it unto me according to thy was mere man, that God the Word was pas-
word '^ to build after an ineffable fashion a sible, or changed into flesh, or that the body
temple out of her for Himself, and to unite which He had was consubstantial, or that
this temple to Himself by her conception, He brought it from Heaven, or that it was
not taking and uniting with Himself a body co- an unreality or assert that God the Word ;
eternal with His own substance, and brought being mortal needed to receive His resurrec-
from heaven, but of the matter of our sub- tion from the Father, or that the body which
stance, that is of the Virgin. God the Word He assumed was without a soul, or manhood
was not turned into flesh His appearance without a mind, or that the two natures of
;
was not unreal keeping ever His own the Christ became one nature by confusion
;
substance immutably and invariably He and commixtui'e them that deny that our ;
took the first fruits of our nature, and united Lord Jesus Christ was two natures uncon-
them to Himself. God the Word did not founded, but one person, as He is one Christ
take His beginning from the Virgin, but and one Son, all these the catholic and apos-
being coeternal with His own Father He of tolic Church condemns."
infinite kindness deigned to unite to Himself Of the same - :
—
the first fruits of our nature, undergoing no ''
If then the flesh of all was in Christ or
mixture but in either substance appearing hath been in Christ subject to wrongs, how
one and the same, as it is written Destroy can it be held to be of one essence with the
'
this temple and in three days I will raise it Godhead? For if the Word and the flesh
up.'" For the divine Christ, as touching my which derives its nature from earth are of
substance which he took is destroyed, and one essence, then the Word and the soul
the same Christ raises the destroyed temple which He took in its perfection are of one
as touching the divine substance in which essence, for the Word is of one nature with
also He is Creator of all things. Never at God both according to the Word of the
any time after the Union which He deigned Father, and the confession of the Son Him-^
to make with Himself from the moment of self in the words, I and my Father are one.' '
1 Luke xxiv. 39. *Johnx. 30.

> Luke i."
38. 'John ii. 19.
2 De incarnat. sacram. Chap. 6.
206 THEODORET.
Thus the Father must be held to be of the to be of one substance, for they did at least
same substance with the body. Why any endeavour to maintain the Godhead of the
longer are ye wroth with the Arians, who Lord and His ffcsh to be of one nature."
say that the Son is a creature of God, while Of the same (from the same chapter) :
—
" He has
you assert yourselves that the Father is of one frequently told me that he main-
substance witii His creatures?" tains the exposition of the Nicene Council,
Of the same from his letter to the Emperor but in that examination our Fathers laid
Gratianus :
'
— down that the Word of God, not the flesh, was
" Let us
preserve a distinction between of one substance with the Father, and they
Godhead and flesh. One Son of God speaks confessed that the Word came from the sub-
in l)otIi, Ilim both natures exist.
since in stance of the Father but that the flesh is of
The same Christ speaks, yet not always in the Virgin. then do they hold out to
Why
the same but sometimes in a different manus the name of the Nicene Council, while in
ner. Observe how at one time He expresses reality they are introducing innovations of
divine glory and at another human feeling. which our forefathers never entertained the
"
As God He utters the things of God, since He thought.^
is tlie Word ; as man He same against Apollinarius
speaks with humil- Of the :
* —
" Refuse thou to allow that the
ity because He converses in my essence." body is by
On the same from the same book - nature on a par with the Godhead.
:
— Even
" As to the
passage where we read that the though thou believe the body of the Christ to
Lord of glory was crucified,'^ let us not sup- be real and bring it to the altar for trans-
pose that He was crucified in His own glory. formation,- and fail to distinguish the nature
But since He is both God and man, as touch- of the body and of the Godhead we shall say
ing His Godliead God, and as touching the to thee, If thou offer rightly and fail to '
assumption of the flesh, a man, Jesus Christ, distinguish rightly, thou sinnest hold thy ;
the Lord of Glory, is said to have been cruci- peace."* Distinguish what belongs nat-
fied. For He partakes of either nature —
that urally to us, and what is peculiar to the
is the human and the divine. In the nature Word. For I had not what was naturally
of manhood He imderwent the passion in His, and He had not what was naturally
order that He who suffered mi^jht be said to mine, but He took what was naturally mine
be without distinction both Lord of Glory in order to make us partakers of what was
and Son of Man. As it is written He that His. And He received this not for con-
'
came down from Heaven.' " ''
fusion but for completion."

Similarly of the same
*
—
Of the same, a little further on *
: :
—
" Let then vain words " Let them who
questions about be saj' that the nature of the
silent, as it is written, the kingdom of God is Word has been changed into natui'e of the body
'
not in enticing words but in
'
demonstra- say so no more, lest by the same interpreta-
'
tion of the spirit.' " For there is one Son of tion the nature of the Word seem to have
God who speaks in both ways, since both been clianged into the corruption of sin. For
natures exist in Him; but although He Him- there is a distinction between what took, and
self speaks He does not speak alwavs in the what was taken. Power came over the
same way; for you see in Him at one time Virgin, as in the words of the angel to her,
God's glory, at another time man's feeling. The power of the highest shall overshadow
'
As God He utters divine things, beinsf the thee.' * But what was born was of the body
Word as man He utters human things, of the Virgin, and on this account the de-
;
since in this nature He spoke."

Of the same from his work on the Incar- J
De
incarn. sacram. Chap. 4.
"
nation of the Lord against the Apollinari- 2
Offeras transfigurmidiim allaribu!:.'" Tlie Benedictine
Kditors, by a curious anachronism, see here a reference to
ans : transuhstantiation. But mran-onjo-i?, tlie word transhited
" Rut while we are " transfonnatinn "
implies no more than the beini^ made to
confuting these, another underjjo a change, which may be a chanfje in dijfnity without
set spring up who assert the body of the invedvini^ a clians:ê of substance, cf. jip. JO:) and 201, where
Ortliodoxus distinctly asserts that the substance remains un-
Christ and His godhead to l)e of one nature. chanj^êd. Transubstantiation, definitely declared an article of
What hell hath vomited forth so terrible a faith in 1215, seems to have been first taught early in the yth c.
Vide I5p. Harold Browne on Art. xxviii.
blasphemy ? Really Arians are more tolera- 3 Gen. iv.
7. Sept.
* Id.
Chap. 6.
<'
I>uke 1 35. The Latin of the Benedictine edition of Am-
ble, whose infidelity, on account of these men, —
.
brose is :
is
strengthened, so that with greater opposi- DesinanI ergo dicere nattiram Veihi in Corporis natttram
esse viutatam ; fie pari nnliirn Verhi
interprctatinne videatiir
tion they deny Father, Son and Holy Ghost in cnntaiîiiin miitala peccnti. Aliiidesl enim quod assii»i/>sit ,
rt aliiid quod assiimptum est. Virtus Tenit in Viroriiiem, siriit

De Fide et Auffelus ad earn dixit " quia Virtus Attissiini ohumhrabit
1 ' Id.
s
ii. Chap. 9. Chap. 9.
Chap. 7.
«
"
I.Cor. ii.4. te." Sed natnm est corpus e\ Viriîiie ; et idea coc/estis qui
' I.Cor. ii.8. De Incarn. Sac. dein desrensio, sed liumana conreptio est. Nan ergo eadeiii
*
John iii. 13. carnis potuit esse divinitatisque uatiira.
DIALOGUES. 207
scent was divine but the conception human. of time, but He is not two beings. God
Therefore the nature of the flesh and of the forbid."
godhead could not be the same." Of the same from the same Exposition to
'
The testimony of St. Basil, Bishop of Cledonius :

—
" If
Ccesarea. any one says that the flesh has now
From his homily on Thanksgiving —
been laid aside, and that the Godhead is bare
:
'•
Wherefore when He wept over His of body, and that it is not and will not come
friend He shewed His participation in human with that which was assumed, let him be de-
nature and set us free from two extremes, prived of the vision of the glory of the ad-
sufleri ng us neither to grow over soft in suf- vent For where is the body now, save !
fering nor to be insensible to pain. As then with Him that assumed \t? For it assuredly
the Lord suffered hunger after solid food had has not been, as the Manichees fable, swal-
been digested, and thirst when the moisture lowed up by the Son, that it may be honoured
in His body was exhausted and was aweary through dishonour it has not been poured
; ;
when His nerves and sinews were strained l:)y out and dissolved in the air like a voice and
His journeying, it was not that His divinity stream of pei'fu me or flash of unsubstantial
was weighed down with toil, but that His lightning. And where is the capacity of
body showed the wonted symptoms of its being handled after the resurrection, vshercin
nature. Thus too when He allowed Himself one day it shall be seen by them that
to weep He permitted the flesh to take its pierced Him.^ For Godhead of itself is in-
natural course." visible,"
From the same against Eunomius — Of the same from the second discourse
—
:
" I
say that being in the form of God has about the Son :
the same force as being in God's substance, " As the Word He was
neither obedient
for as to have taken the form of a servant nor disobedient, for these qualities belong to
shews our Lord to have been of the substance them that are in subjection and to inferiors ;
of the manhood, so the statement that He the former of the more tractable and the
was in the form of God attributes to Him the latter of them that deserve condemnation.
peculiar qualities of the divine substance."
^
But in the form of a servant He accommo-
The testimony of the holy Gregorius, dates Himself to his fellowservants and puts
bishop of Nazianzus. on a form that was not His own, bearing in
From his discourse De nova dominica ^ Himself all of me with all that is mine, that :
—
" Believe that He will come
again at His in Himself He may waste and destroy the
glorious advent judging quick and dead,* no baser parts as wax is wasted by fire or the
longer flesh but not without a body." mist of the earth by the sun."
" In order that He Of the same from his discourse on the
may be seen by them
that pierced Him and remain God without
"^
Theophany :
—
" Since He came
forth from the Virgin
grossness.
Of the same from his Epistle to Cledo- with the assumption of two things mutually
nius :
— opposed to one another, flesh and spirit,
" God and man are two
natures, as soul whereof the one was taken into God and the
and body are two but there are not two other exhibited the grace of the Godhead."
sons, nor yet are there here two men al-
;
Of the same a little further on :

—
" He was sent, but as Man. For Hi.s
though Paul thus speaks of the outward man
and the inward man.® In a word the nature was twofold, for without doubt He
sources of the Saviour's being are of two thenceforth was aweary and hungered and
kinds, since the visible is distinct from the thirsted and suffered agony and shed tears
invisible and the timeless from that which is after the custom of a human bod}'."
Of the same from his second discourse
1 In the Greek text the last sentence is
unintelligible and
about the Son :
—
apparently corrupt. The translation follows the Latin text " He would be called God not of the
from which the version in the citation of Thc-odoret varies in
important particulars. The Greek text of the quotation runs — Word, but of the visible creation, for how
:
could He be God of Him that is absolutely

\\(iV(ja.fxQoi(Ta,v tqLvov ot Aeyoi/re? 015 toO -Voyou
ii) ti? (/)i'o"i.9
srapKu? ,a6Ta|8e(3ArjTat ^v<J\.v iva. So^r) ixeTaPArjOelcra Kara, ri^v

ix'i]
auTrjV ipiJ-rjueiav yeyevrjadai Kai Toii \6yov f/)vo"t? Tot^ toO

rj God.^ Just so He is called Father, not of
iru)/xdT09 Traflij^tatrt cruji(f)9opo?. 'Erepoi' ydp ecTi to trpocrKafi'ov
(cai irepov iari to Trpocr\riif>6ev. Avva/ui? ri\6tv iirt napOevoi', the visible creation,
t'tji'
but of the Word. For
u>? 6 a-yyeAos Trpo? avTrju Aeyet oTt AvpafXi^ v\pL<rrov eTTto'/ctao'et aoi
aAA' CK Tou orcufxaro? tJi' ttj? HapêVou to r€;(0tV' Kal Sta toOto
I
He was of two-fold nature. Wherefore the
&eia KaTafiacrig rj Se (nJAAjji|(i? avOpuinivny
/X6V rj oiiK ain'r] ovv one belongs absolutely to both, but the
t]SvvaTO Tov Te <Tu)/xaT09 Tri/cD/na ical ttjs i^cottjtos
2
Cf. Phil. ii. 6.
(|)ucri9.
other not absolutely.^ For He is
absolutely
3 The
passag-e quoted is not in the 43rd discourse de nova
dominica but in the 40th on Holy Baptism.
^ Acts
i. II. Zechariah xii, 10.
'^ « II. Cor. iv. 16. 1 Here the text is corrupt.
208 THEODORET.
" The Son of
our God, but not absolutely our Father. Mary converses with broth-
And it is this conjunction of names which ers, but the only begotten has no brothers,
gives rise to the error of heretics. proof A for how could the name of only begotten be
of this lies in the fact that when natures are preserved among brothers? And the same
distinguished in thought, there is a distinc- Christ that said 'God is a spirit'^ says to
tion in names. Listen to the words of Paul. His disciples Handle me,'- to shew that the
'
'
The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, The human nature only can be handled and that
Father of Glory,'
^ —
of Christ He is God, the divine is intangible and He that said I :
'
'^
of glory Father, and if both are one this is go indicates removal fi'om place to place,
so not by nature but by conjunction. What while He that comprehends all things and
'
can be plainer than this? Fifthly let it be by Whom,' as says the Apostle, all things
'
said that He receives life, authority, inheri- were and by Whom all things
created
tance of nations, power over all flesh, glory, consist,' had among all existing things
''
disciples or what you will all these belong

; nothing without and beyond Himself which
to the manhood." can stand to Him in tiie relation of motion
Of the same from the same work — or removal."
—
:
" For there is one God and one Mediator

'
"
between God and men the man Christ Being by the right hand of God ex-
*
Jesus.' As man He still pleads

-
my for alted.' Who then was exalted? The
^
salvation, because He keeps with Him the lowly or the most high ? And what is the
body which He took, till he made me God lowly if it be not the human? And what is
by the power of the incarnation though
— the most high save the divine? But God
He be no longer known according to the being most high needs no exaltation, and so
flesh that is by aflections of the flesh and the Apostle says that the human is exalted,
He be without sin." exalted that is in being made both Lord and '
though
Of the same from the same work: — Christ."* Therefore the Apostle does not
" Is not plain to all that as God He
it mean by this term He made the everlasting ' '
knows, and is ignorant. He says, as man.? If, existence of the Lord, but the change of the
that is, anyone distinguish the apparent from lowly to the exalted which took place on the
that which is an object of intellectual per- right hand of God. By this word he de-
For what gives rise to this opinion clares the mystery of piety, for when he says
ception.
by the right hand of God exalted he
'
is the fact that the appellation of the Son is

'
absolute without relation, it not being added plainly reveals the ineflable occonomy of the
of whom He is the Son so to give the most
; mystery that the right hand of God which
pious sense to this ignorance we hold it created all things, which is the Lord by
to belong to the human, and not to the whom all things were made and without
divine." whom nothing consists of things that were
Testimony of the Holy Gregorius^ bishop made,' through the union lifted up to Its own
exaltation the manhood united to It."
of Nyssa.
From his catechetical discourse —
Testimony of St. Amphilochitis^ bishop of
:
" And who this that the of the Ico7iiuin.

says infinity
Godhead is comprehended by the limitation From his discourse on " Father is My
of the flesh, as by some vessel?
"
greater than I
" **
—
—
:
Of the same from the same work "Henceforth distinguish the natures;
:
" But if man's soul

by necessity of its nature that of God and that of man. For He was
commingled with the body, is everywhere not made man by falling away from God,
in authority, what need is there of asserting nor God by increase and advance from
that the Godhead is limited by the nature of man."
the flesh ?
" Of the same from his discourse on " the
Of the same from the same work Son :
—
can do nothing of Himself" ® :
—
" What hinders us then, while recognis- " For after the resurrection the Lord shews
ing a certain unity and approximation of a
both —
both that the body is not of this
divine nature in relation to the human, from nature, and that the body rises, for remem-
retaining the divine intelligence
even in this ber the history. After the passion and the
approximation, believing that the divine resurrection the disciples were gathered
even when it exists in men is beyond all together, and when the doors were shut the
" Lord stood in the midst of them. Never at
limitation ?
Of the same from his work against
Eunomius :
— 'John
2 Luke
iv. 24.
xxiv. 39.
*
'
Coloss.
Acts ii.
i.
33.
16, 17. '
"
Cf.John
John xiv.
i.2.
2S.
Ephes. i
17.
» I. Tim. ii.
5.
3
Joliu xiv. 2S.
" Acts ii. 3(). '>
John V. ig.
DIALOGUES. ?Q9
any time before the passion did He do account of their one substance and the same
this.
Could not then the Christ have done Godhead but the soul and the Son are each
this ;
even long before.'' For all things are pos- of a different substance and different nature.
sible to God.^ But before the passion He For the soul of the Son and the Son Him-
if
did not do so lest you should suppose the self are one in the same sense in which the
incarnation an unreality or appearance, and Father and the Son are one, then the Father
think of the flesh of the Christ as spiritual, and the Soul will be one and the soul of the
or that it came down from heaven and is of Son shall one day say He that hath seen '
another substance than our flesh. Some Me hath seen the Father; but this is not
' '
have invented all these theories with the so God forbid. For the Son and the Father
;
idea that thereby they reverence the Lord, are one because there is no distinction be-
forgetful that through their thanksgiving tween their qualities, but the soul and the
they blaspheme themselves, and accuse the Son are distinguished alike in nature and sub-
truth of a lie for I say nothing of the lie
: stance, in that the soul which is naturally of
being altogether absurd. For if He took one substance with us was made by Him.
another body how does that affect mine, For if the soul and the Son are one in the
which stands in need of salvation.'' If He same manner in which the Father and the
brought down flesh from heaven, how does Son are one, as Origen would have it, then
this affect my ffesh which was derived from the soul equally with the Son will be the '
"
earth ? brightness of God's glory and express im-
— age of His person.'
^
But this is impossible ;
" Wherefore not before the

passion, but after impossible that the Son and the soul should
the passion, the Lord stood in the midst of the be one as He and the Father are one. And
disciples when the doors were shut, that what will Origen do when again he attacks
thou mayest know that thy natural body after For he writes, never could the
himself.''
^
being sown is raised a spiritual body,'" and
'
'
soul distressed and exceeding sorrowful
'
that thou mayest not suppose the body that is be the 'firstborn of every creature.''' For
raised to be a different body. When
Thomas God the Word, as being stronger than the
after the resurrection doubted. He shews him soul, the Son Himself, says ' I have power
the prints of the nails. He shews him the to lay it down and I have power to take it
marks of the spears. But had He not power agam. If then the Son is stronger than His
to heal Himself after the resurrection too, own soul, as is agiêed, how can His soul be
when even before the resurrection He had equal to God and in the form of God.'' For
healed all men.'' But by shewing the prints we say that ' He emptied Himself and took
of the nails He shews that it is this very upon Him the form of a servant.' ® In the
body by coming in when the doors were extravagance of his impieties Origen sur-
;
shut He shews that it has not the same quali- passes all other heretics, as we have shewn,
ties;
the same body to fulfil the work of the for if the Word exists in the form of God
incarnation by raising that which had become and is equal to God and if he supposes thus
a corpse, but a changed body that it fall not daring to write the soul of the Saviour to be
again under corruption nor be subject again in the form of God and equal with God, how
to death." can the equal be greater, when the inferior
Testimony of the blessed Theophilus^ in nature testifies to the superiority of what
"
bishop of Alexandria. is beyond it.''
From his work against Origen :

— Testimony of the Holy John Chrysostom^
"Our likeness which He assumed is not bishop of Constantinople.
changed into the nature of Godhead nor is From the Discourse held in the Great
His Godhead turned into our likeness. For Church :
—
He remains what He was from the begin- "Thy Lord exalted man to heaven,
ning God, and He so remains preserving our and thou wilt not even give him a share of '
subsistence in Himself." the agora. But why do I say to heaven } '
Of the same from the same treatise —

He seated man on a kingly throne. Thou
:
" But
you persist continually in your blas- expellest him from the city."
phemies attacking the Son of God, and using Of the same, on the beginning of Ps.
these words as the Son and the Father are xlii.
'
:
—
one, so also are the soul which the Son took "
Up to this day Paul does not cease to say
and the Son Himself one.' You are ignorant We are ambassadors for Christ as though
'
that the Son and the Father are one on God did beseech you by us we pray you in ;
1 xiv. q. 3 Matt. xxvi. 38. 6

John John X. 18-
> Matt, xix 36. Mark x. 27. 2 I. Cor. XV. 2 Hebrews i. 3.
* Coloss. i. ij. «Phil. ii.7.
VOL. III. P
210 THEODORET.
Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.'
^
his painless life, whence he came forth like a
Nor did He stand here, but taking the first man naked from a wreck, but God
all
fruits of thy nature He sat down above all '
received him and straightway clothed him,
principality and power and might, and every and, taking him by the hand, led him
name tliat is named not only in this world onward step by step and brought him up to
but in the world to come.' ^ What could be heaven."
equal to this honour? The first fruits of Of the same from the same work ;
—
our race which has so much olfcndcd and is "But God made the gain greater than the
so dishonoured sits so high and enjoys and exalted our nature to the royal
loss,
honour so vast." So Paul exclaims And have
throne. '
Of the same about the division of up together and made us sit to-
raised us
tongues :
— gether in heavenly places' at His right
^
"For bethink thee what it is to see our hand."

nature riding on the Cherubim and all the Of the same from his Hlrd oiation against
power of heaven mustered round about it. the" Jews :
—
Consider too Paul's wisdom and how many He opened the heavens; of foes he made
terms he searches for that he may set forth friends He introduced them into heaven ; ;
the love of Christ to men, for he does not He seated our nature on the right hand of the
say simply the grace, nor yet simply the throne He gave us countless other good ;
riches, but the exceeding great riches of His things."

'
grace in His kindness.'"^ Of the same from his discourse on the As-
Of the same from his Dogmatic Oration, cension :
—
" To this distance and
on the theme that the word spoken and height did He ex-
deeds done in humility by Christ were not so alt our nature. Look where low it lay,
spoken and done on account of infirmity, and where it mounted up. Lower it was
but on account of diflei*enccs of dispen- impossible to descend than where man de-
sation :
— scended ; higher it was impossible to rise than
" And after His resurrection, when He where He exalted him."
saw His disciple disbelieving. He did not Of the same from his interpretation of the
shrink from shewing him both wound and Epistle to the Ephesians :
—
"
print of nails, and letting him lay his hand According to His good pleasure, which
upon the scars, and said Examine and see,
'
He had proposed in himself, that is which
for a spirit hath not flesh and bones.'* The He earnestly desired, He was as it were in
reason of His not assuming the manhood of labour to tell us the mystery. And what is
full age from the beginning, and of His this mystery.? That wishes to seat He man
deisfiiin": to be conceived, to be born, to be on high ; as in truth came to pass."
suckled, and to live so long upon the earth, Of the same from the same
was that by the long period of the time and tation :
— interpre-
all the other circumstances. He might give a

" God of our Lord
Jesus Christ speaks of
warranty for this very thing." thisand not of God the Word."
Of the same against those who assert that Of the same from the same interpreta-
demons rule human affairs :
— tion :
—
" " ' And when we were dead in sins He
Nothing was more worthless than man
and than man nothing has become more quickened us together in Christ * '
again ;
precious. He was the last part of the Christ stands in the midst, and the work is
reasonable creation, but the feet have been wonderful. If the first fruits live we live
made the head, and through the firstfruits also. He quickened both Him and us.
have been borne up to the kingly throne. Seest thou that all these things are spoken
Just as some man noble and bountiful, on according to the flesh?"
seeing a wretch escaped from shipwreck Of the same from the gospel according to
who has saved nothing but his bare body St. John :
—
from the waves, welcomes him with open "Why docs he add 'and dwelt among
hands, clothes him in a radiant robe, and us'.?^ It is as though he said: Imagine
exalts him to the so too nothing absurd from the phrase was made.'
highest honour,
'
hath God done towardsour nature. Man For I have not mentioned any change in that
had lost all that he had, his freedom, his unchangeable nature, but of tabernacling*
intercourse with God, his abode in Paradise, and of inhabiting. Now that which taber-
nacles is not identical with the tabernacle,
' II. Cor. V. 20. Êphes.i. 21.
•'
Kphcs. ii. 7. ' 8
* Cf. Iwuke xxiv. 39. and John xx. 27. and cf. note on page Eplies. ii. 6. John i. 14, co-Kijcwd'ci',
2
335- Ephes, ii. 5.
DIALOGUES. 211
but one thing tabernacles in another other- image of His holiness, and in various ways
;
wise there would be no tabernacling. Noth- shows our nature the way of salvation.
ing inhabits itself. I spoke of a distinction Many and clear proofs does He give us both
of substance. For by the union and the of His bodily advent and of His Godhead
conjunction God the Word and the flesh are working by a body's means. For He wished
one without confusion or destruction of the to give us assurance of both His natures."
substances, but by ineffable and indescrib- Of the same on the Theophany :
—
able union."
" Who can the noble acts of the '
express
Of the same from the gospel according to Lord, or shew forth all His praise .^'^ who
St. Matthew — : could express in words the greatness of His
" Human nature is
Just as one standing in the space between goodness toward us.''
two that are separated from one another, joined to Godhead, while both natures re-
stretches out both his hands and joins them, main independent."
so too did He, joining the old and the new, Testimony of Cyril., bishop offerzcsalefji.
the divine nature and the human, His own From his fourth catechetical oration con-
with ourSo" cerning the ten dogmas.
Of the same from the Ascension of Christ :
— Of thebirth from a virgin :
—
" For so when two " Believe thou that this
champions stand ready only begotten Son
for the fight, some other intervening between of God, on account of our sins, came down
them, at once stops the struggle, and puts an from heaven to earth, having taken on Him
end to their ill will, so too did Christ. As this manhood of like passions with us, and
God He was wroth, but we made light of His being born of holy Virgin and of Holy Ghost.
wrath, and turned away our faces from our This incarnation was effected, not in seeming
loving Lord. Then Christ flung Himself in and unreality, but in reality. He did not
the midst, and restored both natures to only pass through the Virgin, as through a
mutual love, and Himself took on Him the channel, but was verily made flesh of her.
weight of the punishment laid by the Father Like us He really ate, and of the Virgin was
on us." really suckled. For if the incarnation was an
Of the same from the same work —
unreality, then our salvation is a delusion.
" Lo He of our The Christ was twofold
brought the first fruits
:
the visible man, —

nature to the Father and the Father Llimself the invisible God. ate as man, verily He
approved the gift, alike on account of the like ourselves, for the flesh that He wore
high dignity of Him
that bought it and of was of like passions with us He fed the five ;
the faultlessness of the offering.He received thousand with five loaves- as God. As man
it in His own hands. He made a chair He really died. As God He raised the dead
of His own throne nay more He seated on the fourth day.^ As man He slept in the
;
on His own right hand, let us then boat. As God He walked upon the waters."
*
it
recognise who it was to who m it was said Testimony of Antiochus^ bishop of Ptole-
'
Sit thou on my right hand
'^
and what was mais — :
^
that nature to which God said Dust thou " Do not confound the natures and
you will
'
" ^
art and to dust thou shalt return.' have a lively apprehension of the incarnation."
Of the same a little further on :
— Testimony of the holy Hilarius., bishop
" What
arguments to use, what words to and confessor^ in his ninth book, " de Fide" :
utter 1 cannot the nature which

tell ;
was
iPs. cvi. 2.
rotten, worthless, declared lowest of all, 2 Matt. xiv.
IS, etc., Mark vi. 35, etc., Luke ix. 9, etc., John
vanquished everything and overcame the
vi. S,etc.
sjohn xi. 43. *Matt. vii. 24; John vi. 19.
world. To-day it hath been thought worthy This and another fragment in the Catena on St. John xix.
of Antiochus of Ptolemais,
to be made higher than all, to-day it hath 443, is all that survives oftheworks
an eloquent opponent of Chrysostom at Constantinople, and
"
received what from old time angels have like him, said to have a mouth of gold."
Hilary of Poictiers, f A.D. 36S. The treatise quoted
is
desired; to-day it is possible for archangels known as " de Trinitate," and " contra Ariaiios," as well as
to be made spectators of what has been for "de Fide." The Greek of Theodoret differs considerably
from the Latin. Of the first extract the original is nescit
tit verum Deum
ages longed for, and they contemplate our plane viiam sicam nescit qui Christum Jesnm
itaetvertim hominem ignorat. El ejusdem fericuli res est,
nature, shining on the throne of the King Christtan yesum vet Spiritum Deum, vel carnem nostri cor-
7ne coram homi-
in the glory of His immortality." poris denegare. Omnis ergo qui C07ijitebit!(r
nibus, confitebor et ego eum coram patre meo qui est in
coelis.
Testitnony of St. Flaviaiius., bishop of ûi auteni negaverit me coram hominihus, negabo et ego eum
Antioch. coram patre meo, qui est in coelis. Haec Verbnm caro factum
From the Gospel according to St. Luke :

— loquebatur, et homo Jesus Christus
dominus majestatis doce-
bat; Mediator ipse in se ad salutem Ecclesiae
constitulus et
" In illo ipso inter Deum et homines mediatoris Sacramento utrum-
allof us the Lord writes the express unus existeus, dum ipse ex unitis ifi idipsum naturts
que
naturae utriusque res eadem est ; itatamen, ut neutro careret in
utroque, ne forte Deus esse homo nascendo desineret, et homo
'
Psalm ex. I. * Gen. iii. 19. rursus Deus manendo non esset. Haec itaque humanae beati-
P 2
212 THEODORET.
"lie who knoweth not Jesus the Christ order of things, through all the words of the
as very God and as very man, knoweth not gospels, that He might teach belief in Him-
in reality liis own life, for we incur the same self, as Son of God, and keep us in mind to
peril if we deny Christ Jesus or God the preach Him as Son of Man. As being man
spirit, or tlie
flesli of our own body. Wlio- He always spoke and acted as is proper to
'
soever therefore shall confess me before men man, but in such a manner as never to speak
him will I confess also before my Fatlicr in this same mode of speech as touching both
which is in Heaven, but whosoever shall save with the intention of signifying both
deny me before men him will I also deny God and Man. But hence the heretics
before my Father which is in Heaven.'^ derive a pretext for catching in their traps
These things spoke the Word made flesh; simple and ignorant men what was spoken :
these things the man Christ Jesus, Lord of by our Lord in accordance with His man-
Glorv, taught, being made Mediator for the hood they falsely assert to have been uttered
salvation of the Churcli in the very mystery in the weakness of His divine nature, and
whereby He mediated between God and men. since one and the same person spake all the
Both being: made one out of the natures united words He used they urged that all He uttered
for this very purpose, He was one and the He uttered about Himself. even weNow
same through either nature, but so that in do not deny that all His extant words are
both He fell short in neither, lest haply by of His own nature. But granted that the
being born as man He should cease to be one Christ is man and God granted that
;
God, or by remaining God should not be when man He was not then first God ;
man. Therefore this is the blessedness of the granted that when man He wâs then also
true faith among men to preach both God God, granted that after the assumption of
and man, to confess both word and flesh, to the manhood In the Lord, the Word was
recognise that God was also man, and not man and the Word was God, it follows of
to be ignorant that the flesh is also Word." necessity that there is one and the same
Of the same from the same book ^ :
— mystery of His woi'ds as there is of His gen-
" So the
only begotten God being born eration. Whenever in Him, as occasion may
man of a Virgin and in the fulness of the require, you distinguish the manhood from
time, being Himself ordained to work out the Godhead, then also endeavour to separate
the advance of man to God, observed this the words of God from the words of man.
And whenever you confess God and man,
tudinis fides vera est, Deum et hominem praedicare, Verhum
etcaniem rotifiteri: neque Deum nescire quod homo sit, neqiie then discern the words of God and man.
carnem fffnortire quod Verbum sit.
1
Matt. X. 32, 33.
And when the words are spoken of God and
Natus igilur iiniffettitus Deus ex Virgine homo, et secun- man, and again of man wholly and wholly of
''^
dum plcnitudinem temporum in semetipso provecturus in consider carefully the occasion. If any-
Deum hominem hunc per omniii evangelici êrmonis modum God,
tenuit, ut se Ulium Dei credi doceret, et hominis filium prae-
thing was spoken to signify what was appro-
dicari admoneret; loculus et gerens homo universa quae Dei
sunt, loqucns deinde et gerens Deus universa quae hominis priate to a particular occasion, apply the
sunt; ita tamen, ut ipso illo utriusque generis sermone num-
quam nisi cum significatione et hominis loculus et Dei sit;
woi'ds to the occasion. A
distinction must
uno tamen Deo palre semper ostenso, et se in natura unius Dei be observed lêtween God before the man-
per nativitatis veritatem professo; nee tamen se Deo patri non man and God, man wholly and God
etfilii honore et hominis conditione suhdente cum et nativilas
:
hood,
omnis se referat ad auctorem, it caro se unix>ersa secundum
Deum profiteatur infirmam. llinc itaque fallendi simpliccs wdiolly after the union of the manhood and
Godhead. Take heed therefore not to con-
alque ignorantes haereticis occasio est, ut quae ab eo secun-
dum hominem dicta sunt, dicta esse secundum naturae divinae fuse the m3'stery of the incarnation in the
infirmitatem mentianlur ; et quia unus alque idem est Isquens
omnia quae loquitur de se ipso omnia cum locutum esse con- words and acts. For it must needs be that
lendant.
Ncc sane negamus, totum ilium qui ejus manet, naturae according to the quality of the kinds of
suae esse sermonem. Sed si yesus Christus et homo et Deus natures a distinction lies in the manner of
est ; et neque cum homo, turn primum Deus neque cum homo,
ium non etiam et Deus; neque post hominem in Deo non lotus speech, before the manhood was born, in ac-
;
homo totus Deus ; unum alque idem necesse est dictorum ejus cordance with the
sacramentum esse, quod generis. Et cum in eo secundum mystery when it was still
tempus discernis hominem a Deo, Dei tamen alque hominis approaching death, and again when it was
discerne sermonem. Et cum Deum alque hominem in tempore
confiteberis,Dei atûe liominis in tempore dicta dijudica. everlasting.
'
For if in His birth and in His
Cum vera ex homtne et Deo rursus tolius hominis, lotius
passion and in His death He acted in ac-
etiam Dei tempus intelligis, si quid illud ad demonstra-
tionem ejus temporis dictum est, tempori coaplato quae dicta cordance with our nature He nevertheless
sunt: ut cum aliud sit ante hominem Deus, aliud sit homo et ellected all this by the power of His own
Deus, aliud sit post hominem et Deum totus homo totus Deus ; "
non confiindas temporibus; et generibus dispcnsationis sacra- nature.'
mentum, cum pro qualitate generuiH ac nalurarum, alium ci in
Sacramento liominis necesse est sermonem j'uisse non nolo, Of the same in the same book :
" Do
—
alium adhuc morituro, alium jam aeterno. Nosiri ii.'itur
causa haec omnia Vesus Christus manens et corporis nostri you then see that thus God and man
ho»io natus secundum consuetudinem natunc nostrte loculus are confessed, so that death is
predicated of
est, non tamen omittens nalurce suae esse quod Deus est. Nam man, and the resurrection of the flesh, of
tametsi in partu ac passione ac morte naluru- nostra rem
feregit, res tamen ipsus omnes virlule natura sua; gessi't. God for consider the nature of God and the
;
DIALOGUES. 213
power of the resurrection, and recognise in selfbeyond examination, making full but not
the deaththe CEConomy as touching man. made full, everywhere at one and the same
And since both death and resurrection have time being Himself whole and pervading the
been brought about in their own natures, universe, through His pouring out His own
bear in mind, I beg you, the one Christ power, as being moved with mercy, was
Jesus, who was of both. I have shortly mingled with the nature of man, though the
demonstrated these points to you to the end nature of man was not mingled with the
that we may remember both natures to have divine."
been in our Lord Jesus Christ ' for being in Testimony of Scveriaims^ bishop of Ga-
the form of God He took the form of a bala}
servant.'
" ^
From " the Nativity of Christ
"
:
—
" O mystery truly
Testimony of the very holy bishop Augus- heavenly and yet on earth
tinus.
—
mystery seen and not apparent for so was
From his letter to Volusianus. Epistle III the Christ after His birth heavenly and yet
:
;
" But now He holding and not held seen and

appeared as Mediator be- on earth ; ;
tween God and man, so as in the unity of invisible of Heaven as touching the nature ;
His person to conjoin both natures, by com- of the Godhead, on earth as touching the
bining the wonted with the unwonted, and nature of the
manhood seen in the flesh, in- ;
the unwonted with the wonted." visible in the spirit held as to the body not ;
Of the same from his exposition of the to be holden as to the Word."

Gospel according to John :
- —
Testimo)iy of Atticics^ bishop of Cotistati-
" What then, O heretic? Since Christ is tinople.
also man, He speaks as man and dost thou From his letter to EujDsychius
;
:
—
" How then did it behove the Most Wise
slander God? He in Himself lifts man's
nature on high, and thou hast the hardihood to act.? By mediation of the flesh assumed,
to cheapen His divine nature." and by union of God the Word with man
Of the same from his book on the Expo- born of Mary, He is made of either nature,
sition of the Faith :
— so that the Christ made one of both, as con-
" It is ours to believe, but His to know, and stituted in Godhead, abides in the proper dig-
so let God the Word Himself, after receiving nity of His impassible nature, but in flesh,
all that is pi'oper to man, be man, and let being brought near to death, at one and the
man after His assumption and reception same time shews the kindred nature of the
of all that is God, be no other than God. flesh how through death to despise death,
It must not be supposed because He is and by His death confirms the righteousness
said to have been incarnate and mixed, of the new covenant."
that therefore His substance was dimi- Testimony of Cyril^ bishop of Alexandria.
nished. God knows that He mixes Him- From his letter to Nestorius ^ :
—
self without the natural corruption, and
" The natures which have been
brought
He is mixed in reality. He knows also that together in the true unity are distinct, and of
He so received in Himself as that no ad- both there is one God and Son, but the dif-
dition of increment accrues to Himself, as ference of the natures has not been removed
also He knows He infused His whole self in consequence of the union."
so as to incur no diminution. Let us not Of the same from his letter against the
then, in accordance with our weak intelli- Orientals
*
:
—
on " There is an union of two natures, where-
gence, and forming conjectures the teach-
ing of experience and the senses, suppose fore we acknowledge one Christ, one Son,
that God and man are mixed after the man- one Lord. In accordance with this percep-
ner of things created and equal mixed to- tion of the unconfounded union we acknowl-
*
gether, and that from such a confusion as edge the Holy Virgin as Mother of God
this of the Word and of the flesh a body as
it were was made. God forbid that this leave 1
Severianus, like Antiochus of Ptolemais, was moved to
his remote diocese (Gabala is now Gibili, not far south of
should be our belief, lest we should suppose Latakia) to try his fortunes as a popuhir preacher at Constanti-
There he met with and was treatedsuccess, kindly by
that after the manner of things which are nople:
Chrysostom, but he turned against his friend, and was a prime
confounded together two natures were agent in the plots against him. The date of his death is un-
known.
brought into one hypostasis.^ For a men- 2Cf. p. 154, note. Atticus was a determined opponent of
tion of this kind implies destruction of both heresy as well as of Chrysostom.
3
Ep. iv. Ed. Aub. V. ii. 23.
» id. vi. 157.
parts ;
Christ Himself, containing but
but ''The word in the text is the famous iJcotokos, the watch-
word of the Nestorian controversy. It may be doubtful
not contained, who examines us but is Him- whether either the English " Mother of God " or the Latin
"
"[Deipara exactly represents the idea intended to be ex-
iPhil,
« Tract 78. pressed by the subtler Greek. Even Nestorius did not object
3 cf.
ii.7.
p. 36. Here ujrd<rTocris = person. to the ©toVo/cos when rightly understood. The explanation of.
214 THEODORRT.
because the Word of God was made flesh is named man, though being by nature God
and was made man, and from the very con- as partaking of flesh and blood like us' for
ception united to Himself the temper taken thus He was seen by men upon earth, with-
from her." ^ out getting rid of His own nature, but assum-
Of the same :
— ing our Manhood perfect according to its
" There is one Lord own reason."
Jesus Christ, even if
the difference be recognised of the natures Of the same concerning the Incarnation
of which we assert the inelllible union to (Schol. c. 13) :
—
have been made." " Then before the incarnation there is one
Of the same :
— Very God, and in manhood He remains
"Therefore, as I said, while praising the what He was and is and will be the one ;
manner of the incarnation, wc see that two Lord Jesus Christ then must not be separated
natures came together in inseparable union into man apart and into God apart, but re-
without confusion and without division,- for cognising the diflerence of the natures and
the flesh is flesh and no kind of Godhead, al- preserving them unconfounded with one
though it was made flesh of God in like another, we assert that there is one and the
;
manner the Word is God, and not flesh, al- same Christ Jesus."
though He made the flesh His own accortling Of the same after other commentaries :
—
to theocconomy." "There is plain perception of one thing
Of the same from his interpretation of the dwelling in another, namely the divine nature
Epistle to the Hebrews :
—in manhood, without
undergoing commixture
" For altIiou<rh the natures which came or
any confusion, or any change into what it
together in unity are regarded as diflbrent and was not. For what is said to dwell in another
unequal with one another, I mean of flesh does not become the same as that in which
and of God, nevertheless the Son, Who was it dwells, but is rather regarded as one thing
made of both, is one." in another. But in the nature of the Word
Of the same from his interpretation of the and of the manhood the diflerence points out
same Epistle :
— to us a diflerence of natures alone, for of both
" Yet the only begotten Word of is perceived one Christ. Therefore he savs
though
God is said to be united in hypostasis to that the Word ' Tabernacled among us,'^
flesh, we deny there was any confusion of the carefully observing the freedom from confus-
natures with one another, and declare each to ion, for he recognises one only begotten Son
remain what it is." who was made flesh and became man."
Of the same from his commentaries :
— Now, my dear sir, you have heard the
" The Father's
Word, born of the Virgin, great lights of the world you have seen the ;
beams of their teaching, and j'ou have re-

the symbolum drawn up by Theodorct himself at Ephcsus for
prcscntîtion to the Kinpcror is "'Era xpio-rbf, era uib>/, eVa ceived exact instruction how, not only after
Kvptov otJ.o\oyoufJi(f- KardL rayjTqv T»J9 atrvy^vrov tr^Jo'eio? errotai' the
otko\oyovtJ^tv TT()v ayiavt irapBtvov t^toTOKOi', 6t4 to lav Qahv \6yov nativity, but after the passion which
uafiKxiiBi)vai KaX ^vavOfnatir^vai Kat c'^ nvTr]<; T~)<; (rvWrfîutt; trwcrat
tauTiJj Tof f ttuTij? \rirl>9fVTa vanv." The fircat point souijhl to be
f
wrought salvation, and the resurrection, and
asserted was, the union of the two Natures. Gregory of Nazi- the ascension, they have shewn the union of
anzus (li. 73^) says 'Ei ti? ov BtoToKuv ti)i> Maptav vno\afijidvi.t, the Godhead and of the
manhood to be
Cyril adopts the terms of the document given in the without confusion.
1 Here
preceding note.
^
afTvyyvTiot Kal aStaiptTux;, These adverbs recall the famous
Eran. —
I did not
suppose that they dis-
words of looker. Kcc. I'ol. v. 54. 10.
I
the natures after the union, but I
" There are but four oncur to make complete tinguished
things wliicli c
the whole state of our Lord Jesus Christ his Dcilv, his man- have found an iiifinite amount of distinction.
:
hood, the conjunction of bolh,antl the distinction of the one from

the other being joined in f>ne. Four principal heresies there
Ortli. —
It is mad and rash
against those
are which have in those things wilh>lood the truth Arians, by noble
champions of the faith so much as to
'
bending themselves .against the Deity of Christ; Apollinarians,

by maiming and misinterpreting that which belongeth to Iiis wag your tongue. l>ut I will adduce for
human nature; Nestorians, by rending Christ asuiuUr, and you the words of ApoUinarius, in order that
dividing him into two persons; the followers of Kutyches, by
confounding in his person those natures which they should you may know that he too asserts the union
distinguish. Against these there have been four most famous
ancient general councils the council of Nice to define against
:
to be without confusion. Now hear his
Arians; against Apollinarians the Council of Constantinople; words.
the council of Ephesus against Nestorians; against Kutychi-
ans the Chalcedon Council. Tcsttmoiiy of ApoUinarius.
dSiaLpfTuK; , ii(Tvyxvn>i;,
In four words, a\j]9u>^, reXnu?.
truly, perfcctlv, indivisibly, distinctly;
the first applied to his being God, and the second to his beinu^
From his
" There issummary
:
—
Man, the third to his being of boiii One, and the fourth to his an union between what is of
continuing in that one Moth: wc may fully by way of Abridge- God and what is of the body. On the one
ment comprise whatsoever antiquity hath at larire handled
cither in declaration of Christian belief, or in reful;ition of the
foresaid heresies. Within the compass of which four heads, I
side is the adorable Creator is wisdom Who
may truly aftirm, that all heresies which touch but the person
and power eternal these are of the God-
;
of Jesus Christ, whether they have risen in these later days, or

in any age heretofore, may be with great facility brought to
confine themselves." '
Hebrews ii. *
14. John i.
14.
DIALOGUES. 21
head. On the other hand is the Son of from the Father Who was not made flesh,
Mary, horn at the last time, worshipping divides two divine energies. But there is no
God, advancing in wisdom, strengthened in division. So He does not speak in reference
power these are of the body. The sufler- to Godhead."
;
ing on behalf of sin and the curse came and Again he says :
—
will not pass
away nor yet be changed into "As man is not an unreasoning being,
the incorporeal." on account of the contact of the reasoning
And again a little further on —
and the unreasoning, just so the Saviour is
:
" Men are consubstantial with the un- not a creature on account of the contact of the
reasoning animals as far as the unreasoning creature v/ith God uncreate."
body is concerned
they are of another sub-
;
To this he also adds :
—
stance in so far forth as they are reasonable. "The invisible which is united to a visible
Just so God who is consubstantial with men body and thereby is beheld, remains navis-
according to the flesh is of another substance ible, and it remains without composition
in so far forth as He is Word and Man." because it is not circumscribed with the botly,
And in another place he says —
and the body, remaining in its own measure,
:
"Of things which are mingled together accepts the union with God in accordance
the qualities are mixed and not destroyed. with its being quickened, nor is it that which
Thus it comes to
pass that some ai'e sepa- quickened which quickens."
is
rate from the mixed parts as wine from And a little further on he says: —
" If the mixture with soul and
water, nor yet is there mingling with a body, body,
nor yet as of bodies with' bodies, but the although from the beginning they coalesce,
mingling preserves also the unmixed, so that, does not make the soul visible on account
as each occasion may require, the energy of of the body, nor change it into the other
the Godhead either acts independently or in properties of the body, so as to allow of its
conjunction, as was the case when the Loid being cut or lessened, how much rather God,
fasted, for the Godhead being in conjunction who is not of the same nature as the body,
in proportion to its being above need, hun- is united to the body without undergoing
ger was hindered, but when it no longer change, if the body of man remains in its
opposed to the craving its superiority to need, own nature, and this when it is animated by
then hunger arose, to the undoing of the a soul, then in the case of Christ the com-
devil. But if the mixture of the bodies suf- mingling does not so change the body as that
fered no change, how much more that of the it is not a body."
Godhead.?" And further on he says again —
—
:
And in another place he says " He who confesses that soul and
:
body are
" If the mixture with iron which makes constituted one
by the Scripture, is incon-
the iron itself fire does not change its nature, sistent with himself when he asserts that this
so too the union of God with the body im- union of the Word with the body is a change,
plies no change of the body, even though such change being not even beheld in the
the body extend its divine energies to what case of a soul."
is within reach."
its Listen to him again exclaiming clearly —
—
:
To " If
he immediately adds:
this they are impious who deny that the flesh
" If a man has both soul and and of the Lord abides, much more are they who
body,
these remain in unity, much more does the refuse wholly to accept His incarnation."
Christ, who has Godhead and body, keep And in his little book about the Incarnation
both secure and unconfounded." he has written —
—
:
And again a little further on : " The words ' Sit thou on ^ '
my right hand
"For human nature is partaker of the He speaks as to man, for they are not spoken
divine energy, as far as it is capable, but it to Him that sits ever on the throne of glory,
is as distinct as the least from the greatest. as God the Word after His ascension from
Man is a servant of God, but God is not ser- earth, but they are said to Him who hath
vant of man, nor even of Himself. Man is a now been exalted to the heavenly glory as
creature of God, but God is not a creature man, as the Apostles say 'for David is not
of man, nor even of Himself." ascended into the heavens, but he saith him-
And again :
— self the Lord said unto my Lord sit thou
" If
any one takes in reference to Godhead on my right hand.'- The order is human,
and not in reference to flesh the passage the giving a beginning to the sitting; but it is
'
Son doeth what He seeth the Father do,'^ a divine dignity to sit together with God
wherein He Who was made flesh is distinct 'to whom thousand thousands minister and
* V. 19. 1 Ps. ex. I. a Acts
John li. 34.
2l6 THEODORKT.
before whom ten thousand times ten thousand Eran. You know that musicians are —
stand.'" 1
accustomed to give their strings rest, and
And again a little further on: —
they slacken them by turning the pegs if ;
" He does not

put His enemies under Him then things altogether void of reason and
as God but as man, but so that the God who soul stand in need of some recreation, we
is seen and man are the same. Paul too who partake of both shall do nothing absurd
teaches us that the words ' until I make if we mete out our labour in proportion to
- '
thy foes thy footstool are spoken to men, our power. Let us then put it off till to-
describing the success as His own of course morrow.
in accordance with His
divinity 'According Orth. The divine David charges us to —
to tlie working whereby He is able even to give heed to the divine oracles by night and
subdue all things unto Himself.' ^ Behold b}' day but let it be as you say, and let us ;
Godhead and manhood existing inseparably keep the investigation of the remainder of
in one Person." our subject till to-morrow.
And again :
—
" '
mewith thine own self with the
Glorify
glory which I had with thee before the world
was.
*
The word
'
He uses as ' ' DIALOGUE HL
glorify
man, but His having this glory before the THE IMPASSIBLE.
ages He reveals as God."
And again :
— Orthodoxus and Eranistes.
" Butlet us not be humiliated as thinking
the worship of the Son of God humiliation, Orth. In our former discussions we —
even in His human likeness, but as though have proved that God the Word is im-
honouring some king appearing in poor rai- mutable, and became incarnate not by being
ment with his royal glory, and above all changed into tlesh, but by taking perfect
seeing that the very garb in which He is human nature. The divine Scripture, and
clad is glorified, as became the body of God the teachers of the chinxhes and luminaries
and of the world's Saviour which is seed of the world have clearly taught us that,
of eternal life, instrument of divine deeds, after the union, He remained as He was,
destroyer of all wickedness, slayer of death, unmixed, impassible, unchanged, uncircum-
and prince of resurrection for though it had scril)ed and that He preserved unimpaired
; ;
its nature from man it derived its life from the nature which He had taken. For the
God, and its power and divine virtue from future then the subject before us is that of
heaven." His passion, and it will be a very profitable
And again :
— one, for thence have been brought to us the
" Whence we
worship the body as the waters of salvation.
Word we partake of the body as of the
; Eran. I am also of opinion that this —
discourse will be beneficial. I shall not
spirit."
Now it has been plainly shewn you that however consent to our former method, but
the author who was first to introduce the I propose myself to ask questions.
mixture of the natures openly uses the argu- Orth. And I will answer, without —
ment of a distinction between them thus he making any objection to the change of
:
has called the body garb, creature and in- method. lie who has truth on his side, not
strument; he even went so far as to call it only when he questions but also when he is
slave, which none of us has ever ventured questioned, is supported by the might of the
to do. He also says that it was deemed truth. Ask then what you will.
worthy of the seat on the right hand, and Eran. Who, according to your view, —
uses many other expressions which are re- suHcred the passion.?
jected by your vain heresy. Orth. Our Lord Jesus Christ. —
Eran. —
But why then did he who was Eran. Then a man gave us our sal- —
the first to introduce the mixture insert so vation.
great a distinction in his arguments.^ Orth. No; for have we confessed that —
Orth. —
The power of truth forces even our Lord Jesus Christ was only man
—
.''
them that vehemently fight against her to Eran. Now define what you believe
agree with what she says, but, if you will, Christ to be.
let us now begin a discussion about the im- Orth. Incarnate Son of the living God, —
passibility of the Lord. Eran. And is the Son of God God? —
I Dan.
Orth.
3
God, having the same substance —
» Acts
vii. lo.
ii. 3S. John
Phil. iii. 21.
xvii, 5. as the God Who begat Him.
DIALOGUES. 217
Eran. — Then God Liudervvent the pas- ground it small, and tlien the gullet com-
sion. mitted to the belly, and the belly digested
Orth. —
it
He was \i nailed to the cross it, and delivered it to the liver and the liver ;
witlioLit a body, ;
ipply what it had received into blood and

the passion to the turned
Godhead but if he was made man by passed it on to the hollow vein^ and the vein
;
taking flesh, why then do you exempt the to the adjacent parts and they through the
passible from the passion and subject the rest, and so the theft of the forbidden food
impassible to it? pervaded the whole body. Very properly
—
Eran. -But the reason why He took then the body alone underwent the punish-
flesh was that the impassible might undergo ment of sin.
the passion by means of the passible. Orth. You have given us a physiological —
Orth. —
You say impassible and apply disquisition on the nature of food, on all the
passion to Him. parts that it goes through and on the modifica-
—
Eran. T said that He took flesh to suff"er. tions to which it is subject before it is assimi-
Orth. —
If He had had a nature capable lated with the body. But there is one point
of the Passion He would have suflered with- that you have refused to observe, and that is
out flesh so the flesh becomes superfluous. that the body goes through none of these pro-
Eran.
;
—
The divine nature is immortal, cesses which you have mentioned without the
and the nature of the flesh mortal, so the soul. When bereft of the soul which is its
immortal was united with the mortal, that yoke mate the body lies breathless, voiceless,
through it He might taste of death. motionless the eye sees neither wrong nor
Orth. —
That which is by nature immor- aright no sound of voices reaches the ears, ;
;
tal does not undergo death, even when con- the hands cannot stir the feet cannot walk ; ;
joined with the mortal this is easy to see. the body is like an instrument without music.
Eran. — ;
Prove it and remove the difii- How then can you say that only the body
;
culty. sinned when the body without the soul can-

Orth. —
Do you assert that the human not even take a breath ?
soul was immortal, or mortal.'' Eran. The body does indeed receive —
Eran. —
Immortal. life from the soul, and it furnishes the soul
Orth. — And is the body mortal or im- with the penal possession of sin.
mortal Orth. How, and in what manner? —
.
Eran. —
.?
Indubitably mortal. Eran. Through the eyes it makes it see —

Orth. — And do we say that man consists amiss through the ears it makes it hear un-
;
of these natures.'' profitable sounds and through the tongue

Eran. — Yes. utter injurious words, and through all the
;
Orth. — So the immortal conjoined is other parts act ill.
with the mortal? I suppose we may say

Orth. — Then
Eran. — True. Blessed are the deaf; blessed are they that
Orth. — But when the connexion or union have lost their sight and have been deprived
is at an end, the mortal submits to the law of of their other faculties, for the souls of men
death, while the soul remains immortal, so incapacitated have neither part nor lot
though sin has introduced death, or do you in the wickedness of the body. And why,
not hold death to be a penalty ? O
most sagacious sir, have you men-
Eran. —
So divine Scripture teaches. tioned, those functions of the body which
For we learn that when God forbade Adam are culpable, and said nothing about the
to partake of the tree of knowledge He added laudable? It is possible to look with eyes
''
on the day that ye eat thereof ye shall of love and of kindliness it is possible to ;
^
surely die." wipe away a tear of compunction, to hear
Orth. —
Then death is the punishment of oracles of God, to bend the ear to the poor,
them that have sinned? to praise the Creator with the tongue, to give
Eran. —
Agreed. good lessons to our neighbour, to move the
Orth. —
Why then, when soul and body hand in mercy, and in a word to use the parts
have both sinned together, does the body of the body for complete acquisition of good-
alone undergo the punishment of death? ness.
Eran. — It was the body that cast its evil Eran. — This is all true.
eye upon the tree, and stretched forth its Orth. — Therefore the observance and
hands, and plucked the forbidden fruit. It
1 The
was the mouth that bit it with the teeth, and vena cava^ by which the blood returns to the heart.
The physiology of Kranistes would be held in the main " ortho-
dox " even now, ^nd shews that Theodoret was well abreast of
the science accepted before the discovery of the circulation of
1 Gen. ii. 17. the blood.
2l8 THEODORET.
transgression of law is common to both soul tality of its nature alone. But let us look at
and body. this same position from another point of
Eran. —
Orth. — Yes.
seems
It that the soul to me
view.
Eran. —
There is every reason why we
takes the leading part in both, since it uses should leave no means untried to arrive at
reasoning before the body acts. the truth.
Eran. — In what sense do you say this? Orth. — Let us then examine the matter
Orth. — First of the mind makes, as all thus. Do we and vice
assert that of virtue
it were, a sketch of virtue or of
vice, and some are teachers and some are followers ?
then gives to one or the other form with ap- Era7i. — Yes.
propriate material and colour, using for its Orth. — And do we say the teacher tliat
instruments the parts of the body. of virtue deserves greater recompense?
Eran. —
So it seems. Erati. —
Orth. —
If then the soul sins with the Orth. — And similarly the teacher of vice
Certainl}'.
body nay rather takes the lead in the sin, for

; deserves twofold and thi'eefold punish-
to it is entrusted tlie bridling and direction ment ?
of the animal part, why, as it shares the sin, Eran. — True.
does it not also share the punishment? Orth. — And what part shall we
Erajt. —
But how were it possible for the to the devil, that of teacher or disciple?
assign
immortal soul to share death? Eran. — Teacher of teachers, for he

him-
Orth. — Yet it were just that after sharing and teacher of
self is father iniquity. all
the transgression, it should share the chas- Orth. — And who of men became his first
tisement.
Eran. — Yes, disciples?
Eran. — Adam and Eve.
Orth. — But did not do it
just.
so. Orth. — And who received the sentence
Eran. — Certainly not. of death?
Orth. — At the to come
least in life it will Eran. — Adam and all his race.
be sent with the body Gehenna. to Orth. Then the discijoles were punished —
Eran. — So He said " Fear not them for the bad lessons they had learnt, but the
which kill the body, but are not able to kill teacher, whom we have just declared to de-
the soul but rather fear him which is able serve two-fold and three-fold chastisement,
;
to destroy both soul and body in hell." ^ got off the punishment?
Orth. —
Therefore in this life it escapes Eran. Apparently.
—
death, as being immortal; in the life to Orth. And though this so came about —
come, it will be punished, not by under- we both acknowledge and declare that the
going death, but by suffering chastisement in Judge is just.
life. Eran. —
Eran. — That what the divine Scripture
is Orth. — Certainly.
But, being just, why did He not
says. exact an account from him of his evil teach-
Orth. — then impossible for the im-
It is
ing ?
mortal nature to
undergo death. Eran. —
He prepared for him the un-
Eran. — So appears. it
quenchable flame of Gehenna, for, He says,
Orth. — How then do you say, God the "
Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting
Word tasted death? For if that which was fire prepared for the devil and his
angels."
^
created immortal is seen to be incapable of And the reason why he did not here share
becoming mortal, how is it possible for him death with his disciples is because he has an
that is without creation and eternally immor- immortal nature.
tal, Creator of mortal and immortal natures Orth. —
Then even the greatest trans-
alike, to partake of death? gressors cannot incur death if they have an
Eran. — We
too know that His nature is immortal nature.
immortal, but we say that He shared death in Eran. —
the flesh. Orth. — Airreed.
then even the very inventor and
If
Orth. — But we have shewn that teacher of iniquity did not incur death on
plainly
it is in no wise
possible for tiiat which is by account of the immortality of his nature, do
nature immortal to share death, for even the you not shudder at the thought of saying
soul created together with, and conjoined that the fount of immortality and righteous-
with, the bod3and sharing in its sin, does not ness shared death ?
share death with it, on account of the immor- Eran, Had we said that he underwent —
»
Matt. X. aS. '
Matt. XXV. 41.
DIALOGUES. 219
the passion involuntarily, there would have Orth. —

Nor can those things which are
been some just ground for the accusation contrary to the divine nature.
which you bring against us. But if the Eran. —
What are they?
passion which is preached by us was spon- Orth. — As,
for instance, we have learnt
taneous and the death voluntary, it becomes that God
is
intelligent and true Light.
you, instead of accusing us, to praise the im- Eran. — True.
mensity of His love to man. For He suffered Orth. — And we could not
call Him dark-
because He willed to suffer, and shared death ness or say that He wished to become, or
because He wished it. could become, darkness.
OrtJi. — You
seem to me to be quite Eran. By no means. —
ignorant of the divine nature, for the Lord Orth. —
Again, the Divine Scripture calls
God wishes nothing inconsistent with His His nature invisible.
nature, and is able to do all that He wishes, Eran. — does. It
and what He wishes is appropriate and Orth. — And we could never say that It
agreeable to His own nature. iscapable of being made visible.
Eran. — We have learnt that all Eran. — No,
Orth. — Nor comprehensible.
things surely.
are possible with God.^
Orth. — In expressing yourself thus indefi- Eran. — No He not for is so.
Orth. — No
;
nitely you include even what belongs to the He incom.prehensible,

;
for is
Devil, for to say absolutely all things is to and altogether unapproachable.

name together not only good, but its oppo- Eran. — You are
site. Orth. — And He
that is could
right.
never
Eran. — But did not the noble Jobspeak become non-existent.
absolutely when he said
" I know that thou Eran. —
Away with the thought
canst do all tilings and with thee nothing is Orth. —
Nor yet could the Father become
!
-
impossible"? Son.
Orth. —
If you read what the just man Era7z. —
said before, you will see the meaning of the Orth. —
Impossible.
Nor yet could the unbegotten
one passage from the other, for he says become begotten.
'•'
Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast Eran. —
How could He.
made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me Orth. —
And the Father could never
into dust again } Hast thou not poured me become Son?
out as milk and curdled me like cheese? Eran. —
By no means.
Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh Orth. —
Nor could the Holy Ghost ever
and hast fenced me with bones and sinews, become Son or Father.
thou hast granted me life and favour." ^ Eran. —
All this is impossible.
And then he adds :
— Orth. —
And we shall find many other
"
Having this in myself I know that thou things of the same kind, which are similarly
canst do all things and that with thee noth- impossible, for tlie Eternal will not become
*
ing is impossible." Is it not therefore all of time, nor the Uncreate created and
that belongs to these things that he alleges made, nor the infinite finite, and the like.
to belong to the incorruptible nature, to the Eran. —
None of these is possible.
God of the universe? Orth. —
So we have found many things
Eran. — Nothing is impossible to Al- which are impossible to Almighty God.
mighty God. Eran. True. —
Orth. — Then according to your defini- Orth. —
But not to be able in any of these
tion sin is possible to Almighty God? respects is proof not of weakness, but of in-
Eran. — By no means. finite power, and to be able would certainly
Orth. — Wherefore ? be proof not of power but of impotence.
Eran, — Because He does not wish it. Eran. —
How do you say this?
Orth. — Wherefore does He not wish it? Orth. —
Because each one of these pro-
Eran. — Because sin is foreign to His claims the unchangeable and invariable char-
nature. acter of God. For the impossibility of good
Orth. — Then there are many things becoming evil signifies the immensity of the
which He cannot do, for there are many goodness and that He that is just should
;
kinds of transgression. never become unjust, nor He that is true a

Eran. — Nothing of this kind can be liar, exhibits the stability and the strength
wished or done by God. that there is in truth and righteousness.
Thus the true light could never become dark-
1 Matt. xix.
26; Mark x. 27.•5
Job X. 9-12.
*
Job X. 13. Ixx. *
Job X. 13. IxXt ness He that is could never become non-
;
220 THEODORET.
existent, for the existence is perpetual and are divine oracles,' but remember what we
the hght is naturally invariable. And so, have often confessed.
after examining all other examples, you will Fyran. What.^ —
find that the not being able is declaratory ot God the Orth. —
We have confessed that
the highest power. That tilings of this kind Word the Son of God did not appear without
are impossible in the case of God, the divine a body, but assumed perfect human nature.
Apostle also both perceived and laid down, Eran. Yes this we have confessed. —
for in his Epistle to the Hebrews he says, Orth. And He was called Son of Man
'
— ;
*'
that by two immutable things, in which it because He took a body and human soul.
was impossible for God to lie we might have Eran. — True.
a strong consolation." - He shews that this Orth. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ —
incapacity is not weakness, but very power, is verily our God ; for of these two natures
for he asserts Him to be so true that it is im- the one was His from everlasting and the
possible for there to be even a lie in Him. other He assumed.
So the power of truth is signified through its Eran. —
want of power. And writing to the blessed Orth.
Indubitably.
While, then, as man He under- —
Timothy, the Apostle adds -'It is a faithful went the passion, as God He remained in-
saying, for we be dead with Him we shall
if
capable of suffering.
also live withHim, if we suffer we shall also Eran. —How then does the divine Script-
reign with Him; if we deny Him He will ure say that the Son of God suffered }
also deny us, if we believe not yet He abideth Orth. — Because the body which suffered
faithful, He
cannot deny Himself."^ Again was His body. But
us look at the mat-
let
then the phrase "He cannot" is indicative ter tlius when we hear the divine Scripture
;
of infinite power, for even though all men " And it came to
saying pass when Isaac
deny Him He says God is Himself, and can- was old his eyes were dim so that he coidd
not exist otherwise than in His own nature, not see,"^ whither is our mind carried and
for His being is indestructible. This is on what does it rest, on Isaac's soul or on
what is meant by the words " He cannot his body?
deny Himself." Therefore the impossibility Eran. — Of course on his body.
of change for the worse proves infinity of Orth. — Do we then conjecture that his
soul also shared in the affection of blind-
jDOwer.
— This quite true and har-
Erati. is in ness
—
.''
mony with divine words. Eran.

— the
Oi'th. Granted then that with God many Orth.
Certainly
— We assert that only his body was
not.
things are impossible,

— everything, that deprived of the sense of
the divine nature, —
is,
Eran. — Yes.
sight.'*
which is
repugnant to
how comes it that while you omit all the other Orth. — And again when we hear Amaziah
qualities which belong to the divine nature, saying to the prophet Amos, " Oh thou seer
goodness, righteousness, truth, invisibility, go flee away into land of Judah," ^ and
tlie
" Tell me I
incomprelicnsibility, infinity, and eternity, Saul enquiring :
pray thee where
and the rest of the attributes which we assert the seer's house is,"
*
we understand nothing
to be proper to God, you maintain that His bodily.
immortality and impassibility alone are sub- Eran. Certainly not.
—
ject to change, and in them concede the pos- Orth. And yet the words used are sig- —
sibility of variation and give to God a capac- nificant of the health of the organ of sight.
ity indicative of weakness.'' Eran. True. —
Bran. — We
have learnt this from the Orth. Yet we know that the power —
divine Scripture. The divine exclaims of the Spirit when given to purer souls
" God so loved the world that John He gave His inspires prophetic grace and causes them to
"
only begotten Son," and the divine Paul, sec even hidden things, and, in consequence
" For if when we were enemies we were of tlieir thus
seeing, they are called seers and
reconciled to God by the death of His Son, beholders.
much more being reconciled we shall be Eran. What you say is true. —
saved by His life." ' Orth. And let us consider this too. —
Orth. —
Of course all this is true, for these Eran. What? —
Orth. When we hear the story of the
IC. f. note on Pasre -^7. From the middle of the Ilird ccn-
—
tury on\v:ird wo find acceptiition of the Pauline authorship divine evangelists narrating how they brought
Among- writers who quote the Ep. as St. Paul's are Cyril of to God a man sick of the palsy, laid upon a
Jerusalem, the two Gregorics, Basil, and Chrysostoni, as well
as Theodoret.
=
Hch. vi. iS. «
T"'in iii. 16. • cf.note on page 155.
3 Amos vii. 12.
* U. 1. Tim. ii. 11-13.
' Romans v. 10. > Gen. xxvii. 1. * I. Sam. ix. iS.
DIALOGUES. 221
bed, do we say that this was paralysis of the body, but in as vast a degree as the temporal
parts of the soul or of the body ? from the eternal and the Creator from the
Efan. — Plainly of the body. created ?
Orth. —And when while reading the Epis- Eran. — The divine Scripture says that the
tle to the Hebrews we light upon the passage Son of God underwent the passion.
where the Apostle says "Wherefore lift up Oi'th. — We
deny that it was suflered
by
the hands which hang down and the feeble any other, but none the less, taught by the
knees and make straight paths for your feet divine Scripture, we know that the nature of
lest that which is lame be turned out of the the Godhead is impassible. are told of We
way, but let it rather be healed," do we say
^
impassibility and of passion, of manhood and
that the divine Apostle said these things of Godhead, and we therefore attribute the
about the parts of the body? passion to the passible body, and confess that
Eran. — No. no passion was undergone by the nature that
Orth. — Shall we say that he was for was impassible.
removing the feebleness and infirmity of Eran. — Then a body won our salvation
the soul and stimulating the to for us.
Orth. — Yes
disciples
manliness? but not a mere man's body,
Eran. — Obviously. ;
but that of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only

Orth. — But we do not find these things begotten Son of God. If you regard this
distinguished in the divine Scripture, for in body as insignificant and of small account,
describing the blindness of Isaac he made no how can you hold its type to be an object of
reference to the body, but spoke of Isaac as worship and a means of salvation? and how
absolutely blind, nor in describing the proph- can the archetvpe be contemptible and insig-
ets as seers and beholders did he say that nificant of tliat of which the type is adorable
their souls saw and beheld what was hidden, and honourable ?
but mentioned the persons themselves. Eran. —
I do not look on the body as of
Eran. —Yes this is so. small account, but I object to dividing it from
Orth — ;
And he did not point out that the the Godhead.

body of the paralytic was palsied, but called Orth. —
We, my good sir, do not divide
the man a paralytic. the union but we regard the pecidiar proper-
Eran, — True. ties of the natures, and I am sure that in a
Orth. — And even the divine Apostle made moment you will take the same view.
no special mention of the souls, though it Eran. You talk like a prophet. —
was these that he purposed to strengthen and Orth. —
No; not like a prophet, but as
to rouse. knowing the power of truth. But now an-
Eran. — No he did not. swer me this. When you hear the Lord say-
Orth. — ;
But when we examine the meaning ing " I and my Father are one," and " He
of the words, we understand which belongs that hath seen me hath seen the Father," ^
to the soul and which to the body. do you say that this refers to the flesh or to
Eran. — And very naturally for God the Godhead?
made us reasonable beings.
;
Eran. —
How can the flesh and the Father
Orth. — Then let us make use of this rea- possibly be of one substance?
soning faculty in the case of our Maker and Orth. —
Then these passages indicate the
Saviour, and let us recognise what belongs to Godhead ?
His Godhead and what to His manhood. Eran. True. —
Eran. — But by doing this we shall destroy 6>r///.— And so with the text, "In the
the supreme union. beginning was the Word and the Word was
Orth. —In the case of Isaac, of the proph- God," 3 and the like.
ets, of the man sick of the palsy, and of the Eran. Agreed. —
rest, we did so without destroying the natural Orth. —
Again when the divine vScripture
union of the soul and of the body we did says, " Jesus therefore being wearied with
;
*
not even separate the souls from their proper his journey sat thus on the well," of what
bodies, but by reason alone distinguislied is the weariness to be understood, of the
what belonged to the soul and what to the Godhead or of the body?
body. Is it not then monstrous that while Eran. —
I cannot bear to divide what is
we take this course in the case of souls and united.
bodies, we should refuse to do so in the case Orth. —
Tlien it seems you attribute tiie
of our Saviour, and confound natures which weariness to the divine nature?
differ not in the same proportion as soul from
1
X. 30. 3
John *
John i. I.
2 xlv. 9. iv. 6.
iHeb.xii. 12. 13. John John
222 THEODORET.
Eran. — think
I so. are always for forcing on us the distinction
OrtJi. — But then
directly contradict
you of terms.
the cxchunation of the prophet " He faintcth —
I think that even a barbarian might
Orth.
not neither is weary there is no searching easily make this distinction. The union of
;
of His understanding. He giveth power to unlike natures being conceded, the person of
the faint and to them that liave no might he Clirist on account of the union receives both ;
incrcasctli strcngtli." And a little luither to each nature its own properties are attrib-
^
on "But they that wait upon the Lord shall uted to the uncircumscribed immunity
;
renew their strength, they shall mount up from weariness, to that which is capable of
with wings as eagles, they shall run and not transition and travel weariness. For travel-
be weary and they sliall walk and not faint." - ling is the function of the feet; of the muscles
Now how can He who bestows upon others to be strained by over exercise.
the boon of freedom from weariness and want, Eran. —
There is no controvcrs}' about
possibly be himself sul^ject to hunger and these being bodily affections.
thirst.? Orth. —
Well then the prediction which I
E7-an. —
I hav'c said over and over again made, and you scofled at, has come true for
;
that God is impassible, and free from all look you have shewn us what belongs to
;
want, but after the incarnation He became manhood, and what belongs to Godhead.
capabk' of suffering. Eran. —
But I have not divided one son
OrtJi. —
liut did He do this by admitting into two.
the sulFcrings in His Godhead, or by per- Orth. —
Nor do we, my friend but giving ;
mitting tlie passible natui'e to undergo its heed to the difference of the natures, we con-
natural sulferings and by suflering proclaim sider what beiits godhead, and what is proper
that what was seen was no unreality, but to a body.
was really assumed of human nature.? But Eran. —
This distinction is not the teach-
now let us look at the matter thus we say ing of the divine Scripture; it says that the
:
that the divine nature was uncircumsci-ibed. Son of God died. So the Apostle " For —
Eran. Aye.
— if when we were enemies we were recon-
;
Orth. —
And uncircumscribed nature iscii*- ciled to God by the death of His Son.''^
cumscribed by none. And he says that the Lord was raised from
Ei-an. — Of course not. the dead for "God" he says "raised the
Orth.— It therefore needs no transition for Lord from the dead."-
it is
everywhere. Orth. —
And when the divine Scripture
E}-an. — True. says
" And
devout men carried Stephen to
— And that which
Orfk. needs no tran- his burial and made great lamentation over
sitionneeds not to travel. him " ^ would any one say that his soul was
Eran. — That is clear. committed to the grave as well as his body ?
Orth. — And that which does not travel E7-an. Of course not. —
does not grow weary. Orth. —
And when you hear the Patriarch
Eran. — No. Jacob saying
"
Bury me with my Fathers"
^
Orth. — follows then

It that the divine do you suppose this refers to the body or to
nature, which is uncircumscribed, and needs the soul }
not to travel, was not weary. Eran. —
To the body without question.
Eran. —
But the divine Scripture says Orth. Now read what follows. — ;
that Jesus was weary, and Jesus is God Eran. " There —
they bmied Abraham and
;
" And our Lord Christ, whom are Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and
Jesus by
all things.'"' Rebekah his wife and there I buried Leah."^
Orth. —
But the exact expression of the
"
Orth. —
Now, in the passages which you
divine Scripture is that Jesus " was wearied have just read, the divine Scripture makes
not " is wearied."'' We
must consider how no mention of the body, but as far as the
one and the other can be applied to the same words used go, signifies soul as well as body.
person. We
however make the proper distinction and
Eran. —
Well try to point this out, for j'ou say that the souls of the patriarchs were im-
;
mortal, and that only their bodies were buried

'
Isahih xl. 2S, 29. cf. Sept. in the double cave."
- Isaiah xl. 31. s j. Cor. viii. 6.
* The text of John iv. 6 is (ceKon-iaKws tuaflt^'cTo, i.e., after ' Rom.
V. 10. s Acts viii. 2. " Gen. xlix.
boinji^ woary sate down, kottiuiv e(ca0eC,'tTo would =
"\vliilc beinj;!; 2Acts xiii. 30. Gen. xlix. 29.
-^
31.
wcarv sîto down." The force of the passasjc sccins to lie- '"'rhe Machpelah," always in Hebrew with the article
that Scripture states our Lord to have heen wearied once, — n/DDDH — " the double (cave')."
iiolio In- wearied now; though of course in classical Greek Kiyn.
(hisloricc) aiiriii' Koiriur luitlht mean
" said that he was in a It is interestinjj to contrast the heathen idea, that the shadow
slati- of weariness." goes to Hades while the self is identified with the bodv, with
DIALOGUES. 223
Eran. — True. the power of death and deliver them . .
— And
.
Orth. when read in the Acts who through fear of death were all their life
we
how Herod slew James the brother of John subject to bondage." ^
with a sword, ^ we are not likely to liold that Orth. —
This, I think, needs no explana-
his soul died. tion it teaches
clearly the mystery of the
Ei-an. —
No how could we ? remem- OGConomy. We
;
ber the Lord's warning " Fear not them Eran. —

I see nothing here of what you
which kill the body but are not able to kill promised to prove.
the soul." - Orth. Yet the divine Apostle teaches—
Oi'th. —
But does it not seem to you im- plainly that the Creator, pitying this nature
pious and monstrous in the case of mere men not oidy seized cruelly by death, but through-
to avoid the invariable connexion of soul and out all life made death's slave, effected the
body, and in the case of scriptural references resurrection through a body for our bodies,
to death and burial, to distinguish in thought and, by means of a mortal body, undid the
the soul from the body and connect them dominion of death for since His own natiu'e ;
only with the body, while in trust in the was immortal He righteously wished to stay
teaching of the Lord you hold the soul to be the sovereignty of death by taking tlic first
immortal, and then when you hear of the fruits of them that were subject to death, and
passion of the Son of God to follow quite a while He kept these
firstfruits (i e. the
different covu'se ? Are you justified in making body) blameless and free from sin, on the one
no mention of the body to which the passion hand He gave death license to lay hands on
belongs, and in representing the divine nature it and so satisfy its insatiability, while
on the
which is impassible, immutable and immor- other, for the sake of the wrong done to this
tal as mortal and passible? While all the body, he put a stop to the unrighteous sov-
while you know that if the nature of God ereignty usurped over all the rest of men.
the Word is capable of suffering, the assump- These firstfruits unrighteously engulfed He
tion of the body was superfluous. raised again and will make the race to follow
Eran. — We
have learnt from the Divine them.
Scriptures that the Son of God suffered. Set this explanation side by side with the
Orth.
.
—
Butthedivine apostle interprets the words of the Apostle, and you will understand
Passion, and shews what nature suffered. the impassibility of the Godhead.
Eran. —
Show me this at once and clear Eran. —
In what has been read there is no
the matter up. .proof of the divine impassibility.
Orth. —
Are you not acquainted with the Orth. —
Nay does not the statement of the :
passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews in divine Apostle, that the reason of His making
which the divine PauP says "For which the children partakers of the flesh and blood
cause He is not ashamed to call them breth- was that through death He might destroy
ren saying 'I will declare thy name unto him that hath the power of death, distinctly
my brethi'en, in the midst of the Church signifv the impassibility of the Godhead,
will I sing praise unto Thee.' And again, and the passibility of the flesh, and that
'
Behold I and the children which God hath because the divine nature could not suffer He
given me. assumed the nature that could and through it
Eran. —
Yes, I know this, but this does destroyed the power of the devil ?
not give us what you promised. Eran. How did He destroy the power —
Orth. —
Yes: even these suggest what I of the devil and the dominion of death through
shew. The word brotherhood the flesh.?
to
promised
signifies kinship,and the kinship is due to the Orth. What arms did the devil use at —
assumption of the nature, and the assumption the besfinnins' when
he enslaved the nature
the of the of men
openly proclaims impassibility
Godhead. But to understand this the more Eran. The means by which he took caj")-
.?
—
read what follows. tive him who had been constituted citizen
plainly
Ei'an. —
" Forasmuch then as the children of Paradise, was sin.
are partakers of flesh and blood. He also Orth. —
And what punishment did God
Himself likewise took part of the same that assig-n for the transgression of the command-
through death He might destroy him that hath ment }
Eran. Death. —
the Christian belief, that the self lives while the body is buried Orth. —
Then sin is the mother of death,
e.g. Homer (II. 4) says that while the famous
i. "wrath" and the devil its father.
sent heroes' souls to it made "them
" a to
many Hades,
" prey
dogs and birds, cf. xxiii.72. ;//uxai e'iSioKa xa/iidi'Tioi'."
1
Acts xii. 2. ^ Vide note on Pages 37 and 220.
2 Matt. X. 28. * Heb. ii. u, 12, 13. 1 Heb. ii. 14, rg.
224 THEODORET.
Eran. — True. Tell me then how these doctrines
OrtJi. — War then was waged
stratively.
against are taught in the divine Scripture.
human nature by sin. Sin seduced thein that Orth. —
Listen to the Apostle writing to
obeyed it to slavery, brought them to its vile the Romans, and through them teaching all
" For if
father, and delivered them to its very bitter mankind :
through the otlence of one
many be dead, much more the grace of God,
offspring.
Eran. — That is plain. and the gift by grace, which is by one man,
Orth. —So with reason theCreator, with the Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many- And
intention of destroying either power, assumed not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift ;
the nature against whicli war was being tor the judgment was by one to condemna-
waged, and, by keeping it clear of all sin, tion, but the free gift is of many oflbnces
both set it free from the sovereignty of the unto justification. For if by one man's ofibnce
devil, and, by its means, destroyed the devil's death reigned bv one much more they which
;
dominion. For since death is the punish- receive abundance of grace and of the gift
ment of sinners, and death lun-ighteously and of righteousness shall reign in life by one,
against the divine law seized the sinless body Jesus Christ"^ and again: "Therefore as
of the Lord, He first raised up that which by the ofience of one judgment came upon
was unlawfully detained, and then prom- all men to condemnation even so by the ;
ised release to them that were with justice righteousness of one the free gift came upon
all men unto justification of life. For as by
imprisoned.
Eran. — But how do you think it just that one man'« disobedience many were made
tlic resurrection of Him who was unlaw- sinners so by the obedience of one shall many
fullv detained should be shared by the bodies be made rigfhteous."
- And when introduc-
which had been righteously delivered to ing to the Corinthians his argument about
death ? the resurrection he shortly reveals to them the
Orfh. —And how do you think it just that, mystery of the oeconomy, and sa^'S " But :
when it was Adam who transgressed the now is Christ risen from the dead and become
commandment, his race should follow their the first fruits of them which slept. For
forefather? since by man came death by man came also
Eran. — Although the race had not par- the resurrection of the dead. For as in
ticipated in the famous transgression, yet Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all
it committed other sins, and for this cause be made alive."
^
So I have brought you
incurred death. proofs from the divine oracles. Now look at
Orfh. —Yet not sinners only but just men, what belongs to Adam compared with what
patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and men who belongs to Christ, the disease with the
rem-
have shone bright in many kinds of virtue, edy, the wound with the salve, the sin with
have come into death's meshes. the wealth of righteousness, the ban with the
Eran. — Yes; for how could a family blessing, the doom with the delivery, the
sprung of mortal parents remain immortal.'* transgression with the observance, the death
Adam after the transgression and the di- with the life, hell with the kingdom, Adam
vine sentence, and after coming vmder the with Christ, the man with the Man. And
of death, knew his wife, and was the Lord Clirist is not only man but eter-
power yet
called father; having himself become mor- nal God, but the divine Apostle names Him
tal he was made fother of mortals reason- from the nature which He assumed, because
;
ably then all who have received mortal nature it is in this nature that he compares Him
follow their forefather. with Adam. The justification, the struggle,
Orth. —You have shewn very well the the victory, the death, the resurrection, arc
reason of our being partakers of death. all of this human nature ;
it is this nature
The same however must be granted about which we share with Him in this nature the}- ;
the resurrection, for the remedy must be meet who have exercised themselves beforehand
for the disease. When the head of the race in the citizenship of the kingdom shall reign
was doomed, all the race was doomed with with Him. Of this nature I spoke, not divid-
him, and so when the Saviour destroyed the ing the Godhead, but referring to what is
curse, human nature won freedom and just proper to the manhood.
as they that shared Adam's nature followed
;
Eran. —
You have gone through long dis-
him in his going down into Hades, so all the cussions on this point, and have strengthened
nature of men will share in newness of life your argument by scriptural testimony, but if
with the Lord Christ in His resurrection. the passion was really of the flesh, how is it
—
Eran. 'The decrees of the Church must Roin. V. ii;, i6, 17.
' S I. Cor. XV.
20, 21, 23o
be given not only declaratorily but demon- Koiu. V. 18, 19.
-'
DIALOGUES. 225
that when he praises the divhie love to men, the former and in the latter there is a Father ;
" lie that

Apostle exclaims, spared not His both in the former and the latter a well be-
own Son but delivered Him up for us all," ^ loved Son, each bearing the material for the
what son does he say was delivered up ? sacrifice. The one bore the wood, the other
Orth. —
Watch well your words. There the cross upon his shoulders. It is said that
is one .Son of God, wherefore He is called the top of the hill was dignified by the sacri-
only begotten. fice of both. There is a correspondence
Eran. —
If then there is one Son of God, moreover between the number of days and
the divine Apostle called him own Son. nights and the resurrection which followed,
Orth. —True. for after Isaac had been slain
by his father's
E7-an. — Then he says that He was de- willing heart, on the third day after the
livered bountiful God had ordered the deed to be
Orth. — Yes, but
up.
not without a body, as done, he rose to new life at the voice of Him
we have agreed again and again. who loves mankind.! A
lamb was seen
Eran. — It has been ao:reed again and caught in a thicket, furnishing an image of
again that He took body and soul the cross, and slain instead of the lad. Now
Orth. — Therefore the Apostle spoke of if this is a
type of the reality, and in the type
what relates the body. to the only begotten Son did not undergo sacri-
Eran. — The divine Apostle says dis- fice, but a lamb was substituted and laid upon
" Who
spared not his own Son." the altar and completed the mystery of the
Orth. — When then you hear God saying
tinctly
oblation, why then in the reality do you hesi-
to Abraham "Because thou hast not with- tate to assign the passion to the flesh, and to
held thy son thy only son,"^ ^q you allege proclaim the impassibility of the Godhead.?
that Isaac was slain } Eran. —In your observations upon this
Eran. —
Of course not. type you represent Isaac as living again at
Orth. —And yet God said "Thou hast the divine command. There is nothing
not withheld," and the God of all is true. therefore unseemly if, fitting the
reality to
Eran. — The expression " thou hast not the type, we declare that God the Word
"
withheld refers to the readiness of Abraham, suffered and came to life agrain.
for he was ready to sacrifice the lad, but Orth. — I have said again and
again that
God prevented it. it is
quite impossible for the type to match
Orth. —
Well in the story of Abraham
;
the archetypal reality in every respect, and
you were not content with the letter, but this may also be easily understood in the
unfolded it and made the meaning clear. present instance. Isaac and the lamb, as
In pi'ecisely the same manner examine the touching the difference of their natures,
meaning of the words of the Apostle. You suit the image, but as touching the
seiâration
will then see that it was by no means the of their divided persons^ they do so no longer.
divine nature which was not withheld, but We preach so close an union of Godhead
the flesh nailed to the Cross. And it is and of manhood as to understand one person ^
easy to perceive the truth even in the type. undivided, and to acknowledge the same to
Do you regard Abraham's sacrifice as a be both God and man, visible and invisible,
type of the oblation offered on behalf of the circumscribed and uncircumscribed, and we
world } apply to one of the persons all the attributes
Era7i. —
Not at all, nor yet can I make which are indicative alike of Godhead and of
words spoken rhetorically in the churches manhood. Now since the lamb, an unreason-
a rule of faith. ing being, and not gifted with the divine
Orth. —
You ought by all means to follow image,* could not possibly prefigure the res-
teachers of the Church, but, since you im- toration to life, the two divide between them
properly oppose yourself to these, hear the the type of the mystery of the oeconomy, and
Saviour Himself when addressing the Jews while one furnishes the image of death, the
;
*'
Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my other supplies that of the resurrection. We
day and he saw it and was glad."-^ Note find precisely the same thing in the Mosaic
that the Lord calls His passion " a day." sacrifices, for in them too may be seen a
Eran. —
I accept the Lord's
testimony 1 The sacrifice of Isaac so far as his father's
part in it is
and do not doubt the type.
Orth. — concerned is regarded as having actually taken place at the
Now compare the type with the moment toofMount
journey
his felt willingness to obey. In the interval of the
Moriah Isaac is dead to his father.
reality and you will see the impassibility of 2 ^
UTTOCTTacrt?. TTfi6(TljiTrOV.
* It is to be noted that Theodoret thus
the Godhead even in the type. Both in the the divine apparently regards
image as consisting in the intelligence or A670S.
And in the implication that Isaac had the divine image he ex-
1 Rom. xiii. 32. 3
John viii. 56. presses the Scriptural view that this was marred, not lost, by
' Gen. xxii. 16. the fail.
VOL. III.
226 TIIEODORET.
type outlined in anticipation of the passion sinners to kids

^
and since He was ordained ;
of salvation. to undergo the passion not only on behalf of

Eran. —
What Mosaic sacrifice foreshad- just men, but also of sinners, He appropri-
ows the reality? ately foreshadows His own offering through
Orth. —
All the Old Testament, so to say, lambs and goats.
is a type of the New. It is for this reason Eran. ]?ut the type of the two
goats
—
that the divine Apostle plainly says " the leads us to think of two —
Law having a shadow of good things to Or.th.
persons.
The passibility of the manhood —
come " 1 and again " now all tlicse things hap- and the impassibility of the Godhead could
pened unto them for ensamples."- Tiic image not jDossibly be i^rcfigured both at once by
of the archetype is very distinctl\- exhibited In' one goat. The one which was slain could
the lamb slain in Egypt, and by the red heifer not have shewn the living nature. So two
burned without tlic camp, and moreover re- were taken in order to explain the two
ferred to by the Apostle in the Epistle to the natures. The same lesson may well be
" Wherefore learnt from another sacrifice.
Hebrews, where he writes
Jesus also that he might sanctify the people Eran. From which.? —
with his own blood, sutlcrcd without the Orth. From that in which the lawgriver —
gate."
3 bids two pure birds be ottered one to be —
But of this no more for the present. I slain, and the other, after having been dipped
will however mention the sacrifice in which in the blood of the slain, to be let go. Here
two goats were oficrcd, the one being slain, also we see a type of the Godhead and of the
and the other let go.** In these two goats manhood of the manhood slain and of the —
there is an anticipativc image of the two godhead appropriating the passion.
natures of the vSaviour in the one let go, ;
—
Eran. You have given us many types, —
of the impassible Godhead, in the one slain, but I object to enigmas.
of the passible manhood. Orth. Yet the divine Apostle says that —
Jiraii. —
Do you not think it irreverent to the narratives are types.- Ilagar is called a
liken the Lord to goats.'' type of the old covenant Sarah is likened
Orth. —
Which do you think is a fitter to the heavenly Jerusalem Ishmael is a
;
object of avoidance and hate, a serpent or a type of Israel, and Isaac of the new people.
goat vSo you must accuse the loud trumpet of the
Eran.
.''
—A
serpent is plainly hateful, for .Spirit for its
enigmas for us all.
it
injures those who come within its reach, Eran. —giving
Though you urge any number
and often hurts people who do it no harm. of arguments, you will never induce me to
A goat on the other hand comes, according divide the passion. I have heard the voice of
to the Law, in the list of animals that arc the angel saying to Mary and her companions,
"
clean and may be eaten. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." ^
Orth. — Now
hear the Lord likening the Orth. —
This is quite in accordance with
passion of salvation to the brazen serpent. our common customs we speak of the part
;
He says: "As Moses lifted up the serpent by the name which belongs to all the parts.
in the wilderness even so must the Son of When we go into the churches where arc
man be lifted up that whosoever believeth
: buried the holy apostles or prophets or
in Him should not perish, but have eternal " Who
" *
martyrs, we ask from time "to time,
life. If a brazen serpent was a type of is it who lies in the shrine } and those who
the crucified Saviour, of what impropriety are able to give us information say in reply,
arc we guilty in comparing the passion of Thomas, it may be, the Apostle,'* or John
salvation with the sacrifice of the goats.'' the Baptist,^ or Stephen the protomartyr,® or
Eran. —
Because John called the Lord any other of the saints, mentioning them by
" a " lamb"
lamb," and Isaiah called Him
"
name, though perhaps only a few scanty
and " sheep." ' relics of them lie here. But no one who
Orth. —
But the blessed Paul calls Him hears these names which are common to
"sin"** and "curse."" As curse therefore both body and soul will imagine that the
He satisfies the type of the accursed serpent ;
souls also are shut up in the chests every- ;
as sin He explains the figure of the sacrifice body knows that the chests contain only the
of the goats, for on behalf of sin, in the Law, a bodies or even small portions of the bodies.
goat, and not a lamb, was oflcred. So the Lord
in the Gospels likened the just to lambs, but 1 Matt. XXV. 32. 2 Gal. iv. 24 et scqq. ' Matt, xxviii. 6.
< St. Thomas was buried at Edessa. Soc. iv. iS, Chrys.
Ilom. in Heb. 26.
MIcb. X. I. * Lev. xvi. ' Is. liii. 7. " Vide p. 96.
2 Cnr. X. II. Stephen's remains were said to have been found at
I ' iii. 8 II. ("i>r. V. 21. " St.
Jnlin 14, 15.
"
Jerusalcin, :md widely dispersi'd. cf. Diet. Christ. Ant. II. 1929.
•^
lib. xiii. 12. " Gnl.
I
John i.
29, jCi. iii. 13.
DIALOGUES. 227-
The holy angel spoke in precisely the same Jesus and wound it in linen clothes with the
manner when he described the body by the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
name of the person. Now in the place where He was crucified
Eran. —
But how can you prove that the there was a garden and in the garden a new ;
angel spoke to the women about the Lord's sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
body ? There laid they Jesus therefore because of the
Orth. — In the place, the tomb itself Jews' preparation day, for the sepulchre was
first
suffices to settle the question, for to a tomb nigh at hand." ^ Observe how often mention
is committed neither soul nor Godhead is made of the body how the Evangelist ;
whose nature is uncircumscribed tombs shows that it was the body which was nailed
;
are made for bodies. Furthermore this is to the cross, the body begged by Joseph of
plainly taught by the divine Scripture, for Pilate, the body taken down from the tree,
so the holy Matthew narrates the event, the body wrapped in linen clothes with the
"When the even was come there came a myrrh and aloes, and then the name of the
rich man of Arimathrea named Joseph who person given to it and Jesus said to have ;
also himself was Jesus' disciple : he went been laid in a tomb. Thus the angel said,
to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. " Come see the place where the Lord ^
lay,"
Then Pilate commanded the body to be naming the part by the name of the whole ;
delivered, and when Joseph had taken the and we constantly do just the same. In this
body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, place, we say, such an one was buried not ;
and laid it in his own new tomb, which he the body of such an one. Every one in his
had hewn out in the rock and he rolled a senses knows that we are speaking of the
:
great stone to the door of the sepulchre and body, and such a mode of speech is custom-
departed."
^
See how often he mentions ary in divine Scripture. Aaron, wc read,
the body in order to stop the mouths of them died and they buried him on Mount Hor.^
who blaspheme the Godhead. The same Samuel died and they buried him at Ramali,'*
course is pursued by the thrice blessed Mark, and there are many similar instances. The
whose narrative I will also quote. " And same use is followed by the divine Apostle
now when the even was come, because it was when speaking of the death of the Lord.
the preparation, that is, the day before the " I delivered unto you first of all," he writes,
" that which I also received how that Christ
Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathtea, an honour-
able counsellor, which also waited for the died for our sins according to the Scriptures ;
kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly and that He was buried, and that He rose
unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. again the third day according to the Script-
And Pilate marvelled if He were already ures," ^ and so on.
dead and calling unto him the centurion, he
;
Eran. —
In the passages we have just now
asked him whether He had been any while read the Apostle does not mention a body,
dead. And when he knew it of the cen- but Christ the Saviour of us all. You have
turion, he gave the body to Joseph, and he brought evidence against your own side, and
brought fine linen, and took him down, and wounded with your own weapon.
wrapped Him in the linen, and laid in a Him Oith. —yourself
You seem have very quickly
to
^ and so on.
sepulchre," Observe with ad- forgotten long discourse in which I
the
miration, the harmony of terms, and how proved to you over and over again that the
consistently and continuously the word body body is spoken of by the name of the person.
is introduced. The illustrious Luke, too, This is what is now done by the divine
relates just in the same way how Joseph Apostle, and it can easily be proved from this
begged the body and after he had received very passage. Now let us look at it. Why
it treated it with due rites. ^ did the divine writer write thus to the Corin-
By" the divine
John we are told yet more, Joseph of thians ?
Arimathaâ being a disciple of Jesus, but Eran. — They had been deceived by some
secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate is no resurrection.
into believing that there
that he might take away the body of Jesus When
the teacher of the world learnt this he
;
and Pilate gave him leave. He came there- furnished them with his arguments about the
fore and took the body of Jesus. And there resurrection of the bodies.
came also Nicodemus, which at the first Orth. then does he introduce the — Why
came to Jesus by night, and brought a resurrection of the Lord, when he wishes to
mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred prove the resurrection of the bodies?
pound weight. Then took they the body of
^ I.
1
John xix. 3S-42. Sam. XXV. 1.
1
Matf. xxvii. S7-6o. * Luke xxiii. 50 et Seqq. 2 'M;itt. xxviii. 6. ^ I. Cor. XV. 3,4.
^
Mark xv. 43-46. s Dcut. X. 6.
Q 2
228 THEODORET.
Eran. — As sufficient to prove the resur- Orth. —-God forbid. On the contrary,
rection of us all. again and again confessed tliat He
we have
Orth. — In what is His death like the is not
only man but eternal God. But He
death of the rest, that by His resurrection sulTered as man, not as God. And this the
may be proved the resurrection of all ? divine Apostle clearly teaches us when he
Eran. —
The reason of the incarnation, says " For since by man came death, by
sutVering, and death of the only begotten Son man came also the resurrection of the
of God, was that lie might destroy death. dead." ^ And in his letter to the Thessa-
Thus, after rising, by His own resurrection lonians, he strengthens his argument con-
He preaches the resurrection of all. cerning the general resurrection by that of
Orth. —
But who, hearing of a resurrec- our Saviour in the passage " For if we be-
tion of God, would ever believe that the lieve that Jesus died and rose again, even
resurrection of all men would be exactly them also which sleep in Jesus will God
like it? The difVerence of the natures does bring with him." ^
not allow of our believinir in the argument Eran. The Apostle proves the general —
of the resurrection. He is God and they are resurrection by means of the Lord's resur-
men, and the ditt'erencc between God and rection, and it is clear that in this case also
men is incalculable. They are mortal, and what died and rose was a body. For he
subject to death, like to the grass and to the would never have attemjDted to prove the
flower. He is almighty. resurrection by its means luiless
Eran. — But His incarnation God
after
general
there had been some relation between the
the Word had a body, and through this He substance of the one and the other. I shall
proved His likeness to men. never consent to apply the passion to the
Orth. —
Yes and for this reason the
;
human nature alone. It seems agreeable to
su fieri ng and the death and the resurrection my view to say that God the Word died in
are all of the body, and in proof of this the the flesh.
divine Apostle in another place pi-omises re- have frequently shewn that
Orth. — We
newal of life to all, and to them that believe what
naturally immortal can in no way
is
in the resurrection of their Saviour, yet look die. If then He died He was not immortal ;
upon the general resurrection of all as a and what perils lie in the blasphemy of the
" Now
Christ be words.
fable, he exclaims, if
preached that He rose from the dead, how Eran. He is by nature immortal, but —
say some among you that there is no resiu- He became man and suft'ered.
rection of tlie dead.'' But if there is no Orth. Therefore He underwent change, —
resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not for how otherwise could He being immortal
risen, and if Christ be not risen submit to death But we have agreed that .''
your foith is vain, you are yet in your sins." the substance of the Trinity is immutable.
^
And from the past he confirms the future, Having therefore a nature superior to
and from what is disbelieved he disproves change, He by no means shared death.
what is believed, for he says, If the one Eran. The divine Peter says "Christ —
seems impossible to you, then the otlier will hath suftered for us in the flesh." ^
be false if the one seems real and true, then
;
Orth. This agrees with what we have —
let the other in like manner seem true, for said, for we have learnt the rule of dogmas
here too a resurrection of the body is from the divine Scripture.
preached, and this body is called the first Eran. then can you deny that — How
fruits of those. The resurrection of this God the Word suffered in the flesh
—
.'*
body after many arguments he affirms di- Orth. Because we have not found this
" But now is Christ risen from the
expression in the divine Scripture.
rectly,
dead and become the firstfruits of them that Eran. But I have just quoted you the —
slept, for since by man came death, by man utterance of the great Peter.
came also the resurrection of the dead, for Orth. —
You seem to ignore the distinction
as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall of the terms.
all be made alive," ~ and he docs not only Eran. What terms.^ Do you not re- —
confirm the argument of the resurrection, but gard the Lord Christ as God the Word.?
also reveals the mystery of the OGConomy. Orth. The term Christ in the case of —
He calls Christ man that he may prove the our Lord and Saviour signifies the incarnate
remedy to be appropriate to the disease. Word, the Immanuel, God with us,'' both
Eran. —
Then the Christ is only a man. God and man, but the term "God the
8 I. Pet-cr iv.i.
'
I. Cor. XV. 21.
• I. Cor. XV. 12, i,^, 17.
' I. Cor. XV. 21, 23.
= I. Thess. iv. 14, < Matt. i.
23.
DIALOGUES. 229
Word " so said signifies the simple nature, same caution in the case of the passion of
before the world, superior to time, and incor- salvation ;
do you too avoid the divine all
poreal. Wherefore the Holy Ghost that names which Scripture has avoided in the
spake through the holy Apostles nowhere at- case of the passion, and do not attribute the
tributes passion or death to this name. passion to them.
Eran. —
If the passion is attributed to Eran. — What names.?
the Christ, and God the Word after being Orth. — The passion never connected
is
made man was called Christ, I hold that he with the name " God."
who states God the Word to have suffered Eran. — But even do not affirm that God
I
in the flesh is in no way unreasonable. the Word suffered apart from a body, but
Orth. —
Hazardous and rash in the ex- say that He suffered in flesh.
treme is such an attempt. But let us look Orth. —
You affirm then a mode of pas-
at the question in this way. Does the divine sion, not impassibility. No one would ever
Scripture state God the Word to be of God say this even in the case of a human body. For
and of the Father.? who
not altogether out of his senses would
Eran. — True. say tliat the soul of Paul died in flesh.? This
Orth. — And itdescribes the Holy Ghost could never be said even in the case of a
as in like
being manner of God.'' great villain for the souls even of the wicked
Eran. — Agreed.
;
are immortal. We
say that such or such a
Orth. —
But it calls God the Word only murderer has been slain, but no one would
begotten Son. ever say that his soul had been killed in the
Eran. —
It does. flesh. But if we describe the souls of mur-
Orth. —
It nowhere so names the Holy derers and violators of sepulchres as free
Ghost. from death, far more is it to ac-
— No.
Eran. knowledge
right
immortal the soul of our
as
Orth. — Yet the Holy Ghost also has Its Saviour, in that it never tasted sin. If the
subsistence of the Father and God. souls of them who have most greatly e'-red
Eran. — True. have escaped death on account of their
Orth. — We grant then that both the Son nature, how could that soul, whose nature
and the Holy Ghost are both of God the was immortal and who never received the
Father but would you dare to call the Holy least taint of sin, have taken death's hook.?
;
Ghost Son.-* Eran. —

It is quite useless for you to give
— Certainly
Eran. not. me allthese long arguments. We are
Or///.— Why.? agreed that the soul of the Saviour is im-
Eran. — Because do not
I term
find this mortal.
in the divine Scripture. Orth. —
But of what punishment are you
Oi-th.— Or begotten.? not deserving, you who say that the soul,
Eran. — No. which is by nature created, is immortal, and
Orth. — Wherefore are for making the divine substance mortal
Eran. — Because no more learn
.?
I this in for the Word you who deny that the soul
;
the divine Scripture. of the Saviour tasted death in the flesh, and
Orth. — But what name can properly be dare to maintain that God the Word, Creator
given to that which is neither begotten nor of all things, underwent the passion.?
created Eran. — We
say that He underwent the
— We
.?
Eran. uncreated and un-

begotten.
style it passion
Orth. —
impassibly.
And what man in his senses
Orth. —
And we say that the Holy Ghost would ever put up with such ridiculous
is neither created nor begotten. riddles.? Who
ever heard of an impassible
Eran. —
By no means. passion, or of an immortal mortality.? The
Orth. —
Would you then dare to call the impassible has never undergone passion, and
Holy Ghost unbegotten what has undergone passion could not
Eran. —
No.
.?
possibly be impassible. But we hear the

Orth. —
But why refuse to call that which exclamation of the divine Paul " : Who
is naturally uncreate, but not begotten, un- only hath immortality dwelling in the light
begotten which no man can approach unto." ^

Eran. —
.?
Because I have not learnt so Eran. — Why

then do we say that the
from the divine Scripture, and I am greatly invisible powers too and the souls of men,
afraid of saying or using language which aye and the very devils, are immortal .?
Scripture does not use.

Orth. —
Then, my good sir, I maintain the 1 1. Tim. vi,
16.
230 THEODORET.
Orth. — Wc that God is ab- body but are not able to kill the soul."
do say so ;
If '
solutely immortal. immortal not by then we deny that the soul of the Saviour
lie is
partaking of substance, but in substance shared death with the body, how could any
;
He does not iôssess an immortality which one accept the blasphemy you and your
He has received of another. It is He Him- friends presumptuously promulgate when
self who has l)cstovved their immortality on you dare to say tliat the divine nature partici-
the angels and on them that thou hast just pated in death.'' This is the moie inex-
now mentioned. How, moreover, when the cusable when the Lord points out at one
divine Paul styles Him immortal and says time that the body- was being offered, at
that He only hath immortality, can you another that the soul was being troubled.'^
attribute to Him the passion of death Eran. —
And where doth the Lord shew
— We
.''
Rran. say that He tasted death that the body was being offered.'' Or are
after the incarnation. you going to bring me once more tliat well
Orth. — But over and over again we have worn passage " Destroy this temple and in
confessed Him immutable. If being pre- three days I will raise it up".'''' Or with
viously immortal He afterwards underwent your conceited self-sufficiency are you going
death through the flesh, a change having to quote me the words of the Evangelist?
" But He
preceded His undergoing death if His life ; spake of the temple of his body.
left Him for three days and three nights, how When therefore He was risen from the dead
do such statements fall short of the most His disciples remembered that He had said
extreme impiety.'' For I think that not this unto them and they believed the
even they that are struggling against impiety Scripture and the words which He had
'
can venture to let such words fall from their said."
without Orth. —
If you have such a detestation of
lips
Eran. — peril.
Cease from charging us with the divine words which preach the mystery
impiety. Even we say that not the divine of the incarnation, why, like Marcion and
nature suflered but the human but we do Valentinus and Manes, do you not destroy
;
say that the divine shared with the body in texts of this kind For this is what they
.?
have done. But if this seems to you rash

suffering.
Orth. — What can yon mean by sharing and impious, do not turn the Lord's words
in sullering.'' Do you mean that when the into ridicule, but rather follow the Apostles
nails were driven into the body the divine in their belief after the resurrection that the
nature felt the sense of pain.? Godhead raised again the temple which the
Eran. — do.
I Jews had
Orth. — Both now and in our former in- Eran. —destroyed.
you have
If any good evidence
vestigations we have shewn that the soul to adduce, give over gibing and fuHll your
does not share all the faculties of the body promise.
but that the body while it receives vital force Orth.
;
—
Remember specially those words
has the sense of suffering through the soul. of the gospels in which the Lord made a
And even supposing us to grant that the comparison between manna and the true
soul shares in pain with the body we shall bread.
none the less find the divine nature to be Eran. I remember.—
impassible, for it was not united to the body Orth. —
In that passage after speaking
instead of a soul. Or do you not acknowl- at some length about the bread of life,
edge that He assumed a soul.'' he adtled, " The bread that I will o-ive is
Eran. — I have often acknowledged it. my flesh which I will give for the life of the
Orth. —And that He assumed a reason- world." " In these words may be under-
able Soul ? stood alike the l)ounty of the Godhead and
Eran. — Yes. the boon of the flesh.
Orth. —If then together with the body Eran. —
One quotation is not enough to
He assumed tlie soid, and wc grant tliat the settle the question.
soul shared in suflering with the botly, then Orth. —
The Ethiopian eunuch had not
the soul, not the Godhead, shared the passion read much of the Bible, but when he had
with the body it shared the passion, receiv- found one witness from the prophets he was
;
ing pangs by means of the body. But pos- guided by it to salvation. But not all
sibly somebody might agree to the soul Apostles and prophets and all the preachers
sharing suffering with the body, but might of the truth who have lived since then are
deny its sharing death, because of its having
an immortal nature. On this account the '
M;ltt. X. 2S. *
John ii. ig.
5
Lord said " Fear not them which kill the Ilcb.X. lO. ''John ii. 21. 22.
3 vi. 21.
Joliii xii. 27.
<!
John
DIALOGUES. 231
enough to convince you. Nevertheless I be questioner, and do you answer as becomes

will bring you some furthei* testimony about a lover of the truth.
the Lord's body. You cannot but know Eran. —
that passage in the Gospel history where, Orth. — When answer.
I will
the Holy Ghost came
after eating the passover with His disciples, down upon
the Apostles, and that wonderful
cur Lord pointed to the death of the typical sight and sound collected thousands to the
lamb and taught what body corresponded house, what did the chief of the apostles in
with that shadow. 1 the speech he then made say concerning the
Eraii. —
Yes I know it. Lord's resurrection?
Orth. —
Remember then what it was Eran. He quoted the divine David, and —
which our Lord took and broke, and what said that he had received promises from God
He called it when He had taken it. that the Lord Christ should be born of the
Eran. —
I will answer in mystic language fruit of his loins and that in trust in these
for the sake of the uninitiated. After taking promises he prophetically foresaw His resur-
and breaking it and giving it to His disciples rection, and plainly said that His soul was
He said, " This is my body which was given not left in Hades and that His flesh did not
"
for you or according to the apostle see corruption.^
'^
"broken"^ and again, "This is my blood Orth. His resurrection therefore is of —

of the New Testament which is shed for these.
many."
**
Eran. can any one in his senses — How
Orth. —
Then when exhibiting the type say that there is a resurrection of the soul
of the passion He did not mention the God- which never died?
head ? Orth. comes it that you who attrib- — How
Eran. —
No. ute the passion, the death and the resurrec-
Orth. —
But He did mention the body and tion to the immutable and uncircumscribed
blood. Godhead have suddenly appeared before us in
Eran.— Yes. your right mind and now object to connect-
—
Orth. And the body was nailed to the ing the word resurrection with the soul?
Cross ? Eran. Because the word resurrection is —
Eran. — Even so. applicable to what has fallen.
Orth. — Come, then look at this. When
;
Orth. But the body does not obtain re- —
after the resurrection the doors were shut surrection apart from a soul, but being re-
and the Lord came to the holy disciples and newed by the divine will, and conjoined with
beheld them affrighted, what means did He its yokefellow, it receives life. Was it not
use to destroy their fear and instead of fear thus that the Lord raised Lazarus ?
to infuse faith ? Eran. It is plain that not the body alone—
Eran. — He
said to them "Behold my rises.
hands and my feet that it is I myself; handle Orth. This is more distinctly taught by —
me and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and the divine Ezekiel,- for he points out how the
*
bones as ye see me have." Lord commanded the bones to come together,
Orth.— So when they disbelieved He and how all of them were duly fitted together,
shewed them the body? and how He made sinews and veins and ar-
Eran. — He did. teries grow with all the flesh pertaining to
Orth.— Therefore the body rose? them and the skin that clothes them all, and
Eran. — then ordered the souls to come back to their
Orth.— Clearly.
And I suppose what rose wâs own bodies.
what had died? Eran. — This is true.
Eran. — Even so. Orth. — But the Lord's body did not un-
Orth. —And what had died was what dergo this corruption, but remained unim-
was nailed to the cross? paired, and on the third day recovered its
Eran. — Of own soul.
Orth. — Then according — Agreed.
necessity.
your own to ar- Eran.
gument body suffered?
the Orth. — Then the death was of what had
Eran. — Your of argumentsseries forces suffered ?
us conclusion.
to this Eran. — Without question.
Orth. — Consider Now this too. I will Orth. — And when the great Peter men-
tioned the resurrection, and the divine David
1
Matt. xvii. 26. Mark xiv. 22. Luke xxii. 19. I. Cor. xi. 24. too, they said that His soul was not left in
2 Luke xxii. 19. ^ I. Cor. xi.
24.
* Matt. xxvi. 28 and Mark xiv. 24. 1 Acts ii. 20 et seqq. aad Ps. xvi. 10.
* Luke xxiv. 39. 2 £2. xxxvii. 7 et seq^.
232 THEODORET.
Hell, but that His body did not undergo cor- Eran. — He did.
ruption ? Orth. — But what
in sense are we to re-
JEran. — They did. gard him as brother? By relationship of
Ori/i. — Thenit was not the Godhead His godhead or of His manhood.^
which underwent death, but the body by sev- Eran. —
I will not consent to divide the
erance from the soul ? united natures.
Eran. —
I cannot brook these absurdities. Orth. —
But you have often divided them
Orth. —
But you are fighting against your in our previous investigations, and you shall
own arguments it is your own words which do the same thing now. Tell me do you say
; ;
you are calling absurd. that God the Word was only begotten Son }
Eran. —
You slander me; not one of Eran. I do. —
these words is mine. Orth. —
And only begotten means only
Orth. —
Suppose any one to ask what is Son.
the animal which is at once reasonable and Eran. —
Certainly.
mortal, and suppose some one else to answer, Orth. —
And the only begotten cannot
— man which of the two would you call have a brother.''
;
interpreter of the saying.'' The questioner Eran. —

Of course not, for if He had had
or the answerer.'' a brother He would not be called the only
Eran. —
The answerer.
Orth. —
Then I was quite right in calling
begotten.
Orth. —
Then they were wrong in calling
the arguments yours.'* For you, I ween, in James the brother of the Lord. For the
your answers, by rejecting some points and Lord was only begotten, and the only begot-
accepting others, confirmed them. ten cannot have a brother.
Eran. —
Then I will not answer any Eran. —
No, but the Lord is not incor-
longer do you answer. poreal and the proclaimers of the truth are
;
Orth. —
I will answer.
referring only to what touches the godhead.
Eran. —
What do you say to those words Orth. —
How then would you prove the
of the Apostle " Had they known it they word of the apostle true.''
would not have crucified the Lord of Eran. —
By saying that James was of kin
glory ".? in this passage he mentions neither with the Lord according to the flesh.
1
body nor soul. Orth. —

See how you have brought in
Orth. —
Therefore you must not jDut the again that division which you object to.
words " in the flesh in it,
" —
for this is your Eran. —
It was not possible to
explain
ingenious invention for decrying the Godhead the kinshij^ in any other way.
of the Word —
but must attribute the passion Orth. —
Then do not find fiuilt with those
to the bare Godhead of the Word. who cannot explain similar difliculties in any
Eran. —
No; no. He sufiered in the other way.
flesh, but His incorporeal nature was not Eran. —
Now you are getting the argu-
capal)le of sufiering by itself. ment ofl' the track because you want to shirk
Orth. —
Ah! but nothing must be added the question.
to the Apostle's words. Orth. —
Not at all, my friend. That will
Eran. —
When we know the Apostle's be settled too by the points we have investi-
meaning there is nothing absurd in adding gated. Now look when you were re- ;
what is left out. minded of James the brother of the Lord,

Orth. —
But to add anything to the divine you said that the relationship referred not to
words is wild and rash. To explain what the Godhead but to the flesh.
is written and reveal the hidden meaning: is Eran. I did. —
holy and pious. Orth. —
Well, now that you are told of
Eran. — the passion of the cross, refer this too to the
Orth. — We
Qiiite right.
two then shall do nothing flesh.
unreasonable and unholy in examining the Eran. —
The Apostle called the crucified
mind of the Scriptures. " Lord of '
and the same Apostle
Glory,"
Eran. —
No. called the Lord " brother of James."
—
Orth. Let us then look together into Orth. —
And it is the same Lord in both
what seems to be hidden. cases. If then you are right in referring the
Eran. — By all means. relationship to the flesh you must also refer
Orth. —
Did the great Paul call the divine the passion to the flesh, for it is perfectly
James the Lord's brother } ^ ridiculous to regard the relationship without
U.Cor. ii.S. -
Gal. i. 19.
» I.
Cor. ii.S.
DIALOGUES. 233
distinction and to refer the passion to Christ since, as we know, a body is described as
without distinction. belonging to this latter.
Eran. —
I follow the Apostle who calls Now
let us examine the matter thus. The
the crucified " Lord of glory." words of the divine Apostle are " Had they
Orth. —
I follow too, and believe that He known it they would not have crucified the
was "Lord of glory." For the body which Lord of Glory." 1 They crucified the nature
was nailed to the wood was not that of any which they knew, not that of which they were
common man but of the Lord of glory. But wholly ignorant had they known that of :
we must acknowledge that the union makes which they were ignorant they would not
the names common. Once more do you have crucified that which they knew they
: :
say that the flesh of the Lord came down crucified the human because they were igno-
from heaven.'' rant of the divine. Have you forgotten their
Eran. —
Of course not. own words. " For a good work we stone
Orth. —
But was formed in the Virgin's thee not but for blasphemy, and because that
womb } thou, being a man, makest thyself God."
^
Eran. —
Yes. These words are a plain proof that they
Orth. —
How, then, does the Lord say recognised the nature they saw, while of
" If
ye shall see the Son of man ascend up the invisible they were wholly ignorant had :
where He was before," ^ and again " No man they known that nature they would not have
hath ascended up to heaven but He that crucified the Lord of glory.
came down from heaven, even the Son of Eran. —
That is very probable, but the
man which is in heaven " ^ exposition of the faith laid down by the
Eran. — .'*
He is speaking not of the flesh, Fathers in council at Nicaea says that

but of the Godhead. the only begotten Himself, very God, of one
Orth. —
Yes ; but the Godhead is of the substance with the Father, suffered and was
God and Father. How
then does He call crucified.
him Son of man.'* Orth. — seem forget what we have
You to
Eran. —
The peculiar properties of and again.
the agreed on again
natures are shared by the person, for on ac- Eran. — What do you mean?
count of the union the same being is both I Orth. —
after mean that the imion the
Son of man and Son of God, everlasting holy Scripture applies to one person terms
and of time, Son of David and Lord of both of exaltation and of humiliation. But
David, and so on with the I'est. possibly you are also ignorant that the illus-
Orth. —
Very right. But it is also im- trious Fathers first mentioned His taking
portant to recognise the fact that no confu- ffesh and being made man, and then after-
sion of natures results from both having one wards added that He suffered and was cruci-
name. Wherefore we are endeavouring to fied, and thus spoke of the passion after they
distinguish how the same being is Son of had set forth the nature capable of passion.
God and also Son of man, and how He is Eran. —
The Fathers said that the Son of
" the same
yesterday, to-day, and for God, Light of Light, of the substance of the
3 and
ever," by the reverent distinction of Father, suffered and was crucified.
terms we find that the contradictions are in Orth. —
I have observed more than once
agreement. that both the Divine and the human are

Eran. —
You are right. ascribed to the one Person. It is in accord-
Orth. — You say that the divine nature ance with this position that the thrice blessed
came down from heaven and that in conse- Fathers, after teaching how we should believe
quence of the union it was called the Son of in the Father, and then passing on to the
man. Thus it behoves us to say that the person of the Son, did not immediately add
flesh was nailed to the tree, but to hold that " and in the Son of God," although it would
the divine nature even on the cross and in have very naturally followed that after de-
the tomb was inseparable from this flesh, fining what touches God the Father they
though from it it derived no sense of suffer- should straightway have introduced the
ing, since the divine nature is naturally in- name of Son. But their object was to give
capable of undergoing both suffering and us at one and the same time instruction on
death and its substance is immortal and im- the theology and on the ceconomy,^ lest there
passible. It is in this sense that the crucified should be supposed to be any distinction
is
styled Lord of Glory, by attribution of the between the Person of the Godhead and the
title of the
impassible nature to the passible. Person of the Manhood. On this account
3
U.Cor. ii.8. Vide note on page 72.
' ^
John vi. 63. iii. 13. Heb.
•John xiii. S. 'John X.33.
234 THEODORET.
they added to their statement concerning the

I
bounds of the Church, and cut off' like rotten
Father that \vc must believe also in our Lord ;
limbs from the sound body. We therefore
Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Now after exhort you to fear the punishment and abhor
the incarnation the Word is called
God the blasphemy.
Christ, for this name includes alike all that Now I will show you that in their own
is proper to the Godhead and to the man- writings the holy Fathers have held the opin-
hood. We
recognise nevertheless that some ions we have expressed. Of tlie witnesses I
properties belong to the one nature and shall bring forward some took part in that
some to the other, and this may at once be great Council some flourished in the Church
;
understood from the actual terms of the after their time some illuminated the world
;
Creed. For tell me to what do you apply

:
long before. But their harmony is broken
the phrase " of the substance of the Father".^ neither by dilVerence of periods nor by diver-
to the Godhead, or to the nature that was sity of language like the harp their strings
;
fashioned of the seed of David.'' are several and separate but like the harp they
Eran. — To the Godhead, as plain. is make one harmonious music.
Orth. —" And the clause " Veiy God of Eran. —
I was anxious for and shall be
very God which do you hold this be- delighted at such citations. Instruction of
;
to
longs, to the Godhead or to the manhood.'* this kind cannot be gainsaid, and is most
Eran. —
To the Godhead. useful.
Orth. —
Therefore neither the flesh nor Orth. Now open your ears and receive — ;
the soul of one substance with the Father, the streams

is that flow from the spiritual
for they are created, but the Godhead which springs.
formed all things.
Testimony of the holy Ignatius., bishop of
Eran. — True. and martyr.Antioch.,
Orth. —
Very well, then. And when we From his Epistle to the Smyrnaeans :
—
are told of passion and of the cross we must "They do not admit Eucharists and obla-
recognise the nature which submitted to the tions, because they do not confess the Eucha-
))assion we must avoid attributing it to the rist to be flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ
;
impassible, and must attribute it to that which suffered for our sins and which of His
nature which was assumed for the distinct goodness the Father raised." ^
piu^pose of suffering. The acknowledgment Testimony of Ircna:us., bishop of Lyons.
on the part of the most excellent Fathers that From his third book against heresies (Chap.
the divine nature was impassible and their XX.):-
;
attribution of the passion to the flesh is "It is clear then that Paul knew no other
proved by the conclusion of the creed, which Christ save Him that suffered and was
runs " But tliey who state there was a time buried and rose and was born, whom he calls
when He was not, and before He was begot- man, for after saying, If Christ be preached '
ten He was not, and He was made out of the that He rose from the dead,'- he adds,
giving
non-existent, or who allege that the Son of the reason of His incarnation, For since by
'
God was of another essence or substance man came death by man came also the re-
mutable or variable, these the holy catholic surrection of the dead,' and on all occasions "^
and apostolic Church anathematizes." See in reference to the passion, the manhood and
then what penalties are denounced against the dissolution of the Lord, he uses the name
them that attribute the passion to the divine of Christ as in the text, Destroy not him '
nature.^ with thy meat for whom Christ died,' * and

Eran. They— are speaking in this place again, But now in Christ ye who sometimes
'
of mutation and variation. were far off' are made nigh in the blood of
Orth. — "
But what is the passion but muta- Christ,' and again, Christ hath redeemed '•
tion and variation.'' For if, being impassible us from the curse of the law, being made a
before His incarnation. He suffered after His
incarnation, He assuredly suffered by under- 'The quotation is not quite exact, " "EirYapto-Tias koX Trpoo--
"
<t>opai oOk aiToSexovTai. being' substituted for tvxapi.<Tria'; kol
going mutation and if being immortal before TTpo<Ttvxfi<; airexovTaL. Bp.
;
I>ightfoot (Ap. Fath. II. 307) ii.
"
He became man, He tasted death, as you say, notes, the argument is much tlie same as Tertullian's airainst
the Docctism of Marcion (adv. Marc. iv. 40), 'Aerr/>liim
after being made man. He underwent a com- t>anem el distributum discipulis corpus sicuin ilium fecit.
Hoc est corpus meuvt dicendo, id est Jiôura iiiei corporis.
plete alteration by being made mortal after Fisûra aulem nan fnissct, nisi veritatis esset corpus, cetcrum
immortal. But of this vacua res quod est phantasma, figuram capere non posset.'
being expressions kind, The Eucharist
implies the reality of Clirist's flesh. To those
and their authors with them, have all been who deny this reality it has no meaninsif at all to tliem Christ's ;
words of instituticm are false; it is in no sense the flesh

expelled by the illustrious Fathers from the of Christ." Cf. Ircn. iv. iS, 5.
2 1. Cor. XV. 12. 3 I. Cor. XV. ai.
* Rom. xiv. 15.
>
See the Creed as published by the Council, p. 50.
^
Epbes. ii. 13. Observe slight differences.
DIALOGUES. 235
curse for us for it is written, Cursed

: touch the power, for the bones are the power
IS
every one that hangeth on a tree.'" of the body."

^
Of the same from the same work. (Chap- Testimony of the holy Eustathius, bisliop
ter xxi.) :
— of Antioch, and confessor.
" For as He was Man that He
might be From his book on the soul :
—
tempted, so was He Word that He might "Their impious calumny can be refuted in
g,ht, unless He
be glorified. In His temptation, His cruci- a few words they may be ricj ;
fixionand His dying, the Word was involuntarily gave up His own body to the
operative but in His victory, His patience,
;
destruction of death for the sake of the salva-
His goodness, His resurrection and His as- tion of men. First of all they attribute to
sumption it was co-operative with the man- Him extraordinary infirmity in not being-
hood." able to repel His enemies' assault."
Of the same from the fifth book of the Of the same from the same book —
same work :
— "
Why do they, in the concoction of their
:
" When with His own blood the Lord had earth-born deceits, make much of proving
ransomed us, and given His soul on behalf that the Christ assumed a body without a
of our souls, and His flesh instead of our soul.? In order that if they could seduce
any
flesh." to lay down that this is the case, then,
by at-
The testimony of the holy Hippolytus^ tributing to the divine Spirit variations of
bishop and martyr. affection, they might easily persuade them
From his letter to a certain Queen :
— that the mutable is not begotten of the im-
"So he calls Him The firstfruits of them '
mutable nature."
that slept,' and The first born of the
'-^ '
Of the same from his discourse on "the
dead.' ^ When He had risen and was wish- Lord created me in the beginning of His
ful to show that what had risen was the ways
"
:
1 —
same body which died, when the Apostles " The man
Who died rose on the third day,
doubted, He called to Him Thomas and and, when Mary was eager to lay hold of His
said ' Handle me and see for a spirit hath holy limbs, He objected, and cried ' Touch me
;
not flesh and bones as ye see me have.' " * not.2 For I am not yet ascended to my Father
•
Of the same from the same letter —
but go to my brethren and say unto them, I
:
;
"
By calling Him firstfruits He bore wit- ascend unto my Father and your Father and to
ness to what we have said, that the Saviour, my God and your God.' ^ Now the words ' I
after taking the flesh of the same material, am not yet ascended to my Father,' were not
raised it, making it firstfruits of the flesh of spoken by the Word and God, who came down
the just, in order that all we that believe from heaven, and was in the bosom of the
might have expectation of our resurrection Father, nor by the Wisdom which contains all
through trust in Him that is risen." created things, but were uttered by the man
Of the same from his discourse on the two who was compacted of various limbs, who had
thieves —
: risen from the dead, who had not yet after His
" The
body of the Lord gave both to the death gone back to the Father, and was re-
world, —
the holy blood and the sacred water." serving for Himself the first fruits of His
Of the same from the same discourse progress." :
—
" And the
body being, humanly speaking, Of the same from the same work :
—
a corpse, has in itself great power of life, for " As he writes he
theexpressly describes
there flowed from it what does not flow from man who was crucified as Lord of Glory,
de-
dead bodies —
blood and water, —
that we claring Him to be Lord and Christ, just as the
might know what vital force lies in the in- Apostles with one voice when speaking to
dwelling power in the body, so that it is a Israel in the flesh say Therefore let all the
'
corpse evidently unlike others, and is able to house of Israel know assuredly that God hath
pour forth for us causes of life."
*
made that same Jesus, ye have cruci- Whom
Of the same from the same discourse
" Not a bone of the
—
fied, both Lord and Christ.'
:
*
He so made
holy Lamb is broken. Jesus Christ who suffered. He did not so
The type shews that the passion cannot make the Wisdom nor yet the Word who has
the might of dominion from the beginning, but
Gal. iii. 13 and Deut. xxi. 23.
'
2 I. Cor. XV. 20.

sCoIoss. i. iS. Him who was lifted up on high and stretched
39. And for the application of these words
* cf. Luke xxiv.
out His hands upon the Cross."
to St. Thomas cf. page 210.
s The effusion of water and blood is
now well known to have
been a natural consequence of the " broken heart." On the rup-
—
ture of the heart the blood fills the pericardium, and then
coajû-
lates. The wound of the lance gave p;issage to the collected 1 Prov. viii. 22. Ixx.
blood and serum, cf. Dr. Stroud's '^Physical Cause of the - i.e. not to lay hold of me.
literally, try
Deathof Christ" first published in 1S47. 3John XX. 17.
*
Acts ii,
36.
236 THEODORET.
" For if He is
incorporeal and not subject of every man, and continued to do all that
to manual contact, nor apprehended by eyes God continually does, for the wisdom that is
of flesli, lie undergoes no wound, He is not on high is not prisoned and contained within
nailed l)y nails, He has no part in death, He bodily matter, just as moist and dry material
is not hidden in the ground. He is not shut are contained within their vessels and are
in a grave, He does not rise from a tomb." contained by but do not contain them. But
Of the same from the same book — : this wisdom, being a divine and inefiable
" No man taketh it from me.
'
I ... power, embraces and confirms alike all that
have power down and I have power is within and all that is without the temple,
to lay it
to take it again.' If as God He hatl the and thence proceeding beyond comprehends
*
double power. He yet yielded to them who and sways at once all matter."
were striving of evil counsel to destroy the Of the same from the same work :
—
" But if the sun
temple, but by His resurrection He restored it being a visible body, appre-
in greater splendour. It is proved by incon- hended by the senses, endures everywhere
trovertible evidence that He of Himself rose such adverse influences without changing its
and renewed His own house, and the great order, or feeling any blow, be it small or
work of the Son is to be ascribed to the great can we suppose the incorporeal Wis- ;
divine Father; for the Son does not work dom to be defiled and to change its nature
without the Father, as is declared in the un- because its temple is nailed to the cross or
impeachable utterances of the holy Scrip- destroyed or wounded or corrupted ? The
tures. Wherefore at one time the divine temple suffers, but the substance abides
Parent is described as having raised the without spot, and preserves its entire dignity
Christ from the dead, at another time the Son without defilement."
promises to raise His own temple. If then Of the same from his work on the titles of
from what has previously been laid down the the Psalms of Degrees: —
divine spirit of the Christ is proved to be " The Father who is
perfect, infinite, in-
impassible, in vain do the accursed assail the comprehensible, and is incapable alike of
apostolic definitions. If Paul says that the adornment or disfigurement, receives no ac-
Lord of Glory was crucified, clearly referring quired glory; nor yet does His Word, who
to the manhood, we must not on this account is God begotten of Him, through whom are
refer suffering to the divine. Why then do angels and heaven and earth's boundless
they put these two things together, saying that bulk and all the form and matter of created
the Christ was crucified from infirmity?" things but the man Christ raised from the
Of the same from same work
the :
— dead
;
exalted and glorified to the open dis-

is
But had it
'•'
been becoming to attribute
to comfiture of His foes."
Him any kind of infirmity, any one might Of the same from the same work
"
:
—
have said that it was natural to attach these They however who have lifted up hatred
equalities to the manhood, though not to the against Him, though they be fenced i"ound
fulness of tlie Godhead, or to the dignity of with the forces of His foes, are scattered
the highest wisdom, or to Him who accord- abroad, while the God and Word gloriously
ing to Paul is described as God over all." ^ raised His own temple."
Of the same from same book
the — Of the same from his interpretation of the
—
:
"This then is the manner of the infirmity 93nd Psalm :
according to which He is described by Paul "Moreover the prophet Isaiah following

as coming to death, for the man lives by God's the tracks of His sufferings, among other
power when plainly associated with God's utterances exclaims with a mighty voice 'And
spirit, since from the preceding statements we saw Him and He had no form nor beauty.
He who is believed to be in Him is proved to His form was dishonoured and rejected
be also the power of the Most High." among the sons of men,' thus distinctly ^
Of the same from the same —

showing that the marks of indignity and the
:
"As by entering the Virgin's womb He did sufierings must be applied to the human but
not lessen His power, so neither by the fast- not to the divine. And immediatelv after-
ening of His body to the wood of the cross is wards he adds ' Being a man under stroke,
His spirit defiled. For when the body was and able to bear infirmity.'- He it is who
crucified on liigh the divine Spirit of wisdom after suflering outrage was seen to have no
dwelt even within the body, trod in form or comeliness, then again was changed
heavenly places, filled all the earth, reigned and clothed with beauty, for the God dwell-
over the depths, visited and judged the soul ing in Him was not led like a lamb to death
' 1 *
'John X. iS. RotQ. ix. 5. Isaiah liii. 2, 3. Sept. Isaiah liii. 3. Sept.
DIALOGUES. 237
and slaughtered like a sheep, for His nature all the dead, and
quickened the man Christ
is invisible." Jesus, born of Mary, whom He assumed.
Testi7nony of the Holy Athanasius^ bishop For if while on the cross He raised corpses
'
of Alexandria^ and confessor. of the saints that had previously undergone

From his letter to Epictetus :
—
dissolution, much more can God the everliv-
" Whoever reached such a
pitch of impiety ing Word raise the body, which He wore,
as to think and say that the Godhead itself as says Paul, For the word of God is '
"
of one substance with the Father was cir- quick and ^ôwerful.' ^
cumcised, and from perfect became imper- Of the same from the same work :
—
and to deny that what was crucified " Life then does not
fect ; die, but quickens the
on the tree was the body, asserting it on the dead; for as the light is not injured in a
contrary to be the very creative substance of dark place, so life cannot suffer when it has
wisdom ? " visited a mortal nature, for the Godhead of
Of the same from the same treatise :
—
the Word is immutable and invariable as the
" The Word associated with Himself and Lord
says in the prophecy about Himself
brought upon Himself what the humanity I am the Lord I change not.'"^
'
of the Word suffered, that we might be able Of the same from the same work :
—
"
to share in the Godhead of the Word. And Living He cannot die but on the contrary
marvellous it was that the sufferer and He quickens the dead. He is therefore, by the
who did not suffer were the same sufferer in Godhead derived from the Father, a fount of
;
that His own body suffered and He was in it light but He that died, or rather rose from
;
while suffering, but not suffering because the the dead, our intercessor, who was born of
Word, being by nature God, was impassible. the Virgin Mary, whom the Godhead of the
And He Himself the incorporeal was in the Word assumed for our sake, is man."
passible body, and the body contained in Of the same from the same work :
—
" It came to
itself the impassible Word, destroying the pass that Lazarus fell sick and
infirmities of His body." died but the divine Man did not fall sick
Of the same from the same letter — ;
nor against His own will did He die, but of

:
" For
being God and Lord of Glory, He His own accord came to the dispensation of
was in the body ingloriously crucified but the death, being strengthened by God the Word
;
body suffered when smitten on the tree, and who dwelt within Him, and who said No
'
water and blood flowed from its side but man taketh it from me but I lay it down of
;
being temple of the Word, it was full of the myself. I have power to lay it down and
Godhead. Wherefore when the sun saw its I have power to take it again."* The God-
Creator suffering in His outraged body, it head then which lays down and takes the
drew in its rays, and darkened the earth. life of man which He wore is of the Son, for
And that very body with a mortal nature in its completeness He assumed the man-
rose superior to its own nature, on account hood, in order that in its completeness He
of the Word within it, and is no longer might quicken it, and, with it, the dead."
touched by its natural corruption, but clothed Of the same from his discourse against
with the superhuman Word, became incor- the Arians :
—
" When therefore the blessed Paul
ruptible." says the
Of the same from his greater discourse on Father ' raised the Son ' from the dead " ' '
the Faith :
— '
John tells us that Jesus said Destroy this
"Was what rose from the dead, man or temple and in three days I will raise it up
God ? Peter, the Apostle, who knows better but Lie spake of His own
'
than we, interprets and says, ' and when 'body.'" So it is clear to them that take
they had fulfilled all that was written of Him heed tliat at the raising of the body the Son
they took Him down from the tree and laid is said by Paul to have been raised from tlie
Him in a sepulchre, but God raised Him dead, for he refers what concerns the body
from the dead.' ^ Now the dead body of to the Son's person, and just so when he
' '
Jesus which was taken down from the tree, says the Father gave life to the Son
'
it
which had been laid in a sepulchre, and must be understood that the life was given to
entombed by Joseph of Arimathrea, is the the Flesh. For if He Himself is life how
"
very body which the Word raised, saying, can the life receive life.''
'
Destroy this temple, and in three days I
will raise it
up.'
^ It is He who quickens 1 But " after his resurrection "
appears to qualify the state,
mcnt '• arose " as well as " appeared " in Matt, xxviii. 53.
The 2 Hebrews iv. 12. Acts xiii. 30.
1
quotation seems to be a confusion between Acts ii. 24,
John ii. 19 and 21.
*
and Acts xiii. 29. Sic in Athan, Ed. Migne. II. 1030. 3 Malachi iii. 6.
*John iii. 19. *John X. iS. 'John v. 26.

2 38 THEODORET.
Of the same from his work on the Incar- Of the same from the same work :
' —
nation :
— " For the
body passion, as is the
in its
For wlien the Word was conscious that in

'•'
nature of bodies, died, but it had the prom-
no other way couhl tlie ruin of men be ise of incorruption through the Word that
undone save by death to the uttermost, and dwelt within it. For when the body died
it was impossible that the Word who is the Word was not injured but He was ;
ini'iiortal and Son of the Father shovdd Himself impassible, incorruptible, and im-
die, to etVect His end He assumes a body mortal, as being God's Word, and being as-
capable of death, that tliis body, being sociated with the body He kept from it the
united to the Word, who is<n-er all, might, in natin-al corruj^tion of bodies, as says the
the stead of all, become subject to death, and Spirit to Him '
thou wilt not suffer thy Holy
"
because of the indwelling Word might re- One to see corruption.' -
main incorruptible, and so by the grace of holy Da7nas7is^ 77/c testimony of the
the resurrection corruption for the futurebishop of Rome :
"^ —
" If
might lose its power over men. Thus offer- any one say that, in the passion of the
Cross, God the Son of God suflered pain, and
ing to death, as a sacrifice and victim free
from every spot, the bodv which He had not the flesh with the soul, which the form
assumed, by His corresponding otfcring He of the servant put on and assumed, as tlie
straightway destroyed death's power over Scripture saith. Let him be anathema."
all His kind for being the Word of God,
; Testimony of the holy Ambrosius^ bishop
above and beyond all men. He rightly of Milan.
offered and paid His own temple and bodily From his book on the Catholic faith :
—
instrument, as a ransom for all souls due to "•
There are some men who have reached
death. And
thus by means of the like such of impiety as to think that the
a })itch
(boily) being associated with all men, the Godhead of the Lord was circumcised, and
incorruptible Son of God rightly clothed all from perfect was made imperfect and that ;
men with incorruption by the promise of the the divine substance. Creator of all things,
resurrection, for the corruption inherent in and not the flesh, was on the tree."
death no longer has any place with men, for Of the same from the same work :
—
the sake of the Word who dwelt them by m "The flesh suflercd but the Godhead is ;
the means of the one body." free from death. He yielded His body to
— suffer according to the law of human nature.
" For how can God die, when the soul cannot
Wherefore, after His divine manifesta-
tions in His works, now also on behalf of all die? '
Fear not,' He says, them which kill '
"
He offered sacrifice, yielding to death His the body but are not able to kill the soul.'
own temple instead of all, tliat He might If then the soul cannot be slahi how can the
"
make all men irresponsible and free from Godhead be made subject to death .''
the ancient transsfrcssion. and, exhibitinof His Testimony of the holy Basilius, bishop of
own body as incorruptible flrstfruits of the CcBsarca :
—
"
resurrection of mankind, might shew Him- It perfectly well known to every one
is
self stronger tlian death. For the body, as who has the least acquaintance with the mean-
havinsf a common su])stance for it was a — ing of the words of the Apostle that he is not
human body, although by a new miracle its
delivering to us a mode of theology but is
constitutionwas of the Virgin alone — being explaining the reasons of the occonomy,'' for
mortal, died after tlie example of its like ;
he says ' God hath made that same Jesus
but by the descent of the Word into it no whom ye have crucified both Lord and
"
longer sutVered corruption, according to its Christ.' Thus he is plainly directing his
own nature, but, on account of God the Word argument to His human and visible nature."
who dwelt within it, was delivered from Testimony of the holy Gregorins., bishop
of Nazianz2is.
corruption."
Of the same from the same work — From his letter to the blessed Nectarius,
—
:
"
Whence, as I have said, since it was not bishop of Constantinople :
" The saddest

possible for the Word being immortal to die. thing in what lias befallen the
He took upon Himself a body capable of churches is the boldness of the utterances of
death, in order that He might ofVer this same Apollinarius and his party. I cannot under-
body for all, and He Himself in His suffer- stand how your Holiness has allowed them to
ing on behalf of all through His descent into
This passasfP is not fnund in the discourse on the Incnr-
this body might '
Him that hath the '
" destroy nalioii, lull a similar passage occurs in the third oration against
power of death.'
* Matt. x. 2^.
•
the Arians. Ed. Hen. p. 606.
- Ps. xvi. 10. ^ of. note on
p. 72.
ICpist. iii. Ad Paulinuni.
' 3 " Acts ii.
Heb. ii. 14. 36.
DIALOGUES. 239
arrogate to themselves the power of assem- alted with the Godhead, is not formed of
bling on the same terms with us." another material, but of ours so, just as in
And a little further on :
— the case of our own body, the operation of
;
" I will no
longer call this serious it is in- one of the senses moves to general sensa-
;
deed saddest of all that the only begotten tion the whole man united to that part, in
God Himself, Judge of all who exist, the like manner just as though all nature were
Prince of Life, the Destroyer of Death, is one single animal, the resurrection of the
made by him mortal and alleged to re- part pervades the whole, being conveyed
ceive suffering in His own Godhead. He from the part to the whole by what is con-
represents the Godhead to have shared with tinuous and united in nature. What then
the body in the dissolution of that three days' do we find extraordinary in the mystery
death of the body, and so after the death to that the upright stoops to the fallen to raise
"
have been again raised by the Father." up him that lies low.''
Of the same from his former exposition to Of the same from the same work —
—
:
Cledonius : "It would be natural also in this part not

" It is the contention of the Arians that the to heed the one and
neglect the other ])ut ;
manhood was without a soul, that they may in the immortal to behold the human, and
refer the passion to the Godhead and repre- to be curiously exact about the diviner
sent the same power as both moving the body quality in the manhood."
and suffering." Of the same from his work against Eu-
Of the same from his discourse about the nomius —
Son :
— :
" 'Tis not the human nature which raises

" It remained for us to treat of what was Lazarus to life. 'Tis not the impassible
commanded Him and of His keeping the power which sheds tears over the dead.
commandments and doing all things pleasing The tear belongs to the man the life comes ;
to Him and further of His perfection, ex- from the very life. The thousands are not
;
altation, and learning obedience by all that fed by human poverty omnipotence does ;
He suffered,! yL\^ priesthood, His offering. not hasten to the fig tree. was weary Who
His betrayal, His entreaty to Him that hath in the way, and who by His word sustains
power to save Him from death, His agony, all the world without being weary Wliat .^
His bloody sweat, His prayer and similar is the brightness of His glory, what was
manifestations, were it not clear to all that pierced by the nails WHiat form, is smitten
.^
all these expressions in connexion with His in the passion, what is glorified for ever-
Passion in no way signify the nature which lasting.^ The answer is plain and needs no
was immutable and above suffering."
Of the same from his Easter Discourse
interpretation."
Of the same from the same treatise :
—
ii.) :- He blames them that refer the passion to
'"•
(Or.
"'
Who is
this that cometh from Edom.^" ^ the human nature. He wishes himself
and from the earth, and how can the gar- wholly subject to the Godhead itself to the
ments of the bloodless and bodiless be red passion, for the proposition being twofold
as of one that treadeth in the wine- fat? and doubtful, whether the divinity or (he
Urge in reply the beauty of the garment of humanity was concerned in the passion, the
the body which suffered and was made beau- denial of tlie one becomes the positive con-
tiful in sutTering, and was made splendid by demnation of the other. While therefore
the Godhead, than which nothing is lovelier they blame them who see the passion in the
nor more fair." humanity, they will bestow unqualified
Testimony of Gregory^ bishop of Nyssa. praise on them that maintain the Divinity of
From his catechetical oration —
the Son of God to be passible.
:
But the
" And this is the
mystery of the dispensa- point established by these means becomes
a
tion of God concernins: the manhood and of confirmation of their own absurdity of doc-
the resurrection from the dead, not to prevent trine for if, as they allege, the Godlicad of
;
the soul from being separated from the body the Son suffers while that of the Father in
by death according to the necessary law of accordance with its substance is conserved
human nature, and to bring them together in complete impassibility, it follows that the
at variance with the
again through the resurrection." impassible nature is
nature which sustains suffering."
:
" The flesh which received the Godhead, The testiiuo7iy of the holy Amphilochi?is^
and which through the resurrection was ex- bishop of Iconinm.
From his discourse on the text " Verily,
»
cf. Heb. V. S. 2 Isaiah Ixiii. i. verilv 1
say unto you, he that
hcarcth my
240 TIIEODORET.
believeth on Him that sent me

" Peter God hath made this Jesus '
word and said,
hath everhisting Hfe
" '
:
—
both Lord and Christ and said too, 'this
'
1
"Whose then are the sufferings ? Of the Jesus whom ye crucified God liath raised up.' '-^
flesh. Therefore if you give to the flesh tlic it was the manhood, not the God- Now
suflering, give it also the lowly words and head, which became a corpse, and He who
;
ascribe the exalted words to Him to Whom

raised it was the Word, the power of God,
you assign the miracles. For the God when who said in the Gospel, Destroy this tem-
'
He is in the act of working wonders natu- ple and in three days I will raise it up.'^ So
rally speaks in high and lofty language when it is said that God hath made Him who
worthy of His works and the man when He became a corpse and rose from the dead both
is surtering litly utters lowly words
corre- Lord and Christ, what is meant is the flesh,
sponding with His suflerings." and not the Godhead of the Son."
Of the same from his discourse on " Of the same from his discourse on "The My
Father is greater than I
" ~
:
—
Son can do nothing of Himself" :
''
—
" But when " For He had not such a nature as that His
you give the suflerings to the
flesh and the miracles to God, you must of life could be held by corruption, since His
necessity, though unwillingly, give the lowly Godhead was not forcibly reduced to suflering.
words to the man born of Mary, and the For how could it.'' But the manhood was re-
high and lofty words becoming God, to the newed in incorruption. So he says ' For
Word who existed in the l)cginning. The this mortal must put on immortality and this "
reason wliy I utter sometimes incorruption.'
lofty You
words corruptible must put on
and sometimes lowly is that by the lofty I observe the accuracy ; he points distinctly to
'
may show the nobility of the indwelling this mortal that you may not entertain
'
Word, and by the lowly make known the the idea of the resurrection of any other
inhrmity of the lowly flesh. So at one time flesh."
I call myself equal to the Father and at Testimony of the holy Flavianus^ bishop
another I call the Father greater and in of Aiitioch.
this I am not inconsistent with myself, but I On Easter Day
;
:
—
shew that I am God and man God by the " Wherefore also the cross
; isboldly preached
lofty and man by the lowly. And if you by us, and the Lord's death confessed among
wish to know in what sense my Father is us, though in nothing did the Godhead sufler,
greater than I, I spoke in the flesh and not for the divine is impassible, but the dispen-
m the person of the Godhead." sation was fulfilled by the body."
Of the same from his discourse on " If it Of the same on Judas the traitor —
—
:
" ^ " When therefore

be possible let this cup pass from me you hear of the Lord
:
"Ascribe not then the suflerings of the flesh being betrayed, do not degrade the divine
to the impassible God, for I, O
heretic, am dignity to insignificance, nor attribute to
God, and man God, as the miracles prove divine power the suflerings of the body.
; ;
man as is shewn by the suflerings. Since then For the divine is impassible and invariable.
I am God and man, tell me, who was it who For if through His love to mankind He took
suffered.'* If God suflercd, you have spoken on Him the form of a servant. He under-
blasphemy but if the flesh suflered, why do went no change in nature. But being
;
what
you not attribute the passion to Him to whom He ever was, he yielded the divine body to
"
you ascribe the dread.'* For while one is suf- experience death."
fering another feels no dread ;
while man is
Testimony of Theophihis^ bishop of Alex-
being crucified God not troubled."
is a?idria.
Of the same from his discourse against the From his Heortastic Volume —
—
:
Arians :
beings tlic soids are not "Of unreasoning
"And not to prolong what I am saying, I taken and replaced they share in the cor- ;
will shortly ask you, O

heretic, did He who ruption of the bodies, and aiê dissolved into
was begotten of God before the ages sufler, dust. But after the Saviour at the time of
or Jesus who was born of David in the last the cross had taken the soul from His own
days.' If the Godhead suflered, thou hast body, He restored it to the body again when
spoken blasphemy if, as the truth is, the He rose from the dead. To assure us of
;
manhood suffered, for what reason do you this He uttered the wôrds of the psalmist,
"
hesitate to attribute the passion to man Thou wilt not '
the predictive exclamation, .-*
Of the same from his discourse concerning

the Son :
— 1
Acts ii. 36.
"-
Acts ii. 24. The citation is loose.
^
John ii. 19.
'John v. 19.
"I. for. XV. 53. Observe the in.iccuracy of the iiuotatinn.
*
John V. 24 ^ Matt. xxvi. 31;.
"'rhc Latin translator, as thoiisjh observiiiLT the apparent ini-
'•
'John xiv. 28. propriety ol the epithet, here renders fleTo:' liy siinclissimum."
DIALOGUES. 241
leave my soul in Hell nor suffer thine"Observe how they spoke of His former
Holy
"
One to see corruption.' '
Ask the heretic the question Does God
age.
Testiinony of the blessed Gelasizis, bishop dread ? Does He draw back ? Does He
of Ccesarea in Palestine :
—
shrink? Does He sorrow? and if he says
" He was
bound, He was wounded, He was yes, stand oft' from him for the future, rank
crucified, He was handled. He was marked him down below with the devil, aye lower
with scars, He received a lance's wound, and even than the devil, for even the devil will
all these indignities were not dare to say this.
undergone by the But, should he say
body born of Mary, while that which was that each of these things is unworthy of God,
begotten from the Father before the ages reply
—
neither does God pray for apart;
none was able to harm, for the Word had no from these it will be yet another absurdity
such nature. For how can any one con- should the words be the words of God, for
strain Godhead? How wound it? How the words indicate not only an agony, but
make red with blood the incorporeal nature? also two wills one of the Son and another
;
How surround with grave bands ? Grant

it of the Father, opposed to one another. For
now what you cannot contravene and, con- the words ' Not as I will, but as Thou
strained by invincible reason, honour God- wilt,' are the words of one indicating this."
head." Of the same from the same work :
—
Testimony of the holy John^ bishop of "For if this be spoken of the Godhead
Constatitijiople. there arises a certain contradiction, and many
From his discourse on the words " My absurdities are thereby produced. If on the
Father worketh hitherto and I work ": 2 —
contrary it be spoken of the flesh, the expres-
" What
'
shewest Thou unto us see- sions are and no fault can be
sign reasonable,
ing that Thou doest these things?' What found with them. For the unwillingness of
^
then does He reply Himself? Destroy this the flesh to die incurs no condemnation such
'
;
temple,' He says, and in three days I will is the nature of the flesh and He exhibits all
'
speaking of His own body, the properties of the flesh except sin, and
^
raise it up,'
but they did not understand Him." indeed in full abundance, so as to stop the
And a little further on :
—mouths of the heretics. When therefore He
"
Why does not the evangelist pass this by? says If it be possible let this cup pass from
'
did he add the correction, ' But He me and

'
Why not as I will but as Thou wilt,' '
for He He only shews that He is really clothed with

* '
spake of the temple of his body ?

did not say destroy this body,' but ' temple' the flesh which fears death, for it is the
'
that He might shew the indwelling God. nature of the flesh to fear death, to draw
Destroy this temple which is far more excel- back and to suffer agony. He leaves it Now
lent than that of the Jews. The Jewish abandoned and stripped of its own activity,
temple contained the Law this temple con- that by shewing its weakness He may con-
;
tains the Lawgiver the former the letter that vince us also of its nature.
; Sometimes how-
killeth the latter the spirit that giveth life."*' ever He conceals it, because He was not
;
Of the same from the discourse " That mere man."

what was spoken and done in humility was Testimoity of Severianus, bishop of
not so done and spoken on account of in- Gabala.
firmity of power but difl:erent From his discourse on the seals —
tions" :
— dispensa-
" The
Jews withstand the apparent, igno-
:
" How then does He rant of the non-apparent

say If it be possi-
'
they crucify the
;
ble'?' He is pointing out to us the in- flesh the}' do not destroy the Godhead. For if
;
firmity of the human nature, which did not my words are not destroyed together with the
choose to be torn away from this present letter which is the clothing of speech, how
life, but stepped back and shrank on account could God the Word, the fount of life, die to-
of the love implanted in it by God in the gether with the flesh ? The passion belongs
beginning for the present life. If then to the body, but impassibility to the dignity."
when the Lord Himself so often spoke in
such terms, some have dared to say that He See then how they whose husbandry is
did not take flesh, what would they have in the East and in the West, as well as in
said if none of these words had been spoken the South and in the North, have all been
by Him?" shewn by us to condemn your vain heresy,
and all openly to proclaim the impassibility
:
of the divine Nature. See how both tongues, I

^ Ps. xvi. 10.
'
*
John ii. 19. « cf. II. Cor. iii. 6.
'
mean both Greek and Latin, make one har-
John V. 17. JohnI*
ii. 21. Matt. xxvi. 39.
*John ii. 18. monious confession about the things of God.
VOL. III. )(
242 THEODORET.
Eran. — I am
myself astonished at their have saved the world if He had been
;
only
harmony, but observe a considerable differ-
I God He would not have saved it throufjh
ence in the terms they use. sufi'ering, but Christ did both, so He is God
Orth. — Do not be angry. The very force and man. If the Clirist liad been only man
of their fight against their adversaries is the or if only God He could not have been a
cause of their seeming immoderate. The Mediator between men and God."
same thing is to be observed in the case of And a little further on :
—
planters ;
wlien they see a plant bent one "Now an instrument of life fitted
flesh is
way or another, they are not satisfied with to the capacity for sufi'ering in accordance
bringing it to a straight line, but bend it still with the divine will. Words are not proper
further in the opposite direction, that by its to the Flesh, nor are deeds. Being made
being bent further from the straight it subject to the capacity for suffering, as is
still
may attain its upright stature. But that you natural to the flesh, it prevails over the suffer-
may know that the very promoters and sup- ing because it is the flesh of God."
porters of this manifold heresy strive to sur- And again a little further on :
—
pass even the heretics of old by the greatness "The Son took flesh of the Virgin and
of their blasphemies, listen once more to the travelled to the world. This flesh He filled
writings of ApoUinarius which proclaim the with the Holy Gliost to the sanctification of
impassibility of the divine nature, and confess us all. So He delivered death to death and
the passion to be of the body. destroyed death through the resurrection to
Testiinony of ApoUinarius. the raising of us all."
From his summary :
— From his tract concerning the faith :
—
" " Since the
John spoke of the temple which was passions are concerned with the
destroyed, namely the body of Him that flesh His power possessed its own impas-
raised it, and the body is entirely united to sibility, so to refer the passion to the power
Him and He is not another among them. is an impious error."
And if the body of the Lord was one with And in his tract about the incarnation he
the Lord, the properties of the body were further writes :
—
constituted His properties on account of the " Here then He shews that it was the same
man who rose from the dead and God who
body."
And again :
— reigns overall creation."
"And the truth is tliat His conjunction
with the body does not take place by circum- You see now that one of the professors of
scription of the Word, so that He has no- vain heresv plainly preaches the impassibility
thing beyond His incorporation. Wherefore of the Godhead, calls the body a temple, and
even in death immortality abides with Him persists in maintaining that this body was
;
for if He transcends this composition, so raised by God the Word.

does He also the dissolution. Now
death is Jiran. —
I have heard and I am astonished ;
dissolution. But He was not comprehended and I am really ashamed that our doctrines
in the composition had He been so, the uni- should appear less tenable than the innovation
;
verse would have been made void nor in the of ApoUinarius.

dissolutioix did He, like the soul, suffer the
;
Orth. —
But I will bring you a witness
deprivation which succeeds dissolution." from yet another heretical herd tlistinctly
And again :
— preaching the impassibility of the Godhead
" As the Saviour
says that the dead bodies of the only begotten.
—
Eran.
— Whom
go forth from their tombs, thougli their souls do 3'ou mean.''
do not go forth thence, just so He says that Orih. You have probably heard of
He Himself will rise from the dead, although Eusebius the Phoenician, who was bishop of
it is only His body that rises." Emesa by Lebanon.^
In another similar work he writes :
—Eran. —
I have met with some of his
" Of man is the from the dead of and found him to be a supporter
rising ; writings,
God is the raising. Now
Christ both rose and of tlie doctrines of Arius.
raised, for He was God and man. Had the Orth. —
Yes; he did belong to that sect,
Christ been only man He would not have but in his endeavour to prove that the Father
quickened the dead, and if He had been only was greater than the only begotten he declares
God, He would not on His own account the Godhead of the depreciated Son to be im-
apart from tiic Father have quickened any 1
Eusebius, bislitip of Kmesa (now Hems, where Helio<jaba-
of the dead. But Christ did both the ; lus received the i)ur])le, and Aurelian defeated Zcnohia) c.
"
same being is both God and man. If the .V1'~3S9 '=' called by Jerome Sijfnifer Ariana factionis."
Chroii. sub ann. x Const iiuii. Theodoret also mentions writ,
Christ had been only man He would not ings of his against Apelles (1 Ixr. fab. i.
25.)
DIALOGUES. 243
passible and for this opinion he contended sense. Then pain was felt by the power
with long and extraordinary perseverance. which was not smitten. For pain always
Eran. —
I should be
very much obliged follows on suffering. But if a body often
if you would quote his words too. despises pain while the mind is sound, on
Orth. —
To comply with your wish I account of the vigour of its thought, then in
will adduce somewhatlonger evidence. Now this case let some one explain
impartially
fiincy that the what suffered and what suffered with or was
listen to what he says, and
man himself is addressing us. in sympathy. What then? Did not Christ
lesti?}io)iy of Eiisebius of Emesa
" Wherefore
die for us? :
—
How did He die? 'Father,
does he fear death? Lest he into thy hands I commend my Spirit.' * The
suffer anything from death ? For what was Spirit departed tiie body remained the ; ;
death to Him.? Was it not the severance of body remained without breath. Did He not
the power from the flesh.'' Did the power die then? He died for us. The Shepherd
receive a nail that it should fear.? If our offered the sheep, the Priest offered the sac-
soul suffers not the body's infirmities when rifice. He gave Himself for us. 'He that
united with it, but the eye grows blind and yet spared not His own Son but delivered Him
the mind retains its force and a foot is cut
; up for us all.'
^ I do not reject the words,
oft' and but I want the meaning of the words. The
yet the reasoning power does not
halt — and this nature evidences, and the Lord Lord says that the bread of God came down
sets His seal on, in the words Fear not from Heaven,-' and though I cannot ex-
'
them which kill the body but are not able to press it more clearly on account of the
(and if they cannot kill the soul, mysteries. He says in explanation It is my
'
kill the soul '
it is not because they do not wish, but flesh.' Did the flesh of the Son come
because they are not able, though they would down from heaven ? No. How then does
like to make the soul share the suffering of He say, and that in explanation, the bread of
the body yoked with it)
— shall He who God lives and came down from Heaven?
created the soul and formed the body suffer He refers the properties of the jDower to the
as the body suffers, although He does take flesh, because the power which assumed the
upon Himself the body's sufferings.? But flesh came down from heaven. Change the
Christ suffered for us, and we lie not. terms then He refers to the power what ;
'
And the bread that I will give is my the flesh suffers. did Christ suffer How
flesh.' 1 This He gave for us. for us? He was spat upon. He was smitten
" That which can be mastered was mason the
cheek, they put a crown about His
tered ; that which can be crucified was cru- brow. His hands and feet were pierced.
cified, but He that had power alike to dwell All these sufferings were of the body, but
in it and to leave it said ' Father into thy tliey are referred to Him that dwelt therein.
hands I commend my Spirit,' ^ not into the Throw a stone at the Emperor's statue.
hands of them who were trying to hasten What is the cry? 'You have insulted the
His death. I am not fond of controversy I Emperor.' Tear the Emperor's robe. What
;
rather avoid it with all gentleness I wish to is the cry?

;
'
You have rebelled against the
enquire into the points at issue between us Emperor.' Crucify Christ's body. What
as between brothers. Do not I say truly is the cry? Christ died for us.' But '
that the power could not be subject to the what need of me and thee ? Let us go to
sufferings of the flesh ? I say nothing ; let the Evangelists. have you received How
him who will say what the power suffered. from the Lord how the Lord died ? They
Did it fail? See the danger. Was it ex- read ' Father into thy hands I commend my
tinct? See the blasphemy. Did it no longer Spirit.'* The Spirit on high, the body on
exist? This is the death of power. Tell the Cross for us. So far as His body is
me what can so master it that it suffered and attributed to Himself He offered the sheep."
I withdraw. But, if you cannot tell me, Of the same from the same book :
—
" He came to save our nature not to de-
why do you object to my not telling you ? ;
What you cannot tell me, that it did not stroy His own. If I consent to say that a
receive. Drive a nad into a soul and camel flies, you directly count it strange,
I will
admit that it can be driven into power. But because it does not fit in with its nature ;
it was in sympathy. Tell me what you and you are quite right. And if I say that
mean by in sympathy.' As a nail went men live in the sea you will not accept it;
'
into the flesh, so pain into the power. Let you are quite right. It is contrary to nature.
us understand was in sympathy in this As then if I say strange things about these
' '
1 Luke xxiii. 46. 3

John vi. ji.
>
John vi. 51. ' lyuke xxiii. 46. 2 Romans viii. 33. * Luke xxiii. 46.
R 2
244 THEODORET.
natures you count Paulus brought before Him.
^
it
strange ;
if I say that throne. is
the Power which was before the
ages, by
'
Thou saidst I was a man thou hast no
;
nature incorporeal, in dignity impassible, life with IMe. Thou knewest not Me I ;
which exists with the Father and by the know not thee.' Up comes another. '
Thou
Father's side, on His right hand and in glory, saidst I was one of the things that are cre-
if I say that this
incorporeal nature sullers, ated.- dignity Thou knewest
I not My ;
will you not stop your ears? If you will not know
not thee.' Up comes another. Thou '
stop your ears when you hear this, I shall saidst that I did not assume a body. Thou
stop my heart. Can we do anything to an madest light of grace. Thou shalt not My
angel? Smite him with a sword? Or cut share immortality.' Up comes another.
My
him in pieces? do I say to an angel?
Why Thou saidst that I was not born of a Vir-
'
Can we to a soul? Docs a soul receive gin to save the body of the Virgin thou ;
a nail? A
soul is neither cut nor burnt. shalt not be saved.' Each one reaps the
Do you ask why? Because it was so cre- fruit of his opinions about the faith."
ated. Are His works impassible and He
Himself passible? I do not reject the oecon- You see the other sect of your teachers, in
omy on the contrary, I welcome the Ill-treat-
;
which you supposed that you had learnt the
ment. Christ died for us and was crucified. su fieri ng of the Godhead of the only Be-
So it is written so the nature admitted. I
; gotten, abhors this blasphemy, preaches
do not blot out the words nor do I blaspheme the impassibility of the Godhead, and quits
the nature. But this is not true. Very the ranks of them who dare to attribute the
well, then let something truer be said. The passion to it.
teacher is a benefactor, never harsh, never Eran. — Yes ;

I am astonished at the con-
an enemy, unless the pupil be headstrong. flict, and I admire the man's sense and
Have you anything good to say? ears My
are gratefully open. Does any one want to
opinions.
Orth. — Then, imitate the
my good Sir,
quarrel? Let him quarrel at his leisure. bees. As you flit about thein mental flight
Could the Jews crucify the Son of God and meads of the divine Scripture, among the fair
make the power itself a dead body ? Can flowers of these illustrious Fathers, build
the living die? The death of this power is us in your heart the honey-comb of the faith.
its failure. Even when we die, our body is If haply you find anywhere herbage bitter
left. But if we make that power a dead and not fit to eat, like these fellows Apolli-
body we reduce it to non-existence. I am narius and Eusebius, but still not quite with-
afraid you cannot hear. If the body die, out something that may be meet for making
the soul is separated from it and remains ;
honey, it is reasonable that you should sip
but if the soul die, since it has no body, it the sweet and leave the poisonous behind,
altogether ceases to exist. A
soul by dying like bees who lighting often on baneful
altogether ceases to be. For the death of the bushes leave all the deadly bane behind and
immortals is a contradiction of their existence. gather all the good. give you this We
Consider the alternative for I do not dare
; advice, dear friend, in brotherly kindness.
even to mention it. We
say these things as Receive it and you will do well. And if you
vvê understand them, but if
any one is conten- hearken not we will say to you in the word
tious, we lay down no law. But I know one of the apostle are pure." "We -^
We have
thing, that every man must reap the fruit of spoken, as the prophet says, what we have
his opinions. Each man comes to God and been commanded.
brings before Him what he has said and i.e. Paul of Sainosata.
'
thought about Him. Do not suppose that 2 T<i>' hvTuiv in the

oriirinul; lit: of the thiti<i:s lluit are,
which might have an orthodox interpretation, tho' .strictly
God reads books, or is troubled by having to speakinij there is no such thing' as " to hv." there is only
recollect what you said or who heard you "oa)r,"i.c. God. But Schulze is no doubt right in cxpUin-
:
ing Tiov oi'Tioi- here to refer to created things.

all is made manifest. The judge is on the 3 Acts XX. 26.
DEMONSTRATIONS BY SYLLOGISMS.
THAT GOD THE WORD IS IMMUTABLE.
1. We
have confessed one substance of nacled therein. "The Word," he says,
the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy "was made flesh and dwelt amongus." Now ^
Ghost, and have agreed that it is immutable. if He was made flesh by mutation. He did
If then there is one substance of the Trinity, not dwell in flesh. But we have been
and it is immutable, then the only begotten taught that He dwelt in flesh for the same ;
Son, w^ho is one person of the Trinity, is im- Evangelist in another place calls His body a
mutable. And, if He is immutable. He wâs temple.
2 We
must therefore believe the
not made flesh by mutation, but is said to Evangelist's explanation and interpretation
have been made flesh after taking flesh. of what to some seemed ambiguous.
2. If God the Word was made 6. If when the Evangelist wrote
flesh
" the
by "
undergoing mutation into flesh, then He is Word was made flesh he had added no-
not immutable. For no one in his senses thing which could remove the ambiguity, per-
would call that which undergoes alteration haps the controversy about the passage might
immutable. And if He is mutable He is not have had some reasonable excuse, from the
of one substance with Him that begat Him. obscurity of the terms used. But since he
How indeed is it possible for one part of immediately went on to say "and dwelt in
an uncompounded substance to be mut- us," the combatants contend to no purpose.
able and the other immutable? If we grant The former clause is explained by the latter.
this we shall fall headlong into the blasphemy 7. The immutability
of God the Word is
of Arius and Eunomius, who assert that the plainly proclaimed by the most wise Evan-
Son is of another substance. " the Word was made
gelist, for after saying
3. If the Lord is consubstantial with the flesh and dwelt among us," he immediately
" And we beheld His
Father, and the Son was made flesh by adds, glory, the glory
undergoing change into flesh, then the sub- as of the only-begotten of the Father, full
stance is at once mutable and immutable, of grace and truth." 3 But if, according to
which blasphemy if any one has the hardi- the foolish, He had undergone mutation into
hood to maintain, he will no doubt make it flesh. He would not have remained what
worse by his blasphemy against the Father, He was, but if even when enveloped in the
for inasmuch as the Father shares the same flesh He emitted the rays of His Father's
substance, he will assuredly call Him mut- nobility, it follows that the nature which He
able. has is immutable, and it shines even in the
Scriptures body and sends abroad the brightness
4. It is written in the divine of the
that God the Word took flesh, and also a nature which is unseen. For that light noth-
soul. And the most divine Evangelist says ing can dim. " For the light shineth in the
the Word was made flesh. 1 We
must there- darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth
*
fore perforce do one of two things either we it not," as saith the very divine John.
:
must admit the mutation of the Word into 8. The illustrious Evangelist was desirous
flesh, and reject all divine Scripture, both Old of explaining the glory of the only- begotten,
and New, as teaching lies, or in obedience to but was unable to carry out his purpose. He
the divine Scriptiu'e, we must confess the therefore shews it by His fellowship with the
assumption of the flesh,
banishing mutation Father. For he says He is of that nature ;
from our thoughts, and piously regarding the though any one to persons beholding
just as
word of the Evangelist. This latter we must Joseph sunk in a slavery inconsistent with
do inasmuch as we confess the nature of God his rank, and unaware of the splendour of his
the Word to be immutable, and have count- descent, were to point out that Jacob was his
less testimonies to the assumption of the father, and liis forefather Abraham. So in
flesh. this sense the Evangelist said that when He
5. That which inhabits tabernacle is dwelt among us He did not dim the glory of
a
distinct from the tabernacle which is inhab- His nature, "For we beheld His glory, the
ited. ^ The Evangelist calls the flesh a taber-
nacle, and says that God the Word taber- " dwelt
1
John 14. The argument rather requires the rendering
i.
/« which is that of the Rheiins Version. "Ju

us,"
ncbis qui caro sumus." Benêl. But see Alford in loc,
'
John i. 14.
8
(TK^jvovv and (TKTjvovnevov.
2
John ii. 19. sjohni. 14. *Johni. 5.
246 THEODORET.
glory as of the only-begotten of the Father." taught that God cannot lie nay ratlier is
;
So ifeven when He was made flesh it was Himself the truth. Therefore God the
plain who He was, then He remained wlio Word did not undergo change into flesh,
he was, and did not undergo the mutation but in accordance with the promise, took
into flesh. firstfruits of David's seed.
9. We have confessed that God the Word

took not a body only but also a soul. Why PROOFS THAT THE UNION WAS
then did the divine Evangelist omit in this
WITHOUT CONFUSION.
place mention of the soul and mention the
flesh alone? Is it not plain that he exhibited 1. Those who believe that after tlie union
the visible nature and by its means signified there was one nature both of Godhead and
tlie nature united to it? For the mention of of manhood, destroy by this reasoning the
the soul is understood of course in that of the peculiarities of the natures and their de-
;
flesh. For when wc hear the prophet saying struction involves denial of either nature.
" Let all flesh bless His '
we For the confusion of the imited natures pre-
holy name,"
do not understand the prophet to be exhorting vents us from recognising- either that flesh is
bodies of flesh without souls, but believe the flesh or that God is God. But if even after
whole to be summoned to give praise in the tlie union the diflerence of the united natures
summoning of a part. is clear, it follows that there is no confusion
10. The words " the Word was made and that the union is without confusion.
flesh" are plainly iiidicative not of mutation, And if this is confessed then the Master
but of His unspeakable loving-kindness. For Christ is not one nature, but one Son shew-
afler the illustrious Evangelist had said " in ing either nature unimpaired.
the beginning was the Word, and the Word 2. We
too assert the union, and ourselves
was with God and the Word was God," and confess that it took place at the conception if ;
had declared Him to be Creator of the visible then by the union the natures were mixed
and invisible, and had called Him life and and confounded, how was the flesh after the
true light, adding other similar expressions, birth not seen to possess any new quality, but
and had spoken concerning the Godhead in exhibited the human character, preserved the
such terms as human reason can take in and dimensions of the babe, was wrapped in
the language at its command can express, he swaddling clothes, and sucked a mother's
went on " And the Word was made flesh," breast? And if all this did not come to pass
as though smitten with amazement and as- in mere phantasy and seeming, then they
tounded at the boundless loving-kindness. admit of neither phantasy nor seeming ;
His existence is eternal He is God He then what was seen was truly a body. And
; ;
made all things He is source of eternal life if this be granted then the natures were not
;
and of true light and on account of the confounded by the union, but each remained
;
salvation of men He put about Him the unimpaired.

tabernacle of flesh. And He was supposed 3. The authors of this patchwork and
to be only that which He appeared. So for incongruous heresy at one time assert that
this reavSon he did not even mention a soul God the Word was made flesh, and at another
but only the perishable and mortal flesh. Ot declare that the flesh underwent a change
the soul as beinj; immortal he said nothincj into nature of Godhead. Either statement
in order to exhibit the boundlessness of the is futile and vain and full of falsehood, for if
kindness. God the Word, as they argue, was made
11. Thedivine Apostle calls- the Lord flesh, why then do they call Him God, and
Christ seed of Abraham. But if this is true, this alone, and refuse to name Him man as
as true it is, then God the Word was not well, and find great fault with us who in addi-
changed into flesh, but took on Him the seed tion to confessing Him as God also call Him
of Abraham^ according to the teaching of the man ? But if the flesh was changed into the
Apostle himself. nature of Godhead, wherefore do thev substi-
12. God swore to David that of the fruit tute the antitypes of the body ? For the type
of his loins, according to the flesh. He superfluous when the reality is destroyed.
is
would raise up the Christ, as the prophet ^ An incorporeal nature is not corporeally
4.
said and as the great Peter interpreted.* But
circumcised, but the word corporeally is added
if God the Word was called Christ after on account of the spiritual circumcision of the
mutation into flesh, we shall nowhere find heart so then the circumcision is of a body
; ;
the truth in the oaths. Yet we have been but the Master Christ is circumcised after the
1 Ps. CXlv. 21. * Psalm cxxxii. 11.
union. And if this is granted then the
• Hebrews li. 16. * Acts ii.
30. argument of the confusion is confuted.
DEMONSTRATIONS BY SYLLOGISMS. 247
5. We have learnt that the Saviour Christ how can fearing be other than contrarv to
hungered and thirsted, and we have beheved driving away fear.'' Yet they are not con-
that this was so really and not in seeming, but trary. For the same Christ is by nature God
such conditions belong not to a bodiless and man as God He strengthens them that ;
nature but to a body. The Master Christ need consolation as man He receives consol- ;
then had a body which before the resurrec- ation through an angel. And although the
tion was affected according to its nature. Godhead and the Spirit were present as an
And to this the divine Apostle bears testimony anointing, the body and the soul were not
when he says " For we have not an High then supported either by the Godhead united
Priest which cannot be touched with the to them or by the Holy Ghost, but this ser-
feeling of our infirmities but was in all vice was entrusted to an angel in order to ex-
points tempted like as we are yet without hibit the infirmity both of the soul and of
sin." 1 For the sin is not of the nature but the body and that through the infirmity might
of the evil will.^ be seen the natures of the infirm. Now these
6. Of the divine nature the prophet things plainly happened by the permission of
David says, "Behold He
that keepeth the divine nature, that, among them that were
Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." ^ But to live in future times, believers in the as-
the narrative of the Evangelist describes the sumption of the soul and of the body might be
Master Christ as sleeping in the boat. Now vindicated by these demonstrations, and their
not sleeping and being asleep are two con- opponents by plain proof convicted. If then
trary ideas, so the prophet contradicts the the union was effected by the conception, and,
Gospels if, as they argue, the Master Christ as they argue, made both natures one, how
was God alone. There is no contradiction, could the properties of the natures continue
for both prophecies and gospels flow from unimpaired, the soul agonize, and the body
one and the same spirit. The Master Christ sweat so as to sweat bloody drops from excess
therefoi'e had a body, akin to all other bodies, of fear? But if the one is natural to the body
affected by the need of sleep. So the argu- and the other to the soul, then the union did
ment for the confusion is proved a fable. not effect one nature of flesh and Godhead,
7. Of the divine nature the prophet but one .Son appeared shewing forth in Him-
Isaiah said, "He shall neither be hungry nor self both the human and the divine.
weary"* and so on. But the Evangelist 9. Should they say that after the re-
says "Jesus being weary with his journey surrection the body underwent mutation
" "
sat thus on the well and " shall not be into Godhead they may properly be
;
weary" is contrary to "being weary." answered thus. Even after the resurrec-
Therefore the prophecy is contrary to the tion the body was seen circumscribed with
narrative of the gospels. But they are not hands and feet and all the body's parts ;
contrary, for both are of one God. Not it was tangible and visible it had wounds ;
being weary is of the uncircumscribed and scars, as it had before the resurrec-
nature which fills all things. But moving tion. One then of two alternatives must
from place to place is of the circumscribed be maintained. Either these parts must be
nature and when that which moves is con- attributed to the divine nature, if the body
;
strained to travel it is subject to the weariness when changed into the divine nature had
of the wayfarer. Therefore what walked these parts or on the other hand it must be ;
and was weary was a body, for the union did confessed that the body remained within the
not confound the natures. bounds of its own nature. Now the divine
8. To the divine Paul when shut up in nature is simple and incomposite, but the body
prison the Master Christ said "Be not afraid is composite and divided into many parts ;
"
Paul * and so on. But the same Christ, therefore it was not changed into the nature
who drove away Paul's fear, Himself so of Godhead, but even after the resurrection
feared, as testifies the blessed Luke that though immortal, incorruptible and full of
He sweated from all His body drops of divine glory, it remains a body with its own
blood, and with them sprinkled all the circumscription.
ground about His body, and was strength- 10. To the unbelieving apostles the Lord
ened by angelic succour,' and these state- after His resurrection shewed His hands,
ments are opposed to one another, for His feet, and the prints of the nails; then
I Hebrews iv. 15. * cf. note on pag'e 164. 3 Psalm cxxi.
further to teach them that what they saw
* Isaiah xl. 2S. Ixx. ^
John iv. 6.
4.
was not a vision He added " a spirit hath
When Paul was brought into the castle the Lord stood by
I"'
not flesh and bones as ye see me have." ^

him and said, "Be of yood cheer Paul" (Acts xxiii. 11.)
"Fear not Paul " was said when he was being exceedingly
tossed in the tempest (Acts xxvii. 24),
^ Luke xxii. 44. 1 Luke xxlv. 39-
248 THEODORET.
Therefore the body was not changed into The nature of men of
4. is compounded
spirit it was flesh and bones and hands and body and soul. But it sinned and stood in
feet. Consequently even after the resur- need of a sacrifice free from every spot. So
rection the body remained a body. the Creator took a body and a soul, and
II. The divine nature is invisible, but keeping them clean from the stains of sin
the thrice blessed Stephen said that he saw for men's bodies gave His body and for their
the Lord,' so even after the resurrection the souls His soul. If this is true, and true it is,
Lord's body is a body, and it was seen by for these are words of truth itself, then wild
tlie victorious Stephen, divine and blasphemous are they who ascribe pas-
since the
nature cannot be seen. sion to the divine natin-e.
If all mankind shall see the Son of
5. The blessed Paul called
13. the Christ
man coming on the clouds of heaven, ac- " the first born of the dead ;" ^ and I suppose
cording to the Lord's own words,^ and He the first born has the same nature as they of
said to Moses " No man shall see me and whom He is called first born. As man then
true, then He will come He is first born of the dead, for He first
3 and both are
live,"
with the body with which He ascended into destroyed the pangs of death and gave to all
heaven. For that body is visible, and of the sweet hope of another life. As He rose
this the angel spoke to the Apostles " This so He suffered. As man then He suffered
same Jesus which is taken up from you into but as awful God He remained impassible.
Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye 6. The divine Apostle calls our Saviour
have seen Him go into Heaven." "*
If this Christ "the firstfruits of them that slept," 2

is true, as true it is, then there is not one but the firstfruits are related to the whole
nature of flesh and Godhead, but the union whereof they are firstfruits. He is not there-
is without confusion. fore called firstfruits as God, for what
relationship is there between Godhead and
manhood.'' The former is an immortal
PROOF THAT THE DIVINITY OF THE nature, the latter mortal. Such is the nature
SAVIOUR IS IMPASSIBLE. of them that sleep, of whom Christ is called
firstfruits. To this nature belong death and
1. Alike by the divine Scripture and by
resurrection, and in its resurrection we have
the holy Fathers assembled at Nicaea we have a proof of the general resurrection.
been taught to confess that the Son is of one
7. When the Master Christ wished to per-
substance with God the Father. The im- suade the doubting Apostles that He had
passibility of the Father is also taught by the
destroyed death and risen, He shewed them
nature and proclaimed by the divine Script-
parts of His body, His side. His hands. His
ure. We
shall then further confess the Son
feet and the marks of the passion preserved
to be impassible, for this definition is en-
therein. This body then rose, and this, I
forced by the identity of substance. When- ween, was shown to the disbelievers. What
ever then we hear the divine Scripture rose is what was buried, and what was buried
proclaiming the cross and the death of the is what had died, and what had died is of
Master Christ we attribute the passion to the course what was nailed to the cross. So
flesh, for in no wise is the Godhead, being by the divine nature united to the body re-
nature impassible, capable of suffering. mained impassible.
" All
2. things that the Father hath are
mine" ^ says the Master Christ, and one out
8. They who describe the flesh of the
Lord as giver of life make life itself mortal
of all is impassibility. If therefore as God
He is impassible, He suffered as man. by their words. They ought to have seen
that it was giver of life through the life
For the divine nature docs not undergo united to it. But if according to their
suffering.
" the bread which argument the life is mortal, how could the
3. The Lord said I
flesh being itself by nature mortal, and made
will give is my flesh wliich I will give for the remain life-
through
the life of the world," and again " I am the
'^ life-giving life,
giving?
good shepherd and know sheep and am my
9. God the Word is by nature immortal,
known of mine and I lay down and
. . .
the flesh by nature mortal, but after the
'
my life for the sheep." So body and soul
passion by union with the Word the flesh it-
are both given by the good shepherd for the self became
immortal. How then is it not
sheep who have soul and body. absurd to that the of such im- say giver
mortality shared death?
1 Acts *Acts 6 vi. 51.
vii. sj. i. II. John
* Matt. xxvi. 64. xvi. 15. '
'John johnx. 14. 15.
* I.
* £xodus xxxiii. 30. » Coloss. i. iS. Cor. XV. ao.
DEMONSTRATIONS BY SYLLOGISMS. 249
10. They who maaitain that God the vine John, " gave up the Ghost." ^ All speak
Word suffered in the flesh should be asked according to the usage of men, for we are
the meaning of what they say, and should accustomed to use all these expressions about
they have the hardihood to reply that when those who die ;
none of them conveys any
the body was pierced with nails the divine meaning of Godhead, but they all signify the
nature was sensible of pain, let them learn soul, and if any one were to receive the
that the divine nature did not fill the part of Arian sense of the passage none the less even
a soul. God the Word had assumed a soul thus will it shew the immortality of the
with the
body. Should they reject this divine nature. For Christ commended it to
argument as blasphemous, and should they the Father. He did not yield it to death. If
assert that the flesh suflered by nature, and then they that deny the assumption of the
that God the Word made the passion His soul, and maintain God the Word to be a
own as of His own flesh, let them not pro- creature, and assert that He was in the body
pound puzzling and murky phrases, but let in place of a soul, deny that He was delivered
them clearly propound the meaning of the ill to death, how can they obtain pardon who
sounding phrase. They will have all those while they confess one substance of the
who wish to follow the divine Scripture as Trinity, and leave the soul in its own immor-
their supporters in this interpretation. tality, impudently dare to say that God the
11. The divine Peter in his Catholic Word of one substance with the Father
1
Epistle says that Christ suffered in the flesh. tasted death ?
But he who hears that Christ suflered does 13. If Christ is both God and man, as
not understand God the Word incorporeal, the divine Scripture teaches, and the illus-
but incarnate. The name of Christ indi- trious Fathers persistently preached, then
cates both natures; but the word "flesh" He suflered as man, but as God remained
connected with the passion signifies not that impassible.
both, but that one of the two, suflered. For 14. If they acknowledge the assumption
he that hears that Christ suflered in the of the flesh, and declare it to be passible
flesh thinks of Him as impassible in that before the resurrection, and preach that the
He was God, and attributes the passion nature of the Godhead is impassible, why,
to the flesh alone. For just as when we leaving the passible nature, do they attribute
hear him saying that God had sworn to the passion to the impassible ?
David of the fruit of his loins according to 15. If our Lord and Saviour nailed the
the flesh to raise up the Christ, we do not handwriting to the cross, as says the divine
say that God the Word derived His origin Apostle,^ He then nailed the body, for on his
from David, but that the flesh which God body every man like letters marks the prints
the Word took was akin to David, so must of his sins, wherefore on behalf of sinners
he who hears that Christ suffered in the He gave up the body that was free from all
flesh, recognise that the passion belongs to sin.
the flesh, and confess the impassibility of the 16. When we say that the body or the
Godhead. flesh or the manhood suflered, we do not se-
12. When on the cross the Lord Christ parate the divine nature, for as it was united
" Father into I commend to one
said, Thy hands hungering, thirsting, aweary, even
^ this said the Arians and
my spirit," spirit is by asleep, undergoing the passion, itself
and the Eunomians to be the Godhead of the aflected by none of these but permitting the
only-begotten, for they hold that the body human nature to be affected in its own way,
which He took was without a soul, but the so it was conjoined to it even when crucified,
heralds of the truth say that the soul was so and permitted the completion of the passion,
called and they base their opinion on the that by the passion it might destroy death ;
following passages. The right wise Evan- not indeed receiving pain from the passion,
" And
gelist immediately adds *
having said but making the passion its own, as of its own
thus He gave up the ghost." So says Luke, temple, and of the flesh united to it, on
and the blessed Mark similarly adds " He account of which flesh also the faithful are
gave up the ghost."
*
The divine Matthew called members of Christ, and He Himself
°
writes, "yielded up the Ghost," and the di- is styled the head of them that believed.
il.Pet. i. 1. 3 Luke xxiii. « Matt, x.xvii.
46, 50. 2 Col. ii.
» Luke xxiii.
46.
* Mark xv.
39.
1
John xix. 30. 14.
LETTERS OF THE BLESSED THEODORET,
BISHOP OF CYRUS.
/. To an unknown correspondent. thing before the time until the Lord come who
In the words of the prophet we find the wise both will bring to light the hidden things of
hearer mentioned with the excellent coun- darkness and will make manifest the counsels
cillor. ^
I, however, send the book I have of the heart and then shall every man have
:
written on the divine Apostle, not as much to praise of God." ^ And he is quite right; for
a wise hearer as to a just and clever
judge.
we can see only outward deeds, but the God
When goldsmiths wish to find out if their of all knows also the intention of the doers,
gold is refined and unalloyed, they apply it and when He delivers his sentence judges not
to the touchstone ; and just so I sent my so much the work as the will. So He will
book to your reverence, for I wish to know crown the divine Apostle who became to the
whether it is what it should be, or needs Jews as a Jew, to them that were under the
some fining down. You have read it and law as under the law, and to them that were
returned it, but have said nothing to me on without law as without law,- for his object
this point. Your silence leads me to con- in thus assuming an actor's mask was that
jecture that the judge has given sentence of he might do good to mankind. His was no
condemnation, but is unwilling to hurt my time-server's career. The gain he got was
feelings by telling me so. but he secured the good of them whom
Pray dismiss any loss,
such idea, and do not hesitate to tell me he taught. As I said, then, the divine Paul
your opinion about the book. bids us wait for the judgment of God.
But we are venturing on high themes; we
//. To the same. are handling a theology passing understand-
When men love warmly, I doubt whether ing and words not, like the unholy heretics, ;
in the case of the children of those whom se&king blasphemous positions, but endeav-
to confute their impiety, and as far as
they love, they can be impartial judges. ouring
is carried affection. Fathers
in us lies to give praise to the Creator we
Justice away by shall therefore do nothing unreasonable in
;
fancy that their ugly boys are beautiful, and

sons do not see the uncomeliness of their attempting to reply to your enquiry.
fathers. Brother looks at brother in the You have suggested the case of an im-
to two athletes of piety
light of affection rather than of nature. It pious judge giving
is thus that I am afraid
the alternative of sacrificing to demons, or
your holiness has themselves into the sea. You de-
judged what I have written, and that the flinging
sentence has been delivered by warmth of scribe the one as choosing (he latter and
feeling. For truly the power of love is very plunging without hesitation into the deep,
while the other, refusing both, shews quite
great, and not seldom it keeps out of sight
considerable errors in our friends. as much abhorrence of the worship of idols
It is be-
cause you have so much of it, my dear as his companion, but declines to commit
himself to the waves, and waits for this fate
friend, that you have wreathed what I have
written with your kindly praises. All I can
to be violently forced upon him. You have
do is to ask your piety to beseech the good suggested these circumstances, and you ask
Lord to ratify your eulogy, and make the which of these two took the better course.
man you have praised something like tlie I think tliat you will agree with me that the
picture painted in the words of his admirers.
latter was the more
praiseworthy. No one
ought to withdraw himself from life un-
///. To Bishop IrencBus.^ bidden, but sliould await either a natural or
a violent death. Our Lord gave us this
Comparisons of this kind are forbidden lesson when He bade those that are
perse-
by tlic divine Apostle. In his Epistle to the cuted in one
Romans he writes " Therefore judge no- commanded them city flee to another and again
to quit even this and de-
Isaiah iii. 3. Sept.
part to another.^ In obedience to this teach-
'
-
Ircnxus, Cnuiit nf tlic Empire and afterwards bishnp of
Tyre, was a friend and frc<ni(nt correspondent of Tlieodnret. ing the divine Apostle escaped the violence
lie was deposed at the Latrociniuni in 440. cf. Epp. XII,
XVI, XXXV. 1 1. Cor. iv. s. > I.
Cor. ix. 20, 31. > Matt. X. 33.
LETTERS. 251
of the governor of the city, and had no hesi- Passion was bringing salvation to the world,
in speaking of the manner of his and it was for this reason that
tation just before His
flight, but spoke of the basket, the wall, and Passion He said to His Apostles " Pray that
the window, and boasted and glorified in the ye enter not into temptation," and taught
^
act.^ For what looks discreditable is made us to pray " Lead us not into temptation." ^
honourable by the divine command. In the Now let us shift our ground a little, and we
same manner the Apostle called himself at shall see our way more clearly. Let us elimi-
one time a Pharisee^ and at another a Ro- nate the sea from the argument, and suppose
man,^ not because he was afraid of death, the judge to have given each of the martyrs a
but acting quite fairly in fight." In the sword, and ordered the one who refused to
same way when he had learnt the Jews' sacrifice to cut oft' his own head who in his ;
"
plot against him he appealed to Caesar and senses would have endured to redden his
sent his sister's son to the chief captain to hand with his own blood, become his own
report the designs hatched against him, not headsman, lift his hand against himself, in
because he clung to this present life, but in obedience to the judge's order .^
obedience to the divine law. For assuredly Clearly your second martyr deserves the
our Lord does not wish us to throw ourselves higher praise. The former indeed deserves
into obvious peril and this is taught us by
;
credit for his zeal, but the latter is adorned
deed as well as by word, for more than once by right judgment as well.
He avoided the murderous violence of the I have answered you according to the
Jews. And the great Peter, first of the measure of the wisdom given me He who ;
Apostles, when he was loosed from his knows thoughts as well as acts, will shew
chains and had escaped from the hands of which of the two was right in the day of His
Herod, came to the house of John, who appearing.
was surnamed Mark, and after removing
the anxiety of his friends by his visit and IF. Festal.
bidding them maintain silence, betook
The Creator of our souls and bodies has
himself to another house in the endeavour
given His bounty to both, and at one and the
to conceal himself more effectually
by the same time has ovei-vvhelmed us with
removal.® And we shall find just the same good
that both heart and senses can feel.
kind of wisdom in the old Testament, for things
At the time of the sacred feast He has given
the famous Moses, after playing the man in
us the rain we so much longed for, that our
his struggle with the Egyptian and finding
out the next day that the homicide had
celebration might be clear of sadness. We
have praised our bountiful Lord, and now as
become known, ran away, travelled a long
we are wont write a festal letter and address
journey, and arrived at the land of Midian.'
In like manner the great Elias when he had your piety with the request that you will aid
us with your prayers.
learnt threats did not
Jezebel's himself give
up to them which wished him, but to kill
V. Festal.
left world and hurried to the desert.**
the
And if it is right and agreeable to God to The God who made us gives us care and
escape the violence of our enemies, surely it sorrow after our sin. But He has furnished
is much more right to refuse to
obey them us with divine occasions of consolation by
v/hen they order a man to become his own appointing divine feasts. The thoughts
murderer. Our Lord did not give in to the they suggest both remind us of God's gifts
devil when he bade Him throw Himself to us, and promise complete freedom from
down,® and when he had armed against all our troubles. Enjoying these good things
Him the hands of the Jews by means of the and filled with cheerfulness, we address your
scourge and the thorns and the nails, and the magnificence, and, according to the custom
creature was urging Him to bring wholesale of the festival, pay friendship's debt.
destruction on His wicked foes, the Lord
Himself forbade, because He knew that His VI. Festal.
iTbe word in the text for basket is crapâi'j), a basket of

Our loving Lord has allowed
us, with the
twisted work (J">jy) commonly rope — the word used by St. zeal of folks who love the Christ, to celebrate
Paul himself in II. Cor. xi. 33. In Acts ix. 25 St. I.uke writes the divine feast of salvation
ev crnvpiSi., o-Trupis (? (nrdpnj) being' the lara:e rope basket of
and enjoy the
Matt. XV. 37, and distinguished from the icoi/)ii'09 of Matt. xiv. fruit of the spiritual blessing that flows from
20 and of Juvenal III. 14, " yudais qit yionim cophinus it. Since we know the disposition of your
fcentimque supellex" and VI. 542
Piety toward us, we write to tell you this.
2 Acts xxiii. 6. 3 Acts xxii.
25.
* "Dolus an virtus gut's in hoste requirat? "
Virg Ain. ii. 390.
^ Acts XXV. II. ''
Acts xii. 12, etc. '
Exod. ii. u etc.
' I. * Matt, iv, 6. '
Kings xix. i etc. '

Matt. xxvi. î. Luke &x, 4.
252 THEODORET.
For they who have friendly thoughts to day. then take it amiss? The union
Why
others are always pleased to hear cheering must needs be broken either by the death of
intelligence of them. the husband or the departure of the wife.
Such is the course of life. You know, my
excellent friend, alike God's will and human
VII. To Thconilla. nature dispel then your despondency and
;
Had I licard of the death of your dignity's wait for the fulfilment of the common hope
most honoura]:)le husband I should have of the just.
written long ago, and now my object in
writing is not your great sorrow
to lull IX. To an anonymous correspondent.
to sleep by consolatory words. They are Your piety is annoyed and distressed at
lumecessary. They who have learnt the the sentence
wisdom of philosophers and consider what passed on me unjustly and
tliis life find reason strong enougli to
without a trial. I am comforted that you
is,
meet and break griefs rising surge. And are so feeling. Had I
been justly condemned
1 should have been sony at having given my
even while \ou are remembering your long
reasonable grounds for what they
companionship, reason recognises the divine judges
have done, but, as it is, my conscience is
decrees, and to meet the forces of the tears
of sorrow marshals at once the course of quite clear,
and I feel joyful and exultant and
look forward to the remission of other sins
nature, the law of God, and the hope
of tlie resurrection. this as I
on account of this injustice. Naboth lives in
Knowing do,
men's memories only because he suffered
there is no necessity to use many words. I
only beseech you to avail yourself of good

that unjust death. Only pray that we be not
sense in the hour of need. Think of the abandoned of God and let the enemy con-
death of him who is gone as no more than tinue to do
his worst. God's good will is
to make me very cheei'ful and if He
a long journey, and wait for the promise enough
of our God and Saviour. For He who is on my side I despise all my troubles as
1
trifles.
promised the resurrection cannot lie, and is
the fount of truth.
X. To the learned Elias.
VIII. To Eugraphia. Legislators have made laws in aid of the

oppressed, and advocates have practised the
It is needless for me to bring once more to orator's arts to help them that stand in need
bear upon your grief the spells of the spirit. of fair defence. You, my friend, have stud-
The mere mention of the sufferings that ied eloquence and the law. Now put your
wrought our salvation is enough to quench art in practice, and by it put down the op-
distress, even at its worst. Those sufferings pressors, help them that are put down by
were all undergone for humanity. Our Lord them, and defend tliem with the law as with
did not destroy death to make one body vic- a shield. Let no guilty client enjoy the bene-
torious over death, but through that one body fit of
your advocacy, even though he be your
to effect our common resurrection, and make friend.
our hope of it a sure and certain hope. And Now one of these guilty men is that villain
if even while our holy celebrations are bring- Abraham. After being settled for a consid-
ing you manifold refreshment of soul, you erable time on an estate belonging to the
cannot overcome your sense of sorrow, let church, he then took several partners in his
me beg you, my honoured friend, to read the rascality, and lias had no hesitation in own-
very words of the marriage contract which ing his proceedings. I have sent him to you
follow on the mention of the dowry, and to with an account of his doings, the parties he
see how the wedding is preceded by the re- has wronged, and the reverend sub-deacon
minder of death. Knowing as we do that Gerontius. I do not want you to deliver
men are mortal, and bethinking us of the the guilty man to the authorities, but in the
peace of survivors, it is customary to lay hope that when his victims have told you all
down what are called conditions, and for no they have had to put up with, and have
hesitation to be shewn at the mention of made you, my learned friend, feel sympathy
death before the joining together in marriage. for their case, you may be induced to com-
These are the plain words " If the husband pel the wicked fellow to restore what he
should die first it is agreed that so and so be has stolen.
done if this lot should first fall to the wife,
;
so and so." We knew all this before the wed- 1

Probably tbe condcnui;itlon referred to is the imperial
Edict of March 449 relegating Theodoret to the limits of his
ding ; we are waiting for it so to say every own diocese, cf. Epp. 79. So.
LETTERS. 253
in this battle too, and bear

XL To Flavianus bishop of Constantinople. friend, conquer
bravely the death of your son-in-law, my
The Creator and Guide of the Universe own dear friend. Conquer in your wisdom
has made you a luminary of the world, and the claims of kinsmanship and the memory
changed the deep moonless night into
clear of a noble and generous character, a mem-
noon. Just as by the haven's side, the beacon ory which must always
recall something
in the night time the har- or rhetorician's skill.
light shews sailors beyond painter's art
bour mouth, so shines the bright ray of your Repel the assault of sorrow by
the thought
holiness to give great comfort to all that are of Him who wisely administers all the af-
attacked for true religion's sake, and shews fairs of men, with perfect knowledge of the
them the safe port of the Apostles' faith. They future and right guidance of it for our good.
that know it already are filled with comfort, Let us join in the joy of him who has
and they that knew it not are saved from be- been delivered from this life's storms.
I indeed am Let us rather give thanks because, wafted by
ing dashed upon the rocks.
the giver of all cast anchor in the wind-
especially bound to praise kindly winds, he has
good, because I have found a noble champion less haven and has escapedthe grievous ship-
who drives away fear of men by the power wrecks whereof this life is full. But need I
of the fear of God, fights heartily in the say all this to one who is a tried gladiator of
front rank for the doctrines of the Gospel, goodness? Need I, as it were, anoint for
and gladly bears the brunt of the apostolic endurance one who is a trainer of other ath-
war. So to-day every tongue is moved in letes? Still I write. It is a comfort to my-
is not only self to write as I do. I am really and truly
eulogy of your holiness, for it
the nurslings of true religion who admire grieved when I remember an intimacy that I
the purity of your faith, but the praises of esteemed so highly. Once more I praise the
the enemies both knowswhat Who
your courage are sung even by great Guide of all,
of the truth. Falsehood vanishes at truth's would be good for us and guides our life ac-
lightning flash. I have dictated this after writing
cordingly.
I write thus knowing that the very rever-
my former communication, on one of my
end and pious Hypatius the reader, both friends in Antioch telling me that the end
of your holiness,
readily obeys the bidding had come.
and constantly, my Lord, mentions your
laudable deeds. I salute you as holy and XIII. To Cyrus.
right dear to God. I exhort you to support
us with your prayers that we may lead the I had heard of the island of Lesbos, and its
rest of our lives according to God's laws. cities Mitylene, Methymna,
and the rest;
but I was ignorant of the fruit of the vine
XII. To the bishop Irenceus.^ cultivated in it.i Now, thanks to
_
your
diligence, I have become acquainted with it,
of adamant and
Job, that famous tower and I admire both its whiteness and the
noble champion of goodness, was not shaken Perhaps time may
delicacy of its flavour.
even by blows of continuous troubles of even unless it turns it sour for
stood impregnable
improve it, ;
every sort and kind, but and and build-

wine, like the body, plants,
and firm. At the end however of all his trials made by hand, is
the reason ings, and other things
the righteous Law-giver explained it makes
time. If, as you say,
of them in the words,
" Dost thou think that damaged by
the drinker longlived, I am afraid it will be
I answered thee for any other reason than that
of little use to me, for I have no desire to live
thou mightest appear just?"^ I think that a storms are so many
long life, when life's
these words are known to your piety which and so hard.
is able to support the many and various at- hear of
I was however much pleased to
tacks of troubles and anxieties, and so far the health of the monk. Really my anxiety
from shrinking from them, exhibits the about him was and I
quite distressing,
strength and stability of your administration. wrongly blamed the doctors, for his com-
So the bountiful Lord, seeing the bravery the treatment they gave. I
plaint required
and holiness of your soul, has refused to keep have sent a little pot of honey which the
you
a worthy champion in concealment, and has Cilician bees make from storax flowers.
adorn
brought him forth to the contest to
your venerable head with a crown of victory, " innocentts

1 the wine of Lesbos cf. Hor. Car. i. 17,
On
and give your struggles as a high example toctila Leshii;
" Aulus Gellius tells the story how Aristotle,
dear when asked to nominate his successor, and wishing to point
of good service to the rest. So, my out the superiority of Theophrastus to Menedemus,
called
a cup of Rhodian, and then of Lesbian, and after
first for sip,
Nact. Att. xixi. §.
1 Vide note on Letter IH, 'Job xl. 3. Ixx. ping both, exclaimed ijoiwc 6 Ac'a/Stos.
254 THEODORET.
XIV, To Alexandra. some in the
vigour of manhood, and some
Had I
only considered the character of the
after they have experienced the trials of old
OSS which you have age. Thus, too, they who have taken on
sustained, I should
have wanted consolation them the marriage yoke are loosed from it
myself, not only
because I count that what concerns and it must needs be that either
you con- husband
cerns me, be it agreeable or first
depart or wife reach this life's end
otherwise, but be-
cause I did so
dearly love that admirable and
before him. Some have but just entered the
truly excellent man. But the divine decree chamber when their lot is bridal
weepincr
lias removed him fi'om us and translated him and lamentation
some live together a little ;
to the better life. I therefore scatter the while. Enough to remember that the grief
cloud
of sorrow from
my soul, and urge you, mv IS common to give reason ground for over- ,
worthy fnend, to vanquish the pain of your coming grief. Besides all this, even they '
sorrow by the power of who are mastered by bitterest sorrow

reason, and to brino- may
your soul m this hour of need under the be comforted by the
thought that the de-
spell
of God s word. was the father of sons
Why from our
do we suck the instruction ofvery
cradles parted that he left
them grown up that he had attained a
;
the divine very ;
bcnptures, like milk from the breast, but high position, and in it, so far from giving any
that, when trouble falls cause for envy, made men love him the
upon us, we may be more,
able to
apply the teaching of the and left behind him a reputation for
Spirit liberality'
as a salve for our
pain? Iknow how sad, for hatred of all that
bad, for gentleness is
iiow very grievous it
is, when one has ex- and indeed for every kind of moral virtue. •
perienced the worth of some loved object But what excuse for
despondency will be
left us if we take to heart
suddenly to be deprived of it, and to foil in a God's own
moment from happiness to misery. But to proinises and the hopes of Christians the ;
them that are gifted with resurrection, I mean, eternal life, continuance
good sense, and
use their powers of
right reason, no human
in the
kingdom, and all that " eye hath not
contingency comes quite unforeseen nothino- seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
;
human is
stable; into the heart of
man, the things which God
nothing lasting; nor
beauty, nor wealth, nor health, nor dio-nity hath prepared for them that love Him
•
".? 2
nor any of all those Does not the Apostle
things that most" men
rank so high. Some men fall from a "I would not have yousayto emphatically,
be ignorant
summit of opulence to lowest brethren concerning them which are
lose their health and
poverty some ; asleep,
that ye sorrow not even as others
struggle with various " ^ which have
torms of disease some who are proud of no hope
;
I have known
many men who .?
the splendour of their even without hope have

lineage drag the crush- got the better of
ing yoke of slavery. Beauty is their grief
spoilt by by the force of reason alone, and
sickness and marred it would indeed be
by old age, and very extraordinary if they who
wisely has the supreme Ruler sulibred none are supported by such a hope should
prove
things to continue nor abide, with weaker than they who have no hope at all.
ot these
the intent that their Let us then, I implore
possessors, in fear of you, look at the end
change, may lower their proud looks, and as a long journey. When he went on a
knowing how all such possessions ebb and journey we used indeed to be sorry, but we
flow, may cease to put their confidence
in
waited his return. Now let the separation
what IS short lived and sadden us indeed in some
fleeting, and may fix degree, for I am
their hopes
upon the Giver of all o-ood not exhorting what is
I contrary to human
am aware, my excellent friend, nature, but do not let us wail as over a
all this, and I
thatyou know
beg you to reflect on human corpse; let us rather congratulate him on
nature you will find that it is his setting forth and his
mortal, and
;
departure hence,
received the doom of death from
the be<rin-
because he is now free from a world of un-
It was to Adam that God
ning. said " Dust certainties, and fears no further change of
thou art and to dust thou shalt soul or
body or of corporeal conditions.
return." i
1 he giver of the law is

He that never lies, 1 he strife now ended, he waits for his reward.
and experience witnesses to Grieve not overmuch for
His truth and orphanhood
Divme Scripture tells us "all men have one widowhood. have a greater Guardian We
entrance mto life and the like " ^
goin<r out '''""'"^^ ''pecified are
and every one that is born awaits ana
anrl ^l"]?
(in; n-paorrj^.
(i) ik^vB^pia; (ii) <-
Mi<rorro.-wca;
ir ^ ' >
the grave. The more classical Greek for

And all do not live a like length of time eAe.;«epo9, was eAe..flep,dT„9. - eAe.;flep.a, the character of the
•
or license; Vide Arist. Eth. eAe^flep.a being

used for freedom,
some men come to an end all too Nic iv I
soon The M«ro-r,.r^po? ,s a hater of
•
as in Dem. knavery, .^84, 12.

Character Of the npao, cff Aristotle. Eth. Nic. iv.
*
Gen, c nH A° '^
S. and Archbp. Trench,
,
iii.
19. *
"Wisdom vii. 6. synonyms of the N. T. p. 14S.
'I. Cor. 11. 9.
3I.Thess.iv. 13.
LETTERS. 255
whose law it is that all should take good whom sorrow makes its slaves will gain
care of orphans and widows and about nothing by their wailing, but will at once
whom the divine David says " The Lord live weary lives and grieve the Guardian of
relieveth the fatherless and widow, but the us all. Receive then, my most honoured
way of the wicked He turneth upside down.^ friend, a flxtherly exhortation " The Lord
Only let us put the rudders of our lives in gave and the Lord hath taken away. He
His hands, and we shall meet with an un- hath done whatsoever pleased Him. Blessed
failing Providence. His guardianship will be the name of the Lord." ^
be surer than can be that of any man, for
His are the words " Can a woman for- XVI. To Bishop Irenceus?
get her sucking child that she should not
have compassion on the son of her womb? There is
nothing good, it seems, in pros-
Yet will I not forget thee." - He is nearer pect for us, so, far from calming down, the
to us than father and mother for He is our tempest troubling the Church seems to i-ise
Maker and Creator. It is not marriage that higher every day. The conveners of the
makes fathers, but fathers are made fathers Council have arrived and delivered the letters
at His will. of summons to several of the Metropolitans
I am now compelled thus to write because including our own, and I have sent a copy of
my bonds ^ do not sufterme to hasten to you, the letter to your Holiness to acquaint you
but your most God-loving and most holy how, as the poet has it, has been "Woe
bishop is able unaided to give all consolation welded by woe." And we need only the "^
to your very faithful soul by word and by deed, Lord's goodness to stay the storm. Easy it
is for Him to
by sight and by communication of thought stay it, but we are unworthy of
and by that spiritual and God-given wisdom the calm, yet the grace of His patience is
of his whereby I trust the tempest of your enough for us, so that haply by it we may
grief will be lulled to sleep. get the better of our foes. So the divine
apostle has taught us to pray "for He will
XV. To Silvaniis the Primate.*' with the temptation also make a way to escape
that ye maybe able to bear it."* But I be-
I know that in my words of consolation
seech your godliness to stop the mouths of
I am somewhat late, but it is not without
the objectors and make them understand that
reason that I have delayed to send them, for it is not for them who
stand, as the phrase
I have thought it worth while to let the
goes, out of range, to scoff" at men fighting in
violence of your grief take its course. The the ranks and
giving and receiving blows ;
cleverest physicians will never apply their for

what matters it what weapon the soldier
remedies when a fever is at its height, but uses to strike down his Even
antagonists?
wait for a favourable opportunity for using the
great David did not use a panoply when
the appliances of their skill. So after reck- he slew the aliens'
champion,* and Samson
oning how sharp your anguish must be, I slew thousands on one day with the
have let these few days go by, for if I my- of an ass.*^ jawbone
Nobody grumbles at the victory,
self was so distressed and filled with such
nor accuses the conqueror of cowardice,
sorrow by the news, what must not have because he wins it without
brandishins: a
been the sufferings of a husband and yoke-
^ spear or covering himself with his shield or
fellow, made, as the Scripture says, one flesh,
at the violent sundering of the union ce-
throwing darts or shooting arrows. The
defenders of true religion must be criticized
mented both by time and love? Such pangs in the same
are only natural but let reason devise con-
way, nor must we try to find
language which will stir strife, but rather
;
solation by reminding you that humanity is

arguments which plainly proclaim the truth
frail and sorrow universal, and also of the
and make those who venture to oppose it
hope of the resurrection and the will of Him ashamed of themselves.
who orders our lives wisely. must We
What does it matter whether we style the
needs accept the decrees of inestimable at the same time of mother Man
holy Virgin
wisdom, and own them to be for our good ; and mother of God, or her mother and call
for they who
reflect thus piously shall servant of her offspring, with the addition
reap piety's rewards, and so delivered that she is mother of our Lord Jesus Christ
from immoderate lamentations shall pass as man, but His servant as God, and so at
their lives in peace. On the other hand they once avoid the term which is the pretext of
1 Ps. cxlvi. 2 Isaiah xlix. 15.
9.
3 i.e. confinement to the limits of his own 2 cf,
diocese by the 1
Job i. 21. Epp. iii, xii, and xxxv.
decree of March, 449. 'Homer II. xvi. iii. ko.k'.v KaKw k<jTr\pi.Kro. For Theo-
* cf. note on
p. 261, Nothing is known of this Silvanus. doret's knowledge of Homer cf. pp. 104 and 258.
* Gen. ii.
24, Î.Cor. X. 13. o I. Sam. xvii. 6
judges xv. 16.
256 THEODORET.
calumny, and express the same opinion by XVII. To the Deaco7iess Casiana.
another phrase? And besides this it must
Had I
only considered the greatness of
also be borne in mind that the former of
I should have put oft' writing a
these titles is of general use, and the latter
your sorrow,
little while, that I might make time my ally
peculiar to the Virgin and that it is about
;
in my attempt to cure it, but I know the
this that all the controversy has arisen,
which would God had never been. The good sense of your piety, and so I make bold
to offer you some words of consolation sug-
majority of the old Fathers have applied the gested partly by human nature, and partly
more honourable title to the Virgin, as your
Holiness yourself has done in two or three by divine Scripture. For our natuiê is frail,
and all life is full of such calamities, and the
discourses several of these, which your
;
universal Governor and Ruler of the World,
godliness sent to me, I have in my own pos- — the Lord who wisely orders our concerns,
session, and in these you have not coupled
the title mother of Man with mother of God,
— gives us by means of His divine oracles
consolation of various kinds, of which the
but have explained its meaning by the use of
writings of the holy Evangelists and the
other words. But since you find fault with
divine utterances of the blessed prophets
me for having left out the holy and blessed are full. But I am sure it is needless to cull
Fathers Diodorus and Theodorus in my list
these passages, and suggest them to your
of authorities, I have thought it necessary to
piety, nurtured as you have been from
add a few words on this point.
the beginning in the inspired word, ruling
In the first place, my have
dear friend, I life in accordance with them, and
omitted many both famous and illus- your
othei"s
no other teaching. But I do im-
needing
trious. Secondly this fact must be borne in
plore you to remember those words that
mind, that the accused party is bound to
charge us to master our feelings, and promise
produce unimpeachable witnesses, whose tes- us eternal life, proclaim the destruction of
timony even his accusers cannot impugn. death, and announce the common resurrec-
But if the defendant were to call into court tion of us all. Besides all
this, nay, before
authorities accused by the prosecutors, even
all this, I ask you to reflect that He who has
the judge himself would not consent to re-
bidden these things so be is the Lord, that He
ceive them. If t had omitted these holy
is a Lord all wise and all good, Who knows
men in comjoiling an eulogy of the Fathers, I what is best for us, and to this end
exactly
should, I own, have been wrong, and should o-uides all our life. Sometimes death is
have proved myself ungrateful to my teachers. better than
life, and what seems distressing
But if when under accusation I have brought is
really pleasanter than fancied joys. I beg
forward a defence, and have produced unim-
your piety to accept the consolation oftered
peachable witnesses, why do men who are by my humility, that you may serve the Lord
unwilling to see any of these testimonies lay of all
me under unreasonable blame? How I rev- by nobly bearing your pain, and
aftbrding to men as well as women an ex-
erence these writers is sufficiently shewn by
ample of true wisdom. For all will admire
my own book in their behalf, in which I have the strength of mind which has bravely
refuted the indictment laid against them, with-
borne the attack of grief and broken the
out fear of the influence of their accusers or force of its violent assault
by the magnanim-
even of the secret attack made upon myself. And we are not without
ity of its resolution.
These people who are so fond of foolish
great comfort in the living likenesses of your
talk had better get some other excuse for
departed son for he has left behind him off-
;
their sleight of words. My object is not to spring of deep affection, who may be
make my words and deeds fit the pleasure of able to worthy
stay the excess of our sorrow.
this man or that man, but to edify the church
Lastly I implore you to remember in your
of God, and please her bridegroom and Lord.
grief what yoiu' bodily infirmity can endure,
I call my conscience to witness that I am not
and to avoid increasing your sufferings by
acting as I do through care of material things, mourning overmuch and I implore our ;
nor because I cling to the honour with all its Lord of His infinite resources to
give you
cares, which I shrink from calling an unhappy of consolation.
one. I would long ago have withdrawn of
ground
my own accord, did I not fear the judgment XVIII. To Neoptolemus,
of God. And now know well that I await my
fate. And I think that it is drawing near, Whenever I cast my eyes on the divine
for so the plots against me indicate.^ law which calls those who are joined to-
" one flesh," ^ I am at a
gether in marriage
iThis letter appears to be written shortly before the meeting
pf the Robber Synod in 449, 1 Gen. ii. 24,
LETTERS. 257
loss how to comfort the limb that has been fore let your holiness pray that what is said of
sundered, because I take account of the great- me may be confirmed by fact, and that not
ness of the pang. But when I consider the only may good things be reported of me by
course of nature, and the law which the word, but
proved in deed.
Creator has laid down in the words "Dust
thou art and to dust thou shalt return," ^ and XXI. To the learned Eusebius.
all that goes on
daily in all the world on
land and sea —
for either husbands first ap- The disseminators of this great news,
proach the end of life or this lot first with the idea that it would be very distasteful
befalls the wives —
I find from these reflec- to me, fancied that they might in this
way
tions many grounds of consolation and annoy me. But I by God's grace welcomed
;
above all the hopes that have been given us the news, and await the event with pleasure.
by our Lord and Saviour. For the reason Indeed very grateful to me is any kind of
of the accomplishment of the mystery of the trouble which is brought on me for the
incarnation was that we, being taught the sake of the divine doctrines. For, if we
defeat of death, should no more grieve be- really trust in the Lord's promises, " The
yond measure at the loss by death of those sufierings of this present time are not worthy
we love, but await the longed-for fulfilment to be compared with the gloiy that shall be
of the hope of the resurrection. I entreat revealed in us."
^
your Excellency to reflect on these things, And why do I speak of the enjoyment of
and to overcome the pain of your grief; and the good things which are hoped for.? For
all the more because the children of
your even if no prize had been ofiered to them
common love are with you, and give you that struggle for the sake of true religion.
every ground of comfort. Let us then Truth alone by her own unaided force would
praise Him who governs our lives wisely, herself have been sufficient to persuade
nor rouse His anger by immoderate lamen- them that love her to welcome gladly all
tation, for in His wisdom He knows what is perils in her cause. And the divine Apostle
good for us, and in His mercy He gives it. is witness of what I
say, exclaiming as he
" Who shall
does, separate us from the love
XIX. To the Presbyter Basilius. of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
I have found the right
eloquent orator or sword.? As it is written, 'For thy
Athanasius to be just what your letter de- peril
sake we are killed all the day long we are
scribed him. His tongue is adorned by his ;
accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' " ^

speech, and his speech by his character, And then to teach us that he looks for no
and all about him is brightened by his
reward, but only loves his Saviour, he adds
abundant faith. Ever, most God-beloved "
friend, send us such gifts. You have straightway Nay in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved
given me, be assured, very great pleasure us. " 3
through my intercourse with him. And he goes on further to exhibit his own
love more clearly. " For I am
XX. To the Presbyter Martyrius. persuaded,
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
Natural disposition appears in us before principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
resolution of character, and, in this sense, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth,
takes the lead but disposition is overcome nor any other creature, shall be able to
;
by resolution, as is plainly proved by the separate us from the love of God, which is
*
right eloquent orator Athanasius. Though in Christ Jesus our Lord."
an Egyptian by birth, he has none of the Behold, my friend, the flame of apostolic
Egyptian want of selfcontrol, but shews a affection see the torch of love.* ;
character tempered by gentleness. ^ He is I covet not, he says, what is His. I only

moreover a warm lover of divine things. long for Him and this love of mine is an un- ;
On this account he has spent many days quenchable love and I would gladly forego
with me, expecting to reap some benefit from all present and future felicity, aye, suffer and
his stay. But I, as you know, most God- endure again all kinds of pain so as to keep
beloved friend, shrink from trying so to derive with me this flame in all its force. This
good from others, and am far from being was exemplified by the divine writer in deed
able to impart it to those who seek it, and
1 Rom. viii. iS. 3 Rom. viii.
this not because I grudge, but because I 37.
2 Rom. viii. * Rom. viii.
35. 36. 3S. 39.
have not the wherewithal, to give. Where- 8
epcoTOS. The USL' of this word in tliis connexion is in con-
trast with the spirit of tlie writers of tlie N. T., in wliicli tpouj
1 Gen. iii. 19.
' On TrpooTijs vide note on p. 254. and its correlatives never appear.
VOL. Ill,
258 THEODORET.
as well as in word and everywhere by land from poets, orators, and philosophers, but
and sea he has left belnnd him memorials of for us the divine writings are suflicient.
his sufferings. So when I turn my eyes on I have quoted what 1 have to prove how
him and on the rest of the patriarchs, disgraceful it were for the mere disciples of
better of us who have had
prophets, apostles, martyrs, priests, what is nature to get the
commonly reckoned miserable I cannot but the teaching of the prophets and the apos-
hold to be delightful. I confess to a feeling tles, trusting in the Saviour's sufferings and
of shame when I remember how even they looking for the resurrection of the body,
who never learnt the lessons we have learnt, freedom from corruption, the gift of immor-
but followed no othicr guide but human tality and the kingdom of heaven.
nature alone, have won conspicuous places So, my dear friend, comfort those who
in the race of virtue. The famous Socrates, are discouraged at the stories bruited abroad,
son of Sophroniscus, when vmder the calum- and anybody is pleased at them, tell them
if
nious indictment, not only treated the lies of that weare happy too, that we are exulting
his accusers with contempt, but expressed and dancing with joy, and that what they
his cheerfulness in the miclst of his troubles call punishment we are looking for as the
"
in the words, Anytus and Mclctus can >
kingdom of heaven itself.
kill me, but they cannot harm me." And To inform those who do not know in what
the orator of Paânia,- who was as wise as mind we are, be assured, most excellent
he was eloquent, enriched both the men of friend, that we believe, as we have been
his own day and them that should come taught, in the Father, the Son, and the Holy
after him with the saying: "to all the race Ghost. There is no truth in the slander of
of men the end of life is death, even though some that we have been taught to believe, or
one shut himself up for safety in a cell so ;
have been baptized, or do believe, or teach
good men are bound ever to put their hand others to believe, in two Sons. As we know
to every honourable work, ever defending one Father and one Holy Ghost so we know
themselves with good hope as with a shield, one Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only
and bravely to bear whatever lot may be begotten Son of God, God the Word who
given them by God."
^ was made man. Wê do not however deny
Moreover a writer of earlier date than the properties of the natures. Wehold
Demosthenes, I mean the son of Olorus, them to be in error who divide the one Lord
wrote many noble sentiments, and among Jesus Christ into two Sons, and we also call
them this " We must bear what the gods them enemies of the truth who endeavour to
send us of necessity and the fortune of war confound the natures. We believe an union
quote philos- to have been made without confusion, and
''
with courage." Why need I
ophers, historians, and orators? For even we reckon some qualities to be proper to
the men who gave higher honour to their the manhood and others to the Godhead for
mythology than to the truth have inserted just as the man I mean man in general— ;
—
many useful exhortations in their stories as reasonable and mortal being, has a soul and ;
Ilomer in his poems introduces the wisest of has a body, and is reckoned to be one being,
the Hellenes preparing himself for deeds of just so the distinction between the two nat-
valour, where he says ures does not divide the one man into two
" He chid his
angry spirit and beat his breast, persons, but we recognise in the one man
And said I'urliear my mind, and think on this: both the immortality of the soul and the
'
There hath been time when bitterer agonies

mortality of the body, and acknowledge the
Have tried thy patience.'" * invisible soul and the visible body, but, as I
Similar passages might easily be collected said, one being at once reasonable and
oii&iv av p\aêiev oiiTt
mortal so do we recognise oiu" Lord and
;
1
Apol. Soc. xviii. /JLtu yape/j-e
M«Aj)T09 oi're 'Av-viTO?, ovSe yftp av Swatro. God, I mean the Son of God our Lord
* I.e. Demosthenes who belonefcd to Pseania deinus of .a
Attica on the eastern slope of llymettus, and so was called 6 Christ, even after His incarnation, to be one
llaiavevf,
3 Demosth. de Cor.
Son for the union is indivisible, as we know
;
25S.
The snUimLiit linds various expression in ancient writers it is without confusion. acknowledge We
e.g. Euripides, in a fragment
of the lost " Êgeus,"
too that the Godhead is without beginning,
KartiavdU S' oi/xiAeTai
KaX TO) KaT'o'lKOVi (KTOI Tj/ieVci) noiKDV. and that tlie manhood is of recent origin for ;
and Propertius El. III. 10.

" ///e licet
ferro caniiis se condat et a-re,
the one nature is of the seed of Abraham and
*
Mors taincn iitclusum frotrahit inde caput ,"
II. Ixiv. 3. .tiv re XP'I 6atfidvia
''°-
David, from whom descended tlie holy Vir-
''^
Thucydidos i\,
atâvKditu;, Ta re aTrb twi' TToXf/xt'oir ai'i'»peuo?. gin, but the divine nature was begotten of
The quotation is from the siiccch of IVriclcs to the Atlie- the God and Father before the
nians in 15. C. 430 in which he Liicouragcs and sootlics them ages without
under adversity. time, without passions, without severance.
e Homer Od. xx. (Chapman's Translation.) cf. notes on
pp. lO-i, 2-S, 2S«!, 259,
17.
and 260. But suppose the distinction between flesh
LETTERS. 259
and Godhead be destroyed, what weapons of the compassion of God. On this account
to
shall we use in our war with Arius and the excellent Dionysius has hurried to your
Eunomius? How shall we undo their blas- greatness to tell you of the trouble, that he
phemy against the only begotten? As it is,
may receive the remedy. He carries this
we apply the words of humiliation as to letter, like a suppliant's branch of olive, in
man, the words of exaltation and divinity as the hope that by its means he may receive
to God, and the setting forth of the truth is greater kindness.
very easy to us.
But this disquisition on the faith is exceed- XXIV. To Andreas Bishop of Samosata.
ing the limits of a letter. Still even these Your piety, nursling of God's love, longs,
few words are enough to show the character I am sure, for my society. But I am all the
of the apostolic faith. ^ more eager for yours in proportion as I
know from it more advantage will ac-
that
XXII. To Coimt Ulpianus. crue to me. Want somehow naturally
It is said that what is makes our wishes the stronger, but the Lord
faulty in men's ways
may be brought to order and improved by of all is able to give us what we long for.
words. But I think that characters made He rules all things Himself; knows what is
beautiful by nature, themselves make words sure to do us good, and never ceases to give
fair, though they stand in need of none, just every
man this boon. I really cannot tell
as bodies naturally beautiful need no artificial you how much delighted I was with your
colouring. These qualities are conspicuous letter, and the very honourable and devout
in the right eloquent orator Athanasius, and I deacon Thalassius increased my pleasure by
have been the more pleased with him because telling me what I was very anxious to know,
he is an ardent lover of your Excellency, for what can be more welcome to me than
and is constantly sounding your praises. news that all goes well with you? And what
Here, however, I have striven with him, and is it that so increases your welfare as the
in enumerating your high qualities, have moderation of the great men among us.'' You
outdone him, for I know more about good have acted like a wise and active physician
deeds of yours than he. I am however who does not wait to be sent for, but comes
vexed at not being able to praise them all, of his own accord to them that need his care.
and to see that my summary of your virtues This has given me great pleasure, and I have
falls short of what might be said in learnt by my own experience what the poet
your
but if God it even to means when he says " laughing through her
praise, grant approach
the truth you will hold the pre-eminence in tears." *
May the bountiful Giver of all good
every kind of virtue among all your contem- things grant your holiness to excel in them,
^ and to make us emulous of what is praise-
poraries.
worthy in all good men. Help us then my
XXIII. To the Patrician Areobindas? dear friend, and persuade him who can to
^
In distributing wealth and poverty among grant our petition.
men the Creator and Governor of all gives
no unjust judgment, but gives the poverty of XXV. Festal
the poor to the rich as a means of useful- When the only begotten God had been
ness. So He brings chastisement upon men made Man, and had wrought out our salva-
not merely in the infliction of punishment tion, they who in those days saw Him from
for their faults, but to provide whom these bounties flowed kept no feast.
the wealthy
with opportunities for shewing kindness to But in our time, land and sea, town and
mankind. This year the Lord has sent us hamlet, though they cannot see their bene-
scourges, far less than our sins,but enough factor with eyes of sense, keep a feast in
to distress the husbandmen, of whose suffer- memory of all He has done for them and so ;
ings I lately made your magnificence ac- great is the joy flowing frotn these celebra-
quainted through your own hinds. Pity, I tions that the streams of spiritual gladness
beseech you, the tillers of the ground, who run in all directions. Wherefore we now
have spent their toil with but very little re- salute your piety, at once to signify the
sult. Be this bad year a suggestion of cheerfulness which the feast has caused in
spiritual abundance, and do ye through the us, and to ask your prayers that we may
exercise of compassion gather in the harvest keep it to the end.
1 Garnerius d.ntes this letter in
Sept. or Oct., 44^9. 1 HoiP. II. VI. 4S4, cf. quotations from Homer pp. 104, 255,
Nothing' more seems to be known either of Ulpianus or
2
25S, 259, 260.
of this Athanasius. 2 Andreas of Samosata that Theodoret addressed the
It is to
3 Areobindas was consul in
434, and died, according to famous letter on the errors of Cyril numbered 162. He is
MarcÛinus, in
-^9. mentioned by Athanasius Sinaita,
52
26o THEODORET.
XXVI. Festal. admirable and most honourable Celestinianus,.
so bravely does he bear his misfortune, and
The fountains of the Lord's kindness are makes the loss of his
hap2:)iness an occasion
ever gushing forth with good things for them for the governor of all,
philosophy, praising
that believe ; but some further good is con- and
holding that to be good which God
veyed by the celebrations which preserve either ordains or suflers to be. For the
the memory of the greatest of benefits to wisdom of divine Providence is
unspeakable.
them that keep the feasts with more good He is
travelling with his wife and children,
will. We
have just now celebrated the rites and I
beg your excellency to treat him witli
and enjoyed their blessing, and tluis salute an
hospitality like that of Abraham. With
your piety, for so the custom of the feast and perfect confidence in your benevolence I
law of love enjoins. have undertaken to introduce him to you,
and I am telling him how generous is your
XXVII. To Aquilinus, deacon and Archi-
right hand.^
mandrite.
No one who has won the divine adoption XXX. To Aerius the Sophist.^
weeps for
orphanhood, for what guardian
Now is the time for your Academy to
care can be more powerful than that of our
prove the use of your discussions. I am
Father which is on high, because of Him told that a brilliant
assemblage collects at
fathers of earth are fathers. By His will your house, of which the members are both
some are made fatiiers by nature, some by illustrious birth and polished of speech,
grace. To Him tlien let us hold fast and and that by debate about virtue and the
you
keep alive the memory of them that are immortality of the soul, and other kindred
dead. For we shall be the better for the Show now opportunely your
subjects.
recollection of them that have lived well, and wealth of virtue, and
nobility of soul
rousing us to imitation of them, receive the most admirable and honourable
Celestinianus in the spirit of men who have
XXVIII. To Jacobusy presbyter and monk. leai'nt the rapid changes of human prosperity.
He was formerly an ornament of the city of
They who have made the vigour of their
manhood bright by virtuous industry hasten Carthage, where he flung open the doors of
his house to many priests, and never thought
happily towards old age, gladdened by the
recollection of their former victories, and for to need a stranger's kindness. Be his sjiokes-
old age's sake rid of further struggle. This man, my friend, and aid him in his need of
joy think your own piety possesses, and that your voice, for he cannot sufler the advice of
I
the poet which bids him that needcth speak
you bear your old age the more easily for the
recollection of the labours of your youth. though he be ashamed."^
Persuade I beg you any of your society
XXIX. To Ape/lion. who are capable of so doing to emulate the
hospitality of Alcinous,'' to remove the pov-
The sufferings of the Carthaginians would erty which has unexpectedly befallen him,
demand, and, in their greatness, perhaps and to change his evil fortune into good.
out-task, the power of the tragic language of Let them praise our kindly Lord for making
an ^schylus or a Sophocles. Carthage of us wise by other men's calamities, not
old was with difficulty taken by the Romans. having sent us to strangers' houses and
Again and again she contended with Rome having brought strangers to our doors. To
for the mastery of the world, and brought men that shew kindness He
promises to give
Rome within danger of destruction. Now
what words cannot express and no intelli-
the ruin has been the mere byplay of bar- gence can understand.
barians. Now
dignified members of her far-
famed senate wander all over the world, XXXI. To Dommis bishop of Antioch!"
getting means of existence from the bounty The most admirable and honourable Celes-
of kindly strangers, moving the tears of be-
tinianus is a native of the famous Carthage,
holders, and teaching the uncertainty and
and of an illustrious family in that city.
instability of the lot of man.
I have seen many who have come thence, '
The nameCelestinianus varies in the MSS. with Celesti-
Thcodorct's letter in liis behalf may be placed shortly
and I have felt afraid, for I know not, as the aciis.
after the sack ofCarthage bv Genseric in 4^9.
" what the morrow will 2
A
Christian Sophist of Cyrus, cf. Letter LXVI.
Scripture says, 3 This
passage is corrupt, and I cannot discover the quota-
bring forth."
i
Not least do I admire the tion. There may not Impossibly be a reference to Horn. Od-
xvii. .VIS-
* cf.
Epp. 8o-iio-ii?.
1 Prov. xxvii, * Horn. Od.
i. vii.
LETTERS. 261
Now he has been exiled from it. He is

teaching. For this reason, as we know, the
wandering in foreign parts, and has to look divine Apostle in his Epistle to Titus writes
" Let ours also learn to maintain
to the benevolence of them that love God. good works
He him a burden from which for necessary uses," for if our city, solitary
carries wîth ^
he cannot escape and which increases his as it is, and with only a small population,
care —
I mean his wife, his children and his and that a poor one, succours the strangers,
servants, for whom he is at great expense. much rather may BercEa,^ which has been
I wonder at his spirit. For he praises the nurtured in true religion, be expected to do
great Pilot as though he were being borne so, especially under the leadership of your
by favourable breezes, and cares nothing holiness.
for the terrible storm. From his calamity
he has reaped the fruit of piety, and this XXXIII. To Staswius, Count and Primate.^
thrice blessed gain has been brought him by
To
narrate the sufferings of the most hon-
his misfortune ; for while he was in pros-
ourable and dignified Celestinianus would
perity he never accepted this teaching, but
when the evil day left him bare, among the require tragic eloquence. Tragic writers
set forth fully the ills of humanity, but I can
rest of his losses he lost his impiety too, and
in a word inform your excellency that
now possesses the wealth of the faith, and only his country is Libya, so long on all men's
for its sake thinks little of his ruin.
I therefore beseech your holiness to let him
tongues, his city the far famed Carthage, his
rank a seat in her famous council,
find a fatherland in these foreign parts, and hereditary
his circumstances affluent. But all this is
to charge them that abound in riches to com-
now a tale, mere words stripped bare of
fort one who once was endowed like them-
realities. The
barbarian war has deprived
selves, and dark cloud of his
to scatter the
him of allBut such is fortune she
this. ;
calamity. only right and proper that

It is
refuses to remain always with the same men
among men of like nature, where all have and hastens to change her abode to dwell
erred, they that have escaped chastisement with others.* I beg to introduce this guest
should bring comfort to them that have
to your excellency, and beseech you that he
fallen on evil days, and by their sympathy
may enjoy your far famed beneficence. I
for these latter propitiate themercy of God.
beg also that through your excellency he
may become known to all those who are in
XXXII. To the Bishop Theoctistus> office and opulence, in order that you may
both become a means of advantage to them
If the God of all had forthwith inflicted
on all that err he would and win the higher reward from our merci-
punishment utterly
ful God.
have destroyed all men. But He spares He ;
is a merciful Judge; and thei'efore some He

and to others He the lesson XXXIV. To the Count Pairicius.
chastises, gives
of the punishment of the chastised. An in- All kinds of goodness are praiseworthy,
stance of this merciful dealing has been but all are made more beautiful by loving
shewn in our times. Exiles from what was kindness. For it we earnestly pray the God
once known as Libya, but is now called of all through it alone we obtain forgive-
;
Africa, have been brought by Him to our ness when we err it makes wealth stoop
;
doors, and by shewing us their sufferings He to the poor, and because I know that your
moves us to fear, and by fear rouses us to Excellency is richly endowed with it 1 con-
sympathy thus He accomplishes two ends at
;
fidently commend to you the admirable and
once, for He both benefits us by their chas- excellent Celestinianus, once lord of vast
tisement, and to them by our means brings wealth and possessions and suddenly stripped
comfort. This comfort I now beg you to of all, but bearing his poverty as easily as
give to the very admirable and honourable few men bear their riches. The subject of
Celestinianus, a man who once was an orna- the tragedy involving the fall of his fortunes
ment of the Africans' chief city, but now has is the barbarian invasion of Libya and Car-
neither city nor home, nor any of the neces- thage. I have introduced him to your
saries of life. Now it is proper that those greatness pray suggest his case to others, ;
who in the jurisdiction of your holiness have and move them to pity. You will win
been entrusted with the pastoral care of souls
1 Titus
should bring before their fellow citizens what 3. 14.
*i.e. The Syrian Beroea, Aleppo or Haleb.
is for their good, for indeed they need such SThe title Primas was applied in civil Law to (a) the Decu-
and to the chiefs of
rioncs of a municipality, (b) provincial
frovernments. Cod. Theod. vii. iS. 13, ix. 40. 16 etc.
" nunc mihi nunc
He succeeded Acacius in 437. « cf. Horace I.xxxiv. and III. xxix. 52
1
Bp. of the Syrian Beroea. 14
cf. alii benigna."
Ep. 134.
262 theodor£:t.
will bethink them
greater gain by giving many a lesson in perity may fall away, they
of our common humanity, and, in imitation
loving kindness.
of your magnanimity, will give him such
XXXV. To the Bishop IrencBus} help as they can.
You are conspicuous, my Lord, for many XXXV11. To Salustius the Governor^
forms of goodness, and your holiness is
beautified in an especial degree by loving- When rulers keep the scales of justice
kindness, by contempt of riches, and by a true, and let them hang in even balance,
of
generosity that gushes forth for the help they confer kinds of benefits upon their
all
them that need. I know too that you deem subjects they are also gifted with pru-
;
if
worthy of more than ordinary attention those dence and further show loving-kindness to
who liave been brought up in prosperity and him that needs it, manifold advantages accrue
have fallen from it into trouble. Knowing from their rule to them that live under it.
this as well as I do I venture to make known Having enjoyed these good things through
to you the very admiral^lc and excellent Celes- your and having experienced
excellency,
tin'ianus. He was once well known in Car- them your former administration, they
in
thage for wealth and position, now stripped have now been moved with joy at the infor-
of these he is fovourably known by his piety mation that to your mimificence the helm
and philosophy, for he l:)ears what men call of government has been entrusted. I pray
misfortune with resignation because it has that they may gain yet greater good, that
of his soul.
brought him to the your excellency may win still higher praise,
salvation
lie came to me with a letter which described and that the encomiums of your eulogists may
his former prosperity, and after he had be vindicated by the addition to all your other
passed several days with me I proved
the honourable titles to fame of that colophon ^
truth of what was said of him by experience. of good things true religion. As I was —
1 have therefore no hesitation in commending compelled
days in Hierapolis to pass several
your Holiness, and begging you

him to to
have the pleasure of meeting your
I to
hoped
make him known to the well-to-do men of excellency, and persistently enquired of new
tiie city. It is probable that when they have comers if the insignia of office had been
learnt what has befallen him, in fear of a conveyed to you. But I was compelled by
like fiite themselves, they will
befalling the divine feast of salvation to return in
endeavour escape judgment by shewing
to haste to the city entrusted to me. Now
mercy. He has no resource but to go
about however that I have received your excel-
is put to the greater expense
he lency's letter, with very great pleasure
as I re-
l)egging,
because he has with him his wife and chil- turn your salutation, and without delay have
dren, and the domestics who with him es- sent, as you requested, the honourable and
caped the violence of the barbarians. pious deacon who is by God's grace a
water-finder. May the Lord in His loving
XXXVI. To Pompianus, Bishop of Emesa. kindness grant him both to do good service to
the city and increase your excellency's glory.
I know very well that your means are
great, and that
small and your heart is in
not prevented by
XXXVIII. Festal.
your case generosity is
limited resources. I The divine feast of salvation has brought

therefore introduce to
your holiness the admirable
and excellent us the founts of God's good gifts, the bless-
Cclestinianus, once enjoying much wealth ing of the Cross, and the immortality which
and prosperity, but now escaped from the sprang from our Lord's death, the resurrec-
hands of the barbarians with nothing but tion of our Lord Jesus Christ which gives
freedom, and having no means of liveHhood promise of the resurrection of us all. These
except the mercy of men
like your piety. l)eing the gifts of the feast, such its exhibition
And cares crowd round him, for travelling of the bounty of divine grace, it has filled
with him are his wife, children and servants, us with spiritual gladness. But encom-
whom he has brought with him from no passed as we are on every side by many and
motives but those of humanity, for he can- 1 of the Eupliratensis.
not think it right to dismiss them when they s
i.e.
Colophon was one of the twelve Ionian cities founded by

the coast of Asia Minor and was one of the claim,
refuse toabandon him. I beg you of your Mopsus on
ants for beinu; the birthplace of Homer. To put a colophon to
goodness to make him known to our wealthy anything:: became a proverbial expression
—
for to put the crown-
from the fact according to Strabo
insj touch, to complete
being informed
citizens, for I think that, after (C. 64^) tliat the Colophonian cavalry was so excellent as at
by your holiness and seeing how

soon pros- once to decide and finish a battle in which it appeared. So the
of with the device of the
place and date of the edition a book,
printer, appended to old editions is called
a colophon.
1 i.e. of Tyre.
LETTERS. 263
great calamities, the brightness of the feast because we force the good Lord, who is wish-
is dimmed, and lamentation and wailing are ful to do us good, to do us ill, and compel
mingled with our psalmody. Such sorrows Him to inflict punishment.

does sin bring forth. It is sin which has Yet when we bethink us of the unfathomable
filled our life with pangs it is on account of
; depths of His pity we are comforted, and trust
sin that death is lovelier to us than life it is ;
thattheLord will notcastoff'Hispeople, neither
on account of sin that when we think in willHe forsake His inheritance.' While salut-
imagination of that incorruptible tribunal ing your magnificence I beseech you to give
we shudder even at the life to come. So me news of your much-wished for health.
may your piety pray that God's loving-kind- XLII. To Constantius the prefect.^
nessmay light on us, and that this gloomy
and terrible cloud may be dispersed and sun- Did no necessity compel me to address a
shine again quickly give us joy. letter your greatness, I might haply be
to
found guilty of presumption, for neither
XXXIX. Festal. taking due measure of myself nor recognis-
ing the greatness of your power. But now
My wish was to write in cheerful terms
that all that is left of the city and district
and sound the note of the spiritual joy of the which God has committed to my charge is
feast, but I am prevented by the multitude in peril of utterly perishing, and certain men
of our sins, which are bringing on us the
have dared to bring calumnious charges
judgment of God. For who indeed can be
so insensible as not to perceive the divine against the recent visitation, I am sure your
wrath? magnificence will pardon the boldness of my
May your piety then pray that letter when you enquire into the necessity of
affairs may undergo a change for the better ;
the case, and my own object in writing. I
that so we too may change the style of our
groan and lament at
being compelled to
letter, and write words of cheerfulness in- write against a man
over whose errors one
stead of those of wailing.
ought to throw a veil, because he is of the
clerical order. Nevertheless I write to de-
XL. To Theodorus the Vicar}
fend the cause of the poor whom he is
The custom of the feast bids me write a wronging. After being charged with many
festal letter, but the cloud of our calamities crimes and excluded from the Communion,
sutlers me not to gather the usual happy pending the assembly of the sacred Synod, in
fruit from
it. Who is so stony-hearted as alarm at the decision of the episcopal coun-
not to be shocked and affrighted at the cil he has made his escape from this place,
anger and grief of the Lord Who is not .''

thereby trampling, as he supposed, on the
stirred to the memory of faults Who does .'' laws of the Church, and, by his contempt
not look for the righteous sentence? All this of the sentence of excommunication has laid
dims the brightness of the feast, but the bare his motive. He has undertaken an accu-
Lord is full of loving-kindness, and we trust sation not even fit for men of mean crafts,
He will not actually fulfil His threats, but and in consequence of his ill-feeling towards
will look mercifully on us, scatter our sad- the illustrious Philip has proceeded against
ness, open the springs of mercy, and shew His the wretched tax-payers. I feel that it is
wonted long suffering. I salute your great- quite needless for me to mention his charac-
ness, and beseech you to send me news of the ter, his course of life from the beginning and
health I sincerely trust you are enjoying. the greatness of his wrong-doings, but this
one thing I do beseech your Excellency, not
XLI. To Claudianus^ to believe his lies, but to ratify the visitation,
and spare the wretched tax-payers. Aye,
The divine Celebration has as usual con-
ferred on us its spiritual boons but the sour ;
spare the thrice wretched decurions who
cannot exact the moneys demanded of them.
fruits of sin have not suffered us" to enjoy
them with gladness. They have had their
Who indeed is ignorant of the severity of the
taxation of the acres among us? On this
usual results in the beginning they caused
;
account most of our landowners have fled,
thorns, caltrops, sweats, toil and pain to
our hinds have run away, and the greater
sprout at the present moment sin sets the
;
In discuss-
earth quaking against us, and makes nations part of our lands are deserted.
rise against us on every side. And we lament ing the land there will be no impropriety in
our using geometrical terms. Of our coun-
1 or lieutenant, is used of " Vicars " both
TOTTOTTjpijTr;?, vicarius,
civiland ecclesiastical. 1 Psalm xciv. 14.
2In Vatican MS. to Salustianus. The mention of the earth- 2 This and the five following letters may be placed in 446,
"
quake fixes the date of this letter in 447, a year when the Huns after the promulgation of the law of Theodosius de reievatis,
were ravaging the eastern empire. adceratis, vel donalis possessionibiis" late in 445.
264 THEODORET.
I beseech you to give no credit to him who
try the length is forty milestones, and the
breadth the same. It includes many high bears indeed the name of bishop, but whose
mountains, some wholly bare, and some mode of action is unworthy even of respect-
covered with unproductive vegetation. able slaves.' He has been himself under
Within this district there are fifty thousand serious charges and subject to the bann of
free jugers,* and besides that ten thousand excommunication under the most holy and
which belong to the imperial treasury. Now God-beloved archbishop of Antioch, the
only let your wisdom consider how great is Lord Domnus, pending the summoning of
the wrong. For if none of the country had the episcopal council for the investigation
been uncultivated, and it had all furnished of the charges against him. He has now
easy husbandry for the hinds, they would made his escape, and betaken himself to the
nevertheless have sunk under the tribute, imperial city, where he plies the trade of an
unable to endure the severity of the tax- informer, attacking the country which is his
ation. And here is a proof of what I say. mother country with its thousands of poor,
^
In the time of Isidorus of glorious memory, and, for the sake of his hatred to one, wags
fifteen thousand acres were taxed in gold, his tongue against all. Out of regard to
but the exactors of the Comitian assessment, what is becoming to me I will say nothing
unable to bear the loss, frequently complained, as to his character and education, and indeed
and by offerings besought your high dignity he shows only too plainly what he has at
to let them oft' two thousand five hundred for present in hand. But of the district I will
the unproductive acres, and your excellency's say this, that when the whole province had
predecessors in this office ordered the unpro- burdens lightened, this portion, although
its
ductive acreage to be taken oft' the unfortunate bore a very heavy share of the burden,
it
decurions, and an equivalent number to be never enjoyed the benefit of relaxation.

substituted for the Comitian and not even The result is that many estates are deprived
;
thus are they able to complete the tale. of husbandmen nay, many are altogether ;
So with many words I ask your favour, abandoned by their owners, while the
and beseech your magnificence to put aside wretched decurions have demands made on
the false accusations that are made against them for these very properties, and, being
the wretched tax-payers, to stem the tide of quite unable to bear the exaction, betake
distress in this unhappy district, and let it themselves some to begging, and some to
once more lift its head. Thus you will flight. The city seems to be reduced to one
leave an imperishable memory of honour to man, and he will not be able to hold out
future generations. I am joined in my sup- unless your piety supplies a remedy. But I
plication to you by all the saints of our dis- am in hopes that your serenity will heal the
trict, and especially by that right holy and wounds in the city and add yet this
one
pious man of God, the Lord Jacobus,^ who more to your many good deeds.
holds silence in such great esteem that he
cannot be induced to write, but he prays ^
XLIV. To the patrician Senator.
that our city, which is made illustrious by
Thanks be to the Saviour of the world
having him as neighbour and isprotected by
his prayers, receive the boon which I because to your greatness He is ever adding
may
ask. dignity and honour. The reason of my not
XLIII. To the Augusta Fulcheria.*' writing up to this time to exhibit the delight
which I have felt at the colophon^ of your
Since you adorn the empire by your piety honour, has been my wish not to trouble
and render the purple brighter by your faith, your magnificence. At the moment of my
we make bold to write to you, no longer now thus writing, the district which Provi-
conscious of our insignificance in that you dence has committed to my care stands as
always pay all due honour to the clergy. the provoib has it on a razor's edge." You
With these sentiments I beseech your ma- will I'emember the visitation which was
jesty to deign to show clemency
to our unmade at the time when we first were bene-
to order the ratification of fited by your presence among us how it was
happy country, ;
the visitation which has been several times

made, and not to accept the false accusations The delator referred to in these letters is presumably
1
Athanaslus of Perrha, who was deposed by Domnus II bishop

which some men have brought against it. of Antioch, in the middle of the fifth century. As Tillemont
points out (Vol. XV. pp. 261-3 ed. 17^0) we cannot make the
" uno identification with certainty, but the circumstances correspond
JHffum vacant quod juncti hovts
^ ft.
i.e., 28,800 sq.
die exarare possint ." varro R. R. i. 10. witli what is known of this Athanasius. There was a Perrha,
' For
many years Prefect of the East. now Pcrrin, about twenty miles north of Samosata (Saniisat).
' From tne time of the
8
Presumably the Jacobus of Relig. Hist. XXI, an ascetic Emperor Constantine the title pa-
disciple of Maro. trician designated a high court functionary.
* Vide » Cf. note on * Cf. note
p. 15s n. page 262. page 107.
LETTERS. 265
with difficulty established in the time of the the part of an informer to culumniate the re-
most excellent prefect the Lord Florentius; cent visitation, and this when all in a word
'
and how it was confirmed by the present know that the taxation of our district is very
holder of the office. An individual who heavy, and that in consequence many estates
bears the name of bishop, but of ways un- have been abandoned by the husbandmen.
worthy even of stage players, has fled from But this man, in contempt of his excommu-
the episcopal synod at a time when he was nication, and in flight from the holy synod,
lying under sentence of excommunication has thrust out his tongue against the unhappy
and is endeavouring to calumniate and dis- poor. May your magnificence then consent
credit the visitation, while through his to look to it that the truth be not vanquished
hatred to the illustrious Philip he assails by a lie. And I bring the same supplication
the truth. I therefore beseech your excel- about the Cilicians. For we cease not to
lency to make his lies of none effect, and that wail till the iniquity be undone. The Lord,
the visitation lawfully confirmed may remain who promises to reward even a drop of water,
undisturbed. It is indeed becoming to your will requite you for this trouble.
greatness to reap the fruit of this good deed
among the rest, to receive the acclamations XL VI. To the learned Petrus.
of those whom you are benefiting, and so to
Nothing able to stay the praiseworthy
is
do honour at once to the God of all and to
his true servant the very man of God the
purpose of them that highly esteem what is
right. That this is the case is confirmed by
Lord Jacob,* who joins with me in sending
the grief shown by your magnificence at the
you this supplication. Had it been his news have lately received, and your re-
wont to write he would have written him- refusalyou
to overlook the attack that right has
self.
suffered. You have opportunely put away
XLV, To the Patrician Anatolius.^ your distress, and righteously stopped the
mouth of the enemy of the truth. No
Your greatness knows full well how all sooner did we hear of this, and found true
the inhabitants of the East feel towards your
philosophy so coupled with rhetorical skill,
magnificence, as sons feeltowards an affec- than we felt the more warmly disposed
tionate father. Why then have you shewn towards your excellence. Now we beseech
hate to them that love you, deprived them of you the more earnestly to counteract this fine
your kindly care, and driven them all to fellow's lies and confirm the comfort given to
weeping and lamentation by putting your the unhappy poor.
own advantage before the service of others ?
In truth I think there is not one of them that XLVII. To Proclus^ Bishop of Constanti-
fear the Lord who is not much grieved at
nople.
losing your official sway, and I think that
even all the rest, although they have not right year ago, thanksA to your holiness, the
about divine when illustrious Philip governor of our city was
knowledge things, they
reflect on the kindnesses you have conferred, delivered from serious danger. After enter-
share in these sentiments of distress. I for ing into
the enjoyment of the security which
he owed to your kindness, he filled our ears
my part am specially sorry when I bethink with
me of your dignity and your unaffected char- your praises. But all your labour a
and I the God of all ever to be- certain most pious personage was endeavour-
acter, pray
stow on you the bulwark of His invincible ing to make null and void. The visitation
made several times twelve years ago he
right hand, and supply you with abundance
of all kinds of blessings. We
beseech your calumniates, and has adopted a style of slan-
no less when absent than when der which would be unbecoming even in a
excellency
present to extend to us your accustomed pro- respectable
slave. Now
I beseech your sanc-
to put a stop to his lies, and to induce
tection, and to undo the rage of that unworthy tity
of ours whose are the illustrious praefects to ratify the decision
bishop purposes perfectly
well known to your greatness. He is en- which they duly and mercifully gave. As a
matter of fact our city was taxed more se-
deavouring, as I am informed, to work the
entire ruin of our district, and has accepted verely than all the cities of the provinces, and
after every city had been relieved ours con-
' To the same FJorentius is addressed the important letter tinued to this day assessed at over sixty-two
LXXXIX wherein Theodoret defends himself from charges of thousand acres. At last the
heterodoxy. Before 449 he had six times attained the high occupants of
position of Prefect of the Kast. that seat of honour were with difficulty in-
' i.e. the ascetic mentioned in letter XLI.
*
Anatolius, consul in 440, was Magister militum in the East.
He was a true friend to Theodoret. This letter may be placed J Proclus was enthroned at
Constantinople in 434, on th^
in 444. death of Maxiinianus.
266 THEODORET.
duced to send inspectors of the district ;

their Z. To the Archimandrite Gerontius}
report was first by Isidorus of
received The
characters of sou is are often depicted
famous memory and confirmed by the glori- their unseen forms revealed
in words and ;
ous and Christ-loving lord Florentius, and so now your reverence's letter exhibits the
the whole matter was very carefully enquired Your waiting for
piety of your holy soul.
into by our present ruler, whose equity that sentence, your anxiety, your search for
adorns the throne, and he confirmed the as- advocates and preparation for a defence,
sessment by an imperial decree. But this
clearly indicate your soul's zeal about divine
truth- loving person, all for his hatred of one We
on the contrary are in a man-
single individual, the excellent Philip,
has things.
ner inactive and sleepy we are nurtured in ;
declared war against the poor. Under these

idleness, and stand in need of much assist-
circumstances I implore your holiness to ar- ance from
prayers. Give them to us, O
ray the forces of your righteous eloquence man beloved of God, that now at all events
against his eloquence of wrong, to throw we may wake up and give some care to the
your shield over the truth which is attacked soul.
and at once prove her strength and the futility LI. To the presbyter Agapius.^
of lies.
The works of virtue are admirable in
XLVIII. To Eustathius, bishop of Beryttis.' themselves, but yet more admirable do they
appear if they find an eloquence able to re-
I have gladly received the accusation, port them well. Neither of these advantages
although have' no difficulty in disproving
I has been lacking in the case of the bishop
the indictment. I have written not three beloved of God, the lord Thomas, for he
letters only but four and I suspect one of
; himself has contributed his own labours on
two things ;
either those who promised to behalf of piety, and has found in your holi-
convey the letters did me wrong in the ness a tongue to bestow meet praise on
matter of their delivery, or else your piety, those labours. Coming as he did with such
though in receipt of them, is yet anxious for testimony in his favour we have been all the
more, and so gets up a charge of idleness more delighted to see him, and, after enjoy-
against me. I, as I said before, am not dis- ing his society for a short space, have dis-
tressed at the accusation, for it is plain missed him to his charge.
proof to me of the warmth of your
aftection.
Continue then to ply your craft, cease not LII. To Ibas, bishop of Edessa?
to prefer your complaint and so to cause
It is, I think, of His providential care for
pleasure to myself. salvation that the God of all
our common
brings on some men certain calamities, that
XLIX. To DamianuSy^ bishop of Sidon. chastisement may prove to be to them that
have erred a healing remedy to virtue's
It is the nature of mirrors to reflect the
;
faces of them that gaze into them, and so

athletes an encouragement to constancy ;
whoever looks at them sees his own form. and to all who look on a beneficial exemplar.
that when we see others
This is the same too with the pupils of the For it is natural
for shew in them the likeness of punished we should be filled with fear our-
eyes, they
other people's features. Of this your holi- selves. In view of these considerations I
look on the trouble of Africa as a general
ness furnishes an instance, for you have not
In the first place when I bear
seen my ugliness, but have beheld with ad- advantage.
in mind their former prosperity and now
miration your own beauty. I really have
I see how
none of the qualities which you have men- look on their sudden overthrow,
variable are all human afiairs, and learn a
tioned. It is nevertheless my prayer that
words may be vindicated by actual fact, twofold lesson not to rejoice in felicity as
;
—
your
and beseech your piety by your prayers to
I though it would never come to an end, nor
be distressed at calamities as hard to bear.
cause it to come to pass that your praises
Then I recall the memory of past errors, and
may not fall to the ground through having
no reality to correspond with them. tremble lest I fall into like sufferings. My
main motive in now writing to you is to
» Kustathius of
Bcrytus (Bevrout) was a bad specimen
of introduce to your holiness the very God-
the tiinc-servins ecclesiastic. Vicrce in his attacks on lltas,
and a prominenttncinber of the Latrociiiiuin in 449, he narrowly 1 All that is known of Gerontius is his
csciipcd deposition himself at Chalcedon in 451
being the recipient
.
' At Chalcedon Damianus of Sidon voted for the deposition of the !ett(.T. " Arcliimandrite " =
a.p\iav tt)? yoiai'<5pas, i.e. ruler
of Dioscorus. (I.abbcConc. IV. 443.) In this and in the preced- of the f lid or byre.
with >
Neitlicr Agaplus nor the bishop mentioned in this letter
mj; letter we find Theodoret in friendly communication
can be identified.
representatives of the two antagonistic parties, The
date of
' C. 43S-4S7-
the correspondence can only be conjectured.
LETTERS. 267
beloved bishop Cyprianus,' who starting L VI . Festal.

from the famous Africa is now compelled,
My grief is now
its height and
at my
by the savagery of the barbarians, to travel mind
in foreign lands.
is
seriously affected by it, but I have
He has brought a letter to us from the thought it right to fulfil the custom of the
feast, so now I take my pen to salute your
very holy bishop the lord Eusebius,^ who reverence and pay the debt of affection.
wisely rules the Galatians. When your
piety has received him with your wonted L VII. To the pra/ect Eutrechius}
kindness I beg you to send him with a letter
to whatever pious bishops you may think fit Besides other boons the Ruler of the uni-
so that while he enjoys their kindly consola- verse has granted to us that of hearing of
tion he may be the means of their receiving \our excellency's honour, and of congratu-
heavenly and lasting benefits. lating at once yourself on your elevation
and your subjects on so gentle a rule. I
have thought it wrong to give no expression
LIII. To Sophronius, bishop of Co7istantina?
to my satisfaction and to refrain from mani-
Since I know, O God-beloved, how gener- festing it by letter. Your magnificence
ous and bountiful is your right hand, I put knows quite well how warm is our affection
a coveted boon within your reach for just towards
;
you —
an affection most warmly re-
as men hungry for this woi"ld's gain are And being so filled with love
ciprocated.
annoyed at the sight of them that stand in we beseech the Giver of all good things ever
need of pecuniary aid, so the liberal are to pour on you His manifold gifts.
delighted, because the riches they reach after
are heavenly. A
man who furnishes this L VIII. To the consul Nomus^
excellent opportunity is the God-beloved
am
divided in mind at the idea of send-
I
bishop Cyprianus, formerly known among a letter to your greatness. On the one
ing
them that minister to others, but now, while hand I know how
he gives a deplorable account of the African everything depends on
I sec you under the weight
your judgment ;
calamities, he has to look to the benevolence of

of others, and depends on the bounty of public anxieties, and so think it better to
be silent. On the other hand, being well
pious souls. I hope that he too will enjoy aware of the breadth and
capacity of your
your brotherly kindness, and will be for- intelligence, I cannot bear to say nothing,
warded with letters to other havens of and am afraid of
being charged with
refuge.
negligence. I am moreover stimulated by
LIV. Festal, the longing regret left with me by the short
By our divine and saving celebrations both taste I had of your society. My full enjoy-
the down-hearted are cheered, and the joyous ment of it was prevented by the disease and
made yet more joyful. This I have learnt death of that most blessed man, so now I
think writing will be a comfort. I pray the
by experience, for, when whelmed in the
waves of despair, I have risen superior to the Master of all to guide your life that it be
ever borne on favourable breezes and so we
surge at sight of the haven of the feast.
May your piety pray that I may be wholly may reap the benefit of your kindly oare.
rescued from this storm, and that our loving
Lord may grant me forgetfulness of my sor- LIX. To Claudianus .^
row. Sincere friendships are neither dissolved
L V. Festal. by distance of place nor weakened by time.
We are much for are we Time indeed inflicts indignities on our
distressed, gifted
with the nature not of rocks but of men, bodies, spoils them of the bloom of their
but the recollection of the Lord's Epiphany beauty, and brings on old age but of friend- ;
has been to me a very potent medicine so ;

ship he makes the beauty yet more bloom-
at once I write, according to the custom of ing, ever kindling its fire to greater warmth
the feast, and salute your magnificence with and brightness. So separated as I am from
a prayer that you may live in prosperity and your magnificence by many a day's march,
repute. pricked by the goad of friendship I indite
you this letter of salutation. It is conveyed
1
Nothing seems known of this Cyprian beyond this men- by the standard-bearer Patroinus, a
man
tion of his expulsion by the Vandals. The letter is thus dated
447. Theodoret writes to him ao;ain
after 439. 1 Prefect of the East in
2 Eusebius of
Ancyra. The name also appears as Eulalius. when in 448 or 440 Theodosius II had been induced to relegate
Baron. Ann. 440. him to his own diocese. Vide Letters LXXX and LXXXI.
* Nomus was consul in
Sophronius was cousin
3 Telia or Constantina in Osrhoene.
445.
of Ibas of Edessa. » cf.
Epp. XLI and XCIX, but there are no notes of identity.
268 THEODORET.
my defence, my venerable friend for-

who on account of his high character is worthy then ;
me and send me me how

respect, for he endeavours with much
of a letter to tell
all give ;
zeal to observe the laws of God. Deign, you are.

most excellent sir, to give us by him infor-
mation of your excellency's precious health, LXII. To the presbyter John.
and of the desired fulfilment of your promise. A used to
saying of one of the men who
be called wise was, " Live unseen." I ap-
LX. To DioscoruSy bishop of Alexandria}
plaud the sentiment, and have determined
Among many forms of virtue by which to confirm the word by deed, for I see no
we hear that your holiness is adorned (for impropriety in gathering what is good from
all men's ears are filled by the flying fame others, just as bees, it is said, gather their
of your glory, which speeds in all directions) honey and draw forth the sweet dew from
to your bitter herbs as well as from them that are
special praise is unanimously given
modesty, a characteristic of wdiich our Lord good to eat, and I myself have seen them
in His law has given Himself as an ensample, settling on a barren rock and sucking up its
" Learn of me for I am meek and Far more reasonable is it
saying, " ^
;
scanty moisture.
lowly in heart for though God is high, or for them that are credited with reason to
;
rather most high He honoured at His incar- harvest what is good from every source so, ;
nation the meek and lowly spirit. Looking as I said, I try to live unseen, and above all
then to Him, sir, you do not behold the men am I a lover of peace and quiet. On
multitude of your subjects nor the exaltation his recent return froin your pai't of the
of your throne, but you see rather human world the very pious presbyter Eusebius
nature, and life's rapid changes, and follow announced that you had held a certain
the divine laws whose observance gives us meeting, and that in the course of conver-
the kingdom of heaven. Hearing of this sation mention had been made of me, and
modesty on the part of your holiness, I take that your piety spoke with praise of my
courage in a letter to salute a person sacred insignificant self. I have therefore deemed
and dear to God, and I offer prayers whereof it ungrateful, and indeed unfair, that he who
the fruit is salvation. Occasion is given me spoke thus well and kindly of me should
to write by the very pious presbyter Euse- fail to be paid in like coin for although we ;
bius, for when I heard of his journey thither have done nothing worthy of praise still we
I immediately indited this letter to call upon admire the intention of them that thus praise
your holiness to support us by your prayers, us, for such praise is the oft-spring of affec-
and by your reply to give us a spiritual feast, tion. Wherefore I salute your reverence,
sending to us who are hungry the blessed using as a means of conveyance of my
banquet of your words. letter him who has brought to me the un-
written words which you have spoken about
LXI. To the presbyter Archibius. me. When, most pious sir, you have re-
did not let the two letters which I had
I ceived my letter, write in reply. You were
but in speech I in writing and I answer
just received from you go unheeded,
first ; ;
wrote without delay, and gave my letter to the speech by letter. It remains now to you to
very devout presbyter Euscbius.^ In conse-

answer letter for letter.
quence of some delay, it was for the time post-

within LXIII. Festal>
poned, for the weather kept the vessels
the harboiu", inasmuch as it indicated a com- We have enjoyed the wonted blessings of
sailors and pilots
ing storm at sea and bade the Feast. We
have kept the meiuorial
wait awhile. So I discharged this debt for Feast of the Passion of Salvation by means ;
the time, not that I may cease to be a debtor of the resurrection of the Lord we have
but that I may increase the debt. For this received the glad tidings of the resurrection
obligation becomes many times greater by of all, and have hymned the ineftable loving
being discharged, inasmuch as they who try kindness of our God and Saviour. But the
to observe the laws of friendship increase storm tossing the churches has not suffered
the potency of its love, and, blowing sparks us to take our share of unalloyed gladness.
a flame, kindle a warmth of the whole
If, when one member is in pain
into greater
affection, while all who are fired tliereby is partaker of the pang,^ how can we
strive to surpass one another in love. Receive body forbear from lamentation when all the body
1
Dioscorus succeeded Cyril in 444, and this letter is proba- is distressed.^ And it intensifies our dis-
bly dated soon after.
' Matt. xi.
29. ... 1 Gamerius gives the conjectural date 447.
3 This name suggests correspondence of date with the pre-
" 'Cf. I.Cor. xii. a6.
ceding.
LETTERS. 269
couragement to think that these things are moreover all things are ordained by God,
the prelude of the general apostasy. May your who guides the affairs of men in accordance
piety pray that since we are in this plight with His sacred knowledge of what will be
we may get the divine succour, that, as the for their good. Thus have I written so far
divine Apostle phrases it, we may " be able as the limits of a letter would allow me, be-
to withstand the evil day.'" But if any time seeching your eminence for all our sakes to
remain for this life's business, pray that the preserve your health, which is wont to be
tempest may pass away, and the churches re- maintained by cheerfulness and ruined by
cover their former calm, that the enemies of despondency. Wherefore in my care for the
the truth may no more exult at our misfort- advantage of us all I have penned this letter.
unes.
LXIV. Festal. LXVL To Aerius the Sophist}
When the Master underwent the Passion that gave you birth and nurtured you
She
of salvation for the sake of mankind, the invites you to the longed-for feast. The holy
company of the sacred Apostles was much shrine is crowned by a roof; it is fitly
disheartened, for they knew not clearly adorned it is eager for the inhabitants for
;
what was to be the Passion's fruit. But whom

it was erected. These are Apostles
when they knew the salvation that grew and Prophets, loud-voiced heralds of the old
therefrom, they called the proclamation of the and new covenant. Adorn, therefore, the
Passion glad tidings, and eagerly oftered it feast with your presence receive the bless-
;
to all mankind. And they that believed, as ing which swells forth from it, and make the
being enlightened in mind, cheerfully re- feast more
joyous to us.
ceived it, and keep the Feast in memory of
the Passion, and make the moment of death LXVIL To Maranas.
an opportunity for entertainment and fes-
It was thy work, my good Sn-, to call tlie
tivity. For the close connexion with it of
the dedication.
rest also to the feast of
the resurrection does away with the sadness
Through thy zeal and energy the holy temple
of death, and becomes a pledge for the
has been built, and the loud-voiced heralds of
resurrection of all. After just now taking
the truth have come to dwell therein, and
part in this celebration, we send you these
guard them that approach thither in faith.
tidings of the feast as though they were some Nevertheless I write and
signify the season
fragrant perfume, and salute your piety. of the feast.
LXV. To the general Zeno^

To Epiphanms.
LXVIII.
To be smitten by human ills is the common summon
my It was wish
you to to the
lot of all men to endure them bravely and feast of
holy Apostles and Prophets, not
;
rise superior attack is no longer

to their
common. The former is of human nature only as a citizen, but as one who shares both
my faith and my home. But I am prevented
;
the latter depends upon resolution. It is on

this account that we wonder how the philo- by the state of your opinions. Therefore I
put forward no other claims than those of
sophers resolved on the noblest course of life our country, and I invite you to participate
and conquered their calamities by wisdom.
in the precious blessing of the holy Apostles
And philosophy is produced by our reason's and Prophets. This participation no differ-
power, which rules our passions and is not ence of sentiment hinders.
led to and fro by them. one of human Now
ills is grief, and which we exhort
it is this
LXIX. To Eugraphia^
your excellency to overcome, and it will not be
difficult for you to rise victorious over this feel- Had I not been unavoidably prevented, I
ing, if you consider human nature, and take to should no sooner have
heard that your great
heart the uselessness of sorrow. For what and glorious husband had fallen asleep than
gain will it be to the departed that we should I should straightway have hurried
to your
wail and lament? When, however, we reside. I have enjoyed at your hands many
flect upon the common birth, the long years and various kinds of honour, and I owe you
of intercourse, the splendid service in the full many thanks. When hindered, much
field, and the far-famed achievements, let us against my will, from paying my debt, I
reflect that he who was adorned by them deemed it ill-advised to send you a letter at
was a man subject to the law of death that ;
1 cf.
Ep. XXX. This letter, conveying an invitation to a
1
Eph. vi. 13. church which Aerius had built at Cyrus, his native city, was
' cf. Ep. LXXI. Zeno was consul in 44S. Nothing- is probably written early in the episcopate of Theodoret.
known of his brother.. 2cf. Ep.vm.
270 THEODORET.
the very moment, when your grief was at its waiting upon their common masters, waited
height it was
;
when
impossible for my mes- upon her who was reckoned her fellow slave,
senger to approach your excellency, and when washed her feet, made her bed, and was
grief prevented you from reading what I mindful of other like offices. This became
wrote. But now that your reason has had known to the purchasers. Then through all
time to wake from the intoxication of grief, the town was noised abroad the free estate of
to repress your emotion, and to discipline the mistress and the servant's goodness. On
the license of sorrow, I have made bold these circumstances becoming known to the
to write and to beseech your excellency to faithful soldiers who are quartered in our
bethink you of human nature, to reflect how city (I was absent at the time) they paid the
common is the loss you deplore, and, above purchasers their price, and rescued the woman
all, to accept the divine teaching, and not let from slavery. After my return, on being
your distress go beyond the bounds of your informed of the deplorable circumstances,
faith. For your most excellent husband, as and the admirable intention of the soldiers, I
the Lord Himself said, '' is not dead but invoked blessings on their heads, committed
sleepeth
" '
—
a sleep a little longer than he the noble damsel to the care of one of the
was wont. This hope has been given us by respectable deacons, and ordered a sufficient
the Lord this promise we have received provision to be made for her.
;
Ten months
from the divine oracles. I know indeed how had gone by when she heard that her father
distressing is the separation, how most dis- was still alive, and holding high office in
tressing and especially so when aflbction is the West, and she very naturally expressed a
;
made stronger by sympathy of character and desire to return to him. It was reported that
length of time. But let your grief be for a many messengers from the West are on the way
journey into a far country, not for a life ended. to the fair which is now being held in your
This kind of philosophy is particularly be- parts. She requested to be allowed to set out
coming to them that be brought up in piety, with a letter from me. Under these circum-
and it is of this philosophy that I beseech stances I have written this letter, begging your
you, my respected friend, to seek the adorn- piety to take care of a noble girl, and charge
ment. And I do not offer you this advice as some respectable person to communicate with
a man labouring himself under insensibility mariners, pilots, and merchants, and commit
;
in truth my heart was grieved when I learnt her to the care of trusty men who may be able
of the departure of one I loved so well. But to restore her to her father. There is no
I call to mind the Ruler of the world and His doubt that those who, when all hope of recov-
unspeakable wisdom, which ordains every- ery has been lost, bring the daughter to the
thing for our good. I implore your holiness father, will be abundantly rewarded.
to take these reflections to heart, to rise su-
perior to your sorrow, and praise God who is LXXI. To Zeno^ General and Cofisul.
the Master of us all. It is with ineffable
providence that He guides the lives of men. Your fortitude rouses universal admiration,
tempered as it is by gentleness and meekness,
LXX. To EustathiuSy bishop of ^gcel^ and exhibited to your household in kindliness,
to your foes in boldness. These qualities
The story of the noble Mary is one fit for indicate an admirable general. In a soldier's
a tragic play. As she says herself, and as is character the main ornament is bravery, but
attested by several others, she is a daughter of in a commander prudence takes precedence
the right honourable Eudajmon. In the catas- of after these come self-control
bravery ;
trophe which has overtaken Libya she has and fairness, whereby a wealth of virtue is
fallen from her father's free estate, and has Such wealth is the reward of the
gathered.
become a slave. Some merchants bought soul which reaches after good, and with its
her from the barbarians, and have sold her to
eyes fixed on the sweetness of the fruit, deems
some of our countrymen. With her was sold the toil right pleasant. For to virtue's athletes
a maiden who was once one of her own do- the God of all, like some great giver of
mestic servants so at one and the same time
;
games, has offered prizes, some in this life,
the galling yoke of slavery fell on the servant and some in that life beyond which has no
and the mistress. But the servant refused to end. Those in this present life your excel-
ignore the difference between them, nor could lency has already enjoyed, and you have
she forget the old superiority in their calam- :
achieved the highest honour. Be it also the
ity she preserved her kindly feeling, and, after lot of your greatness to obtain too those
'
Iûke viii. ez. abiding and perpetual blessings, and to re-
' On the seaboard of Cilicia| now Ayas, The date may be
443 or 444. 1 Zeno w^s Consul in
44S.
cf. £p. LXV,
LETTERS. 271
ceive not only the consul's robe, but also the tor, hath given you natural capacity, and your
garment that is indescribable and divine. education makes its brilliance the more con-
Of all them that understand the greatness of spicuous. Nothing then is wanting to the
that gift this is the common full complement of
petition. your high qualities save
LXXII. To only knowledge of their Author be but this ;
Hennesigeiies the Assessor}

added, and the tale of virtues which we shall
At the time when men were whelmed have will be complete. Thus I write to
in the darkness of ignorance, all did not
you on receiving news of your arrival, be-
keep the same feasts, but celebrated distinct seeching the Giver of all good to grant a
ceremonies in difterent cities. In ^lis were beam of light to your soul's eye, to show
the Olympian games, at Delphi the Pythian, you the greatness of His boon, to kindle
at Sparta the Hyacinthian, at Athens the your love of that possession, and to grant the
Panathenaic, the Thesmophoria, and the Dio- longed for favour to him that longs for it.'
nysian. These were the most remarkable,
and further some men celebrated the revel LXXIV. To Urbanus.
feast of some dcemons and some of others. But
now that those mists have been scattered by Ithas been granted to us by our generous
intellectual light, in every land ami sea main-
Lord once again to enjoy the feast and to
landers and islanders together keep the feast send to your excellency the festal salutation.
of our God and Saviour, and whithersoever We pray that you may be well and pros-
any
one may wish to travel abroad, journey he perous, and share the inefliable and divine
either towards rising or towards setting sun, boon which to them that approach supplies
the seeds of the blessings hoped for, and
everywhere he will find the same celebration
observed at the same time. There is no longer gives the symbols of the life and kingdom
that have no end. These things we beseech
necessity, in obedience to the law of Moses
which was adapted to the infirmity of the Jews, the loving Lord to impart to you, for it is
to come together into one natural for friends to ask that their friends
city and keep the
feast in memory of our may be blessed.
blessings, but every
town, every village, the country and the far-
.thest frontiers, are filled with the LXXV. To the Clergy of Bercea.
grace of
God, and in every spot divine shrines and pre- I perceive that it is with reason that I am
cincts are consecrated to the God of all. your reverences, for I have
So well disposed to
through every town we observe our several been assured by your kindly letter that my
festivals and communicate with one another affection was returned. For this affection of
in the feast. It is the same God and Lord mine towards you I have many reasons.
who is honoured in our hymns and to whom First of all there is the fact that your father,
our mystic sacrifices are offered. On this that great and apostolic man, was my father
account, as is well known, we neighbours too. Secondly I look upon that truly relig-
address one another by letter and signify the ious bishop,^ who now rules your church, as
joy that comes to us in the feast. So now I might on a brother both in blood and in
do I to you and offer the festal salutation to sympathy. Thirdly there is the near neigh-
your excellency. You will without doubt bourhood of our cities, and fourthly our fre-
reply and honour the custom of the feast. quent intercourse with one another, which
LXXIII. To Apollo7iius.^ naturally begets friendship and increases it
when it is begotten. If you like, I will
Themistocles the son of Neocles, the far- name
yet a fifth, and that is that we have the
famed and admirable general, is described same close connexion with
you as the tongue
by the admiring historian as endowed with has with the ears, the former uttering speech,
natural virtue alone. Of Pericles, however, and the latter receiving it for you most ;
the son of Xanthippus, it is said that he also

gladly listen to my words, and I am de-
derived ability from his education to charm
lighted to let fall my little drop upon you.
his hearers by his persuasive
eloquence, and
iThucydinc^, (I. 13S,) writes of Themistocles that "to
a
was gifted with the power alike of knowing greater deVree th;in any other man he was to be admired for the
what measures should be taken and of en- natural ability which he displayed; for by his inborn capacity,
he was an unrivalled iudgeofwhat the emerg;ency of the moment
forcing them by word of mouth. In writ- required, and unsurpassed in his forecast of the future, and this
without the aid of previous or additional instruction."
ing about him there is no impropriety in my The same historian (II. 60) records the speech of Pericles
using his own words. These things illus- in his own vindication in which he says " I think myself in-
ferior to none in knowing what measures should be taken and
trate your magnificence, for God, our Crea- in
enforcing: them by word of mouth."
1
2 Theoctistus
; who, we learn from Letter CXXXIV, did not
"N'nllus est sivetemporis sive personcE index." Garnerius. prove himself a friend in need, succeeded Acacius in 43S.
' cf.
Ep. cm. ApoIlonJus was Comes Sucrarum Largitio. Garnerius, apparently on insufficient grounds, would therefore
num in 436. date the letter before this year.
272 THEODORET.
'
But the colophon of our union is our har- obtain credence with some on account of the
mony in our refusal to accept any
faith ;
very bitterness of His sufterings, and it is
spurious doctrines our preservation of the
;
enough to show the depths of His loving
ancient and apostolic teaching, which has kindness that He is even yet day by day call-
been brought to you by hoary wisdom and ing to men who do not believe. And He does
nurtured by virtue's hardy toil. I beseech so not as though He were in need of the ser-
you therefore to take greater care of the flock, vice of men, —
for of what is the Creator of
to preserve it unharmed for the
Shepherd, and the universe in want? —
but because He thirsts
boldly to utter the famous words of the patri- for the salvation of every man. Grasp then,
arch " that which was born of beasts I offered my excellent friend. His gift sing praises to;
*
not unto Thee." the Giver, and procure for us a very great and
right goodly feast.
LXXVI. To Uranius, Governor of Cyprus.
LXXVII. To Eulalius, bishop of Persian
True friendship strengthened by inter-
is
Armenia.^
course, but separation cannot sunder it, for
bonds are strong. This truth might easily I know that Satan has sought to sift
its
^
you as
be shewn by other examples, but it is
many wheat, and that the Lord has allowed him so
to do that He may shew the wheat, and prove
enough for us to verify what I say by our
own case. Between me and you are indeed the gold, crown the athletes, and proclaim
the victors' names. Nevertheless I fear and
many things, mountains, cities, and the sea,
yet nothing has destroyed my recollection of tremble, not indeed distressed for the sake of
your excellency. No sooner do we behold any you who are noble champions of the truth, but
one arriving from those towns which lie on because I know that it comes to pass that some
the coast, than the conversation is turned on men are of feebler heart. If among: twelve
Cyprus and on its right worthy governor, apostles one was found a traitor, there is no
and we are delighted to have tidings of your doubt that among a number many times as
high repute. And lately we have been grati- great any one might easily discover many fall-
fied to an unusual degree at learning the most ing short of perfection. Thus reflecting I
delightful news of all for what, most excel- have been confounded and filled with much
:
lent sir, can be more pleasing to us than to see discouragement, for, as says the divine Apos-
your noble soul illuminated by the light of tle, "whether one member suffer all the
knowledge? For we think it right that he members suffer with it."* "We are mem-
who is adorned with many kinds of virtue bers one of another," * and form one body,
should add to them also its colophon, and we having the Lord Christ for head.* Yet one
believe that we shall behold what we desire. consolation I have in my anxiety, when I
For your nobility will doubtless eagerl}' seize bethink me of your holiness. For brought
the God-given boon, moved thereto as you have been in the divine oracles,
by true up
friends who clearly understand its value, and and taught by the arch-shepherd what are
" Who wills all the good shepherd's marks, there is no
guided to the bountiful God
men to be saved and to come to the knowledge doubt that you will lay down your life for the
of the truth," ' netting men by men's means sheep. For, as the Lord says,
" he that is
to salvation, and bringing them that He an hireling" when he sees " the wolf com-
cap-
tures to the ageless life. The fisherman ining," " fleeth because he is an hireling, and
deed deprives his prey of life, but our Fisher careth not for the sheep," but " the good
®
frees all that He takes alive from death's his life for the sheep."
pain- shepherd giveth
ful bonds, and therefore " did he shew him- Just so it is not in peace that the best gen-
self upon earth, and conversed with men," * eral shews his inborn valour, but in time of
bringing men His life, conveying teaching by war, by at once stimulating others and him-
means of the visible manhood, and giving to self exposing himself to peril for his men.
reasonable beings the law of a suitable life and For it would be preposterous that he should
conversation. This law He has confirmed enjoy the dignity of his command, and, in
by miracles, and by the death of the flesh has the hour of need, run out of danger's way.
destroyed death. By raising the flesh He Thus the thrice blessed prophets ever acted,
has given the promise of resurrection to us making light of the safety of their bodies,
giving the resurrection of His own and, for the sake of the Jews who hated
all, after
precious body as a worthy pledge of ours. and rejected them, underwent all kinds of
So loved He men even when they hated Him peril and toil. Of them the divine apostle
that the
mystery of the occonomy fails to 1 On the
persecution in Persia see page 157.
»Luke xxii. 31. «
Eph. iv. 25. «
John X, 13, I3, H,
»cf. p.a6an. »
Gen. xxxi. »I.Tim. «Baruch M.Cor. xii.26.
39. ii. 4. iii.38. 6C0I. i. 18.
LETTERS. 273
" them nor leave them in the devil's

says they were stoned, they were sawn to save
asunder, were tempted, were slain by the maw. Thus ever acted the divine Apostle
sword they wandered about in sheepskins
;
and when the Galatians, after receiv-
Paul ;
ing the baptism of salvation, and the gift of

and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tor-
mented, of whom the world was not worthy the divine Spirit, fell away into the sickness
;
they wandered in deserts and mountains, of Judaism, and received circumcision, he

and in dens and caves of the earth." Thus wailed and lamented more exceedingly than
'
the divine apostles travelled preaching over the most affectionate mother, and tended
all the world, without home, bed, bedding, them and freed them from that infirmity.
board, or any of the necessaries of life, but We
can hear him exclaiming, little "My
scourged, racked, imprisoned, and undergo- children, of whom I travail in birth again
ing countless kinds of death. And all this until Christ be formed in you." So too the "
they underwent, not for the sake of their teacher of the Corinthians, who had com-
friends, but voluntarily facing these pei'ils mitted that abominable fornication, he both
for the sake of the men who were persecuting chastised as might a father, and very skilfully
them. A
far stronger claim is made on you treated, and after cutting him off' in the first
now to accept the peril at present assailing Epistle, readmitted him in the second and
" So that contrariwise
you, for the sake of fellow-believers and says, ye ought lather
brothers and children. This affection is to forgive him and comfort him lest perhaps
shown even by unreasoning animals, for such a one should be swallowed up with
^
sparrows may be seen fighting with all their overmuch sorrow." And again, "Lest
force in behalf of their brood, and putting Satan should get an advantage of us for we
^
out in their defence all the strength they are not ignorant of his devices." In
have other kinds of birds moreover undergo the same manner too those who partook of
;
danger for their young. But why do I things offered to idols he properly rebuked,
speak of birds? Bears too, and leopards, suitably exhorted, and freed from their griev-
wolves, and lions, voluntarily suffer any ous error.
pain for the safety of their offspring, for Wherefore our Lord Jesus Christ permitted
instead of fleeing from the hunter they will the first of the apostles, whose confession He
await his attack and do battle for their young. had fixed as a kind of groundwork and
I have adduced these instances not as foundation of the Church, to waver to and
though anointing your piety for endurance fro, and to deny Him, and then raised Him
and courage by the example of brute beasts, up again. And thus He gave us two les-
but to console myself in my despondency, sons not to be confident in ourown strength,
:
and to be assured that you will not leave and to strengthen the unstable. Reach out,
Christ's flock without a shepherd when therefore, I beseech you, a hand to them
wolves make their attack, but will invoke the that are fallen, " draw them out of the hor-
Lord of the flock to help you and will heart- rible pit, out of the miry clay, and set their
A "
ily do battle in its behalf. crisis like this feet upon a rock," and put a new song into"
proves who is a shepherd and who a hire- their mouth, even praise unto our God,"
ling ;
who diligently feeds the flock and that their example of life may become an
who on the other hand feeds on the milk and example of salvation, that "many shall see
thinks little of the safety of the sheep. " But it and fear and shall trust in the Lord."
*
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to Let them be prevented from participating in
be tempted above that ye are able but will the holy mysteries, but let them not be kept
;
with the temptation also make a way to es- from the prayer of the catechumens, nor
^
cape that ye may be able to bear it." But from hearing the divine Scriptures and the
one thing I do beseech your reverence, and exhortation of teachers,® and let them be
that is to have greater heed of the unsound prohibited from partaking of the sacred
;
and not only to strengthen the unstable but mysteries, not till death, but during a given
also to raise the fallen, for shepherds by no
1 Gal. iv. 3 II. Cor. ii. u. ^ps. xl. 3.
means neglect those of their flock who have 19.
2 II. Cor. ii.
7.
* Psalm xl. 2 and
3.
fallen sick, but keep them apart from the "It is noticeable that with systematic discipline as to the
of teachers. It was part
persons taught, there was no order
rest, and try in every possible way to restore of the pastoral office to watch over the souls of those who
admission to the Church, as well as those who
them, and so must we do. We must make were in it, and thus bishops, priests, deacons, or readers
were seeking
them that are slipping stand up, and give might all of them be found, when occasion required, of doing the
whom
The Doctor Audientium
them a helping hand and a word of encour- work Cyprian
of a Catechist.
speaks, was a Lector in the Church of Carthage.
When they are bitten we must Auifustine's Treatise de Catechizandis Ricdibus, was ad-
agement. dressed to Deogratias as a deacon; the Catecheses of Cyril of
heal them we must
; not give up the attempt Jerusalem were delivered by him partly as a deacon, partly as
a presbyter. The word catechist implies accordingly a func-
1
Heb. xi. 37, 3S. > I. Cor. X. 13, tion, not a class."Dean Plumptre in Diet. Christ. Ant. i. 319.
VOL. III.
274 THEODORET.
time, till
they recognise their ailment, covet it. Of my hand didst thou require it,
health, and are properly contrite for having whether stolen by day or stolen by night." '
abandoned their true Prince and deserted to These are the marks of the shepherd these ;
a tyrant, and for having left their benefactor the laws of the tending of the sheep.
are
and gone over to their foe. And
if of brute cattle the illustrious
patri-
The same lessons are given us by tlic arch had such care, and offered this defence
precepts of the holy and blessed Fathers. Ito him who trusted them to his charge, what
write as I do, not to teach you piety, but to ought not we to do who are entrusted with
remind you as a brother might, knowing the charge of reasonable sheep, and who
well that even the best of pilots in the mo- have received this trust from the God of all,
ment of the storm needs monition even from when we remember that the Lord for them
his men. So the great and fiimous Moses, gave up His life? does not fear and Who
renowned throughout the world, who did tremble when he hears the word of God
those mighty works of wonder, did not re- spoken through Ezekiel.'' "I judge be-
fuse the counsel of Jethro, a man still sunk tween shepherd and sheep because
ye eat
in idolatrous error for he did not regard the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool
;
his impiety, but acknowledged the soundness and ye feed not the flocks."^ And again,
of his advice. Moreover I implore your " I have made thee a watchman unto the
piety to offer earnest prayer to God in my house of Israel ; when thou speakest not to
behalf that for the remaining days of my warn the wicked from his wicked way,
life I
may live in accordance with His laws. the same wicked man shall die in his in-
Thus have I written by the most honour- iquity but his blood shall I require at thine
able and religious presbyter Stephanus, whom hand." ^ With this agree the words spoken
on account of the goodness of his character in 2^^1'^bles by the Lord. "Thou wicked
I have seen with great pleasure. and slothful servant . . Thou oughtest .
to have put my money to the exchangers, and

then at my coming I should have received
LXXVIII. To Euscbius, bishop of Persian the same with ''
Arfnenia.
usury." Up then, I beseech
you, let us fight for the Lord's sheep. Their
Whenever anything happens to the helms- Lord is near. He will certainly appear and
the wolves and glorify the shepherds.
man, either the officer in command at the scatter
" The Lord is
bows, or the seaman of highest rank, takes good unto them that wait for ^
his place, not because he becomes a self- Him, to the soul that seeketh Him." Let
us not murmur at the storm that has arisen
appointed helmsman, but because he looks
out for the safety of the ship. So again for the Lord of all knoweth what is good for
in war, when the commander falls, the chief us. Wherefore also when the Apostle asked
tri])une assumes the command, not in the for release from his trials He would not
to violent hands on the of grant his supplication but said, " grace My
attempt lay place
is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made
power, but because he cares for his men.
So too the thrice blessed Timothy when perfect in weakness."' Let us then bravely
the evils that befall us it is in war
sent by the divine Paul took his place.' It bear ;
is therefore becoming to to ac- that heroes are discerned in conflicts that

your piety ;
athletes are crowned in the surge of the

cept the responsibilities of helmsman, of ;
sea that the art of the helmsman is shewn

captain, of shepherd, gladly to run all risk ;
for the sake of the sheep of Christ, and not in the fire that the gold is tried. And let
to leave His creatures abandoned and alone. us not, I beseech you, heed only ourselves,
It is rather yours to bind up the broken, to let us rather have forethought for the rest,
raise up the to turn the wanderer and that much more for the sick than for the
fallen,
from hiserror, and keep the whole in whole, for it is an apostolic precept which
exclaims " Comfort the feeble minded, sup-
health, and to follow good shepherds the
'
who stand before the folds and wage war port the weak." Let us then stretch out
Let us remember too our hands to them that lie low, let us tend
against the wolves.
the words of the patriarch Jacob; " In the their wounds and set them at their post to
fight the devil. Nothing will so vex him as
day the drought consumed me and the frost
to see them fighting and smiting
by night and my sleep departed from my again.
eyes. The rams of thy flock I have not Our Lord is full of loving-kindness. He re-
eaten. That which was born of beasts I 1 Gen. xxxi. Ezekiel
^.,v,.x. xxxiv. 2, and cf. 17
40. 38. 39.
brought not unto thee. I bare the loss of s Cf. Ezekiel iii. 17, iS. 40tations are apparently ft
Quotatio :rom
memory.
» Matt. XXV. 26, * II. Cor. xii. 9,
^
a^.
> Cf. I. Cor. iv. 17 and I. Thess. iii. 2. Lamentations iii. 25,
7 I. Thess. V. 14.
LETTERS. 275
ceives the repentance of sinners. Let us whether these orders had really been issued,
hear His own words: "As I live saith the and for what reason. I am indeed conscious
Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the of many other sins, but I do not know that
wicked, but that the wicked turn from his I have erred either against the Church of
way and live." So He prefaced His words God, or against public order. And I write
'
with an oath, and He who forbids oaths to as I do, not because I take it ill to have to
others swore Himself to convince us how live at Cyrus, for in truth she is dearer to me
He desires our repentance and salvation. than any of the inost famous cities, because
Of this teaching the divine books, both the my office in her has been given me by God-
old and the new, are full, and the precepts But the fact of my being bound to her not
of the holy Fathers teach the same. by preference but by compulsion does seem
But not as though you were ignorant have somewhat grievous, and besides it does give
I written to you rather have I reminded a handle to the wicked to grow bold and to
;
you of what you know, like those who stand- refuse to obey our exhortations.
ing safe upon the shore succour them that are Under these circumstances I beseech your
tossed by the storm, and shew them a rock, lordship, if no order of the kind has really
or give warning of a hidden shallow, or catch been issued, to let me know but if the letter ;
and haul in a rope that has been thrown. really comes from the victorious emperor,
*'
And the God of peace shall bring Satan tell his pious majesty not readily to believe
"
under your feet shortly ^ and shall gladden calumnies, nor give ear to accusers alone, but
our ears with news that you have passed from to demand an account from the accused.
storm to calm, at His word to the waves Though really the evidence of the facts alone
"Peace be still."' was quite enough to persuade his piety that
And do you too offer prayers for us, for the charges against me were false. For when
you who have undergone peril for His sake did I ever make myself offensive about
can speak with greater boldness.'' anything to his serene majesty or his chief
officers.? Or when was I ever obnoxious
LXXIX. To Anatolius the Patrician^
to the many and illustrious owners here.'*
It is on the contrary well known to your
The Lord God has given your excellency excellency that I have spent a considerable
to us to be at the present time a source of portion of my ecc lesiastical revenues in erect-
very great comfort, and has afforded us a ing porticoes and baths, building bridges, and
meet haven for the storm. We
have there- making further provision for public objects.
fore confidence in informing your lordship But if any persons take it ill that I mourn
of our distress. Not long ago we acquainted over the ruin of the churches of Phcenicia,
your excellency that the right honourable be it known to your lordship that it is im-
Count Rufus had shewn us an order written possible for me not to grieve when I see the
in the imperial handwriting commanding the horn of the Jews exalted on high and the
gallant general to provide with prudence and Christians in tears and sorrow, though they
diligence for our residence at Cyrus, and not send them to the very ends of the earth.'
to suffer us to depart to another city, on the We cannot fight against the apostolic decrees,
ground that we are endeavouring to summon for we remember the word of the Apostle
synods to Antioch, and are disturbing the which says, ^ "We ought to obey God rather
orthodox.* Now I make known to you than men," and more terrible to us than any
that obedience to the imperial letter I
in of the pains of this life is the "judgment
" ^
have come to Cyrus. After an interval of seat of Christ the Lord, before whom we
six or seven days they sent the devoted shall all stand to render an account of our
Euphronius, the commander, with a letter words and of our deeds. On account of
begging me to acknowledge in writing that that judgment seat the hardships of this
the imperial order had been shown me. I
present life must be endured.
For them
therefore promised to remain in Cyrus and that suffer wrong the hope of what is to
its
adjacent district, and to tend the sheep come is consolation enough, but to us the
entrusted to my care. I therefore beseech
loving Lord has given further comfort in
your excellency to make exact enquiry, both you, most excellent sir, whose life is bright
with piety and faith.
1 Ezekiel ^ Rom. xvi. 20. * Mark iv.
33. i. 39.
* These letters on the Persian
persecution might be placed
anywhere while it lasted c. 420-450. Garnerius suggests 443.
1 The allusion
appears to be to the edict of Feb. 44S, order-
Eulalius and Eusebius are unknown. ing the deposition of Theodoret's friend Irenaeus bishop of
6 cf.
Epp. XLV. XCII. CXI. CXIX. CXXI. CXXXVIII. Tyre, on the ground of his being a digamus and a heretic.
8 This edict of Theodosius is dated
by Tillemont March Irenûs was degraded from the priesthood and forbidden to
30, 449. Theodoret received the order for his relegation to appear in Tyre. cf. Epp. III. XII. XVI. XXXV.
Cyrus while he was at Antioch, and at once submitted. 3 Acts V. 29. ^Romans xiv, 10.
T 2
2^6 THEODORET.
LXXX. To the prefect Eutrechius} robbers of being questioned as to the truth
of the accusations brought against them.
I have been much astonished that no in-
Yet they have done wrong I have done no;
formation has been sent me by your lordship

wrong. But I am ready for even more
of the plots against me. To counteract serious troubles. Though they be ever so
them would vcr^^ likely have been a dilhcult much annoyed at my bewailing the calam-
matter to any one not having the means of ities of PhcEuicia I shall not cease so to do
convicting their promoters of lies but to so long as I behold them. The only judgment
;
give information of what was going on that is awful to me is the judgment of God.
needed not so much power as friendliness, For
them, nevertheless, I pray that from the
and we had hoped that when your excellency God of all
they may obtain forgiveness; for
had been summoned to the imperial city, and
your excellency, that you may ever live in
to adorn the prefect's exalted
had been chosen
honour, excel in all good things, speak
seat, every tempest of the Church would be boldly against lies, and fight on the side of
calmed down. But we suil'er from such the truth. And
the contrivers of this plot
let
disturbances as we did not see even in the know I depart to the uttermost
that, though
beginning of the dispute. The churches of ends of the earth, God will not sufler the
Phoinicia are in trouble in trouble are those
;
confirmation of impious doctrines, but will
of Palestine, as all luianimously report; and nod His head and destroy them that bow
the distress is proved by the letters of the down to doctrines of abomination.
most pious bishops. All the saints among
us groan and every pious congregation is
While looking for a cessation LXXXI. To the Consul Nonms}
lamenting.
of our former troubles we have been afflicted For but a brief portion of a day I enjoyed
with new ones. I myself have been for- the of your lox'dship, for I was
society
bidden to quit the coasts of Cyrus, if the deprived by unavoidable circumstances of
dispatch is true which has been shewn me, what I so earnestly desired. I had
hoped
and which is said to be an autograph of our that our short interview would have kindled
victorious emperor. It runs as follows good will and friendly intercourse, but I was
" Since so and so the I have now written
bishop of this city is
disappointed. you two
continually assembling synods and this is a letters, without receiving any reply and by ;
cause of trouble to the orthodox, take heed the imperial decree I am forbidden to travel
with proper diligence and wisdom that he beyond the boundaries of Cyrus. For this
resides at Cyrus, and does not depart from apparent punishment cause there is none,
it to another city." I have accepted the except the fact of my convening an episcopal
sentence, and remain Your lordship synod. No indictment was published no
still. ;
can bear witness to sentiments, for you prosecutor appeared the defendant was not
my ;
know how on my arrival at Antioch I de- convicted but the sentence was given. ; We
parted in a hurry, on account of those who submit, for we know the reward of the
wished to detain me there. And those were wronged. I am aware however that Festus
unquestionably wrong who gave both their the Procurator who was entrusted with the
ears to my calumniators and would not keep government of the Jews when they de-
one for me. Even to murderers, and to manded the death of the divine Paul, publicly
them that despoil other men's beds, an op- replied, "It is not lawful to us Romans to
portunity is given of defending themselves, deliver any man before that he which is ac-
and they do not receive sentence till they cused have the accusers face to face, and have
have been convicted in their own presence, license to answer for himself concerning the
or have made confession of the truth of the crime laid against him."
^
Now these words
charges on which they are indicted. But a high were spoken by one who was no believer in
priest who has held the office of bishop for five our Master, Christ, but was a slave to the
and twenty years * after passing his previous errors of polytheism. I was never asked
life in a monastery, who has never troubled whether I was assembling
synods or not, or
a tribunal, nor yet on any single occasion for what reason I was assembling them,
been prosecuted by any man, is treated as a or what umbrage this could give, either
mere plaything of calumny, without being to the Church or to the government;
allowed even the common privilege of gravc- yet just as though I had been a very guilty
I
Vide Letter LVII. • Cf.
Letter LVIII. Nomus was an influential officer of
2 This
brings us to about the year 423, when Theodoret was Theodosius IL, being " Maffisler Offiiciortim" \n a^, consul
consecrated bishop at the approximate age of 30, after passing in 445 and patrician in 449. A friendôfDioscorus, he opposed
seven years in the monastery of Nicerte, three miles from Tluodoret and was instrumental in procuring the decree which
Apamca, and one hundred and twenty from Cyrus. Cf. lip. confined the bishop to his diocese in 449.
CXIX, ' Acts XXV. 16. Observe the variations in the citation.
LETTERS. ^77
criminal I am
prohibited from visiting other revenues of my see I erected public porti-
cities ; every one else every city lies
while to coes ;
I built two large bridges ;
I looked
open, and that not only to Arians and Euno- the public baths. On finding that
after
mians, but to Manichees and Marcionists, to the city was not watered by the river run-
them that are sick with the unsoundness of ning by it, I built the conduit, and supplied
Valentinus and Montanus, aye to pagans the ch-y town with water. But not to men-
and Jew^s, while I, a foremost champion of tion these matters I led eight villages of
the teaching of the Gospels, am from every Marcionists with their neighbourhood into
city excluded. Some however maintain that the way of truth another full of Eunomians ;
I do not adhere to it. Then let there be a and another of Arians I brought to the light
council let there be assembled there the of divine knowledge, and, by God's grace,
:
godly bishops who are capable of judging not a tare of heresy was left among us.
:
then let there be assembled those in office All this I did not effect with impunity ;
and in rank who have been instructed in many a time I shed my blood many a time ;
divine lore. Let me state what I hold, and was I stoned by them and brought to the
let the judges declare what opinion is agree- very gates of death. But I am a fool in my
able to the teaching of the Apostles. I have boasting, yet my words are spoken of neces-
not thus written from any desire to see the sity, not of consent. Once the thrice blessed
great city, nor from trying to travel to any Paul was compelled to act in the same way
other. \n fact I rather love the quiet of them to stop the mouths of his accusers. Yet I
whose wish is to administer the churches in put up with seeming ignominy and count it
a monastic state. I should like your excel- high honour, for I hear the voice of the
" All that will live
lency to know that neither in the time of Apostle crying, godly in
the blessed and sainted Theodotus, nor in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."'
that of John of blessed memory, nor in that But I beseech your excellency to give
of the very holy lord bishop Domnus, did I heed to the affiiirs of the Church, and calm
of my own accord enter Antioch five or six ;
the storm that has arisen, for in fact not even
times I was invited but I with difficulty as- at the beginning of the dispute was the
sented, and when I did assent it was in Church beset by such confusion. No one
obedience to the canon of the Church which informs you of the greatness of the peril,
orders him who is summoned to a synod of the lamentations of the Christians in Phoe-
and refuses to be present to be held guilty. nicia and of the wails of our holiest monks.
And when I appeared, what thing unpleas- Wherefore I have written to you at some
ing to God did I do.? Was it that I re- length, that on learning the agitation of the
moved from the sacred lists the names of such Church your excellency might stay it, and
and such a man guilty of unspeakable wicked-
reap the fruits of the benefit which such
ness.'' Was it that I ordained to the priest- action will produce.
hood men of character and of honourable
life .? Was it that I preached the gospel to LXXXII. To EusebiuSy bishop of Ancyra.^
the people.? If these things are worthy of
indictment and punishment, I gladly welcome I had hoped time to hear frequently
at this
from your holiness. Suffering as I do under
yet severer punishments for their sake.
charges which are plain calumny I stand in
My accusers compel me to speak. Even need of brotherly consolation. For they
before my conception my parents promised
to devote me to God from my swaddling- who are now renewing the heresy of Mar-
;
bands they devoted me according to their cion, Valentinus, Manes, and of the other
promise and educated me accordingly the ;

Docetae, annoyed at my publicly pillorying
their heresy, have endeavoured to deceive the
time before my episcopate I spent in a
monastery and then was unwillingly conse- imperial ears, by calling me a heretic and
falsely accusing me of dividing into two
' sons
crated bishop. Five and twenty years I so
lived that I was never summoned to trial by
our one Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Word
made man. Their utterances did not meet
any one nor ever brought accusation against with the success that they expected. A
any. Not one of the pious clergy who were
under me ever frequented a court. In so despatch was therefore written to the right
honourable and glorious commander and
many years I never took an obol nor a gar-
ment from any one. Not one of my domes- consul, containing indeed no accusation of
tics ever received a loaf or an egg. I could heresy, but certain other charges no less
not endure the thought of possessing any- 1 II. Tim. iii. 12.
thing save the rags I wore. From the 2Eusebius was present at the Council of Chalcedon in 451
Mansi also Letter CIX. A Latin translation of
vi.
565 c. See
1 Cf. note on page 376. this letter is in Baronius ann. 443.
278 THEODORET.
unfounded. They alleged that I was en- I have enumerated them not for ambition's
deavouring to assemble frequent synods at sake, but to challenge my accusers and my

Antioch that certain persons thereupon
; judges to put any of my writings they may
took umbrage that for this reason I ought
;
choose to the test. They will find that by
to desist from these proceedings and manage God's grace I hold no other opinion than
the cliurches entrusted to my charge. When just that which I have received from
holy
this communication was shewn me I caught Scripture.
at the sentence as an opportunity of good. When, then, your holiness has heard this
For in the first place I gained the rest I so from me, I beg you to inform the ignorant
much longed for furthermore I trust in the and to persuade the unbridled tongues that
;
wiping out of the stains of the many errors revile me and all who are deceived b}' them,
I have committed, on account of the wrong not to believe what they have heard of me
devised against me by the enemies of truth. from my calumniators. Beg them to believe
Even in this present life our supreme Ruler rather the Lavs^giver when he exclaims
very plainly shews us what care He takes of Men shall not receive a false report."
' ' '
them that suffer wrong. While I have been Ask them to wait till the facts are proved.
remaining at rest, prisoned within the My piayer is that the churches may enjoy
boundaries of my own country while a calm and that this long and painful storm
;
throughout the East all men have been may vanish away. But if the multitude of
distressed and have been bitterly lamenting our sins suffer not this to come to pass if ;
though compelled to silence by the terror for their sakes we are delivered to the sifter ;
that has fallen on them (for what has we pray that we may share the perils under-
befallen me has stricken terror into the gone for the faith, in order that since we
hearts of all) the Lord has stooped from have not the confidence that comes from this
heaven, has convicted my calumniators of life, at least for guarding the faith in its integ-
their falsehood, and laid bare their impious rity we may meet with pity and pardon in
intent. They armed even Alexandria the day of the appearance of the Lord. And
against me and by means of their worthy for this we beseech your holiness to join us
instruments are dinning into all men's ears in our prayers.
that I am j^reaching two sons instead of one.
I, on the contrary, am so far from holding LXXXIII. Of Theodoretus, bishop of Cyrus,
this abominable opinion, that, on finding to JDioscorus, Archbishop of Alexandria.
some of the holy fathers of the Nicene
To them that suffer under false accusation
Council opposing in their treatises the mad-
the greatest comfort is given by the words of
ness of Arius and forced in their strug-
Scripture. When such a sufferer is wounded
gle against their opponents to make too the lying words of an unbridled tongue,
by
marked a distinction, I have objected, and and feels the
refused to admit such distinction, for I know sharp stings of distress, he
remembers the story of the admirable Joseph,
how the exigencies of the distinction result and as he beholds that model of
in exaggeration. chastity, an
exemplar of every kind of virtue, suffering,
And lest any one should suppose that I under a calumnious
charge, imprisoned and
am speaking as I do tlirough fear, let any fettered for
invading another man's bed, and
one who likes get hold of my ancient writ-
spending a long time in a dungeon, his pain
ings written before the Council of Ephesus, is
lightened by the remedy that the story fur-
and those written after it twelve years ago. nishes. So again when he finds the gentle
For by God's grace I interpreted all the
David, hunted as a tyrant by Saul, and then
Prophets and the Psalms and the Apostles :
catching his enemy and letting him go un-

I wrote long ago against the Arians, the
harmed, an anodyne is given him in his dis-
Macedonians, the sophistry of Apollinarius tress. But when he sees the Lord Christ
and the madness of Marcion and in every Himself, Maker of tlie
:
ages, Creator of all

one of my books by God's grace the mind
things, very God, and Son of the very God,
of the Church shines clear. Moreover I called a
gluttonous man and a wine bibber
have written a book on the Mysteries, the wicked Jews, it is not only consolation
by
another on Providence, another on the Qiies- but rather
great joy that is given him in that
tions of the Magi, a life of the Saints, and
he is deemed worthy of sharing the suffer-
besides not to name
these, one in every ings of the Lord.
detail, many more.'
Fahulnrum Coinf>i'iidiuvi ; (y) XII Hooks on the mysteries of
" lie Proxu "
iThe works mentioned are (a) those on the Octatcucli, the the Kaitli; (<:) the dentin; (Q on the Questions of
BooUs of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, the Psalms, Can- the Moi,''i,:\nA (>)) \.\\c Religious History
. Of these (y) and
ticles, and the Prophets; on the xiv Epp. of St. Paul,
(/3) (0 arc lost.
I K.\. xxiii. I. Ixx. and
including the Hebrews; the Dialogues, and the Ilicreiicarum niarg.
LETTERS. 279
Thus I was compelled to write when I day of the Lord's appearing. I wish and I
read the letters of your holiness to the most pray that I may follow the footprints of the
pious and sacred archbishop Domnus, for holy Fathers, and I earnestly desire to keep
there was contained in them the statement undefiled the evangelic teaching which was
that certain men have come to the illustrious in sum delivered to us by the holy Fathers
city administered by your holiness, and have

assembled in council at the Bithynian Nicaea.
accused me of dividing the one Lord Jesus I believe that there is one God the Father
Christ into two sons, and this when preach- and one Holy Ghost proceeding from the
'
Father so also that there is one Lord
ing at Antioch, where innumerable hearers :
swell the congregation. I wept for the men Jesus Christ, only begotten Son of God, be-
who had the hardihood to contrive the vain gotten of the Father before all ages, bright-
ness of His glory and express image of the
calumny against me. But I grieved, and, my
Lord, forgive me, forced as I am by pain to Father's person,* ori account of man's salva-
speak, that your pious excellency did not re- tion, incarnate and made man and born of
serve one ear unbiassed for me instead of be- Mary the Virgin in the flesh. For so are we
lieving the lies of my accusers. Yet they taught by the wise Paul "Whose are the
were but three or four or about a dozen, Fathers and of whom as concerning the
while I have countless hearers to testify to flesh Christ came, who is over all, God
blessed for ever. Amen," and again " Con-
^
the orthodoxy of my teaching. Six years I
continued teaching in the time of Theodotus, cerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord which
bishop of Antioch, of blessed and sacred was made of the seed of David according to
memory, who was famous alike for his dis- the flesh and declared to be the Son of God
tinguished career and for his knowledge of with power according to the spirit of holi-
the divine doctrines. Thirteen years I taught ness."* On this account we also call the
in the time of bishop John of sacred and
" Theotokos," * and deem those
holy Virgin
blessed memory, who was so delighted at my who object to this appellation to be alienated
discourses as to raise both his hands and from true religion.
again and again to start up your holiness in
: In the same manner we call those men
your own letters has borne witness how, corrupt and exclude them from the assembly
brought up as he was from boyhood with the of the Christians, who divide our one Lord
divine oracles, the knowledge which he had Jesus Christ into two persons or two sons or
of the divine doctrines was most exact. Be- two Lords, for we have heard the very divine
" One
sides these this is the seventh year of the Paul saying Lord, one faith, one bap-
"
most pious lord archbishop Domnus.* Up tism and again " One Lord Jesus Christ
•*
to this present day, after the lapse of so long by are all things
" '
and again " Jesus
Whom
a time, not one of the pious bishops, not one Christ the same yesterday and to-day and for
^
of the devout clergy has ever at any time ever" and in another place " He that de- —
found any fault with my utterances. And scended is the same also that ascended up
with how much gratification Christian people far above all heavens."
^
And countless
hear our discourses your godly excellency other passages of this kind may be found in
can easily learn, alike from those who have the Apostle's writings, proclaiming the one
travelled thence hither, and from those who Lord.
reached your city from us. So too the divine Evangelist exclaims,
All this I say not for the sake of boasting,
" And the Word was made flesh and dwelt
but because I am forced to defend myself. among us and we beheld His glory, the glory
It is not the fame of my sermons to which I as of the only begotten of the Father, full of
'"
am calling attention it is their orthodoxy
; grace and truth."
alone. Even the great teacher of the world And his namesake exclaimed, " After me
who is wont to style himself last of saints and Cometh one who is preferred before me for He
first of sinners, that he might stop the mouths was before me." " And when he had shewn
of liars was compelled to set forth a list of one person, he expressed both the divine and
his own labours and in shewing that this ac-
;
the human, for the words "man" and
" comes" are
count of his sufferings was of necessity, not human, but the phrase "He
of free will, he addied "I am become a fool was before me" expresses the divine. But
in ye have compelled me."^ I iThefirst formal insertion of the addition Jiliogue is said to
glorying;
—
own myself wretched aye thrice wretched. be
At
Creed put forth at a council of Toledo about A.D. 400.
in a
the third council of Toledo A.D. 589, the Nica;no.Constan-
I am guilty of many errors. Througli faith tinopolitan Creed w.as promulgated with the addition
" ex —
Patrc et Filio procedentein."
alone I look for finding some mercy in the 2Heb. i. 3. cEph. iv. s. " John i. 14.
3 Rom. ix. 5. 7 I. Cor.viii. 6. "John i. 15.
1 Domnus succeeded his Uncle John at Antioch in 441. * Rom. i.3, 4.
8 Heb. xiii. 8.
»
»II. Cor. xii. II. 6 cf. note on page 213. Ephes. iv. 10.
28o THEODORET.
nevertheless he did not recognise a distinc- medicines them that are trying to destroy the
tion between Him who came after and Him doctrines of the truth, or, if they refuse to
who was before, but owned the same being accept your treatment, to expel them from the
to be eternal as God, but born man, after fold, to the end that the sheep may be spared
himself, of the Virgin. from contagion. I beg you to give me your
Thus too, the thrice blessed Thomas, when customary salutation. That I have written
he had put his hand on the flesh of the Lord, you my true sentiments is proved by my
called Him Lord and God, saying Lord works on the holy Scriptures and against
"My
'
and my God." For through the visible the Arians and Eunomians.
nature he discerned the invisible. I will in addition write yet a brief word.
So do we know no difference between the If any one refuses to confess the holy Virgin
same flesh and the Godhead but we own to be " Theotokos," or calls our Lord Jesus
God the Word made man to be one Son. Christ bare man, or divides into two sons Him
These lessons we have learnt alike from who is one only begotten and first born of
the holy Scripture and from the holy Fathers every creature, I pray that he may fall from
who have expounded it, Alexander and hope in Christ, and let all the people say
Athanasius, loud voiced heralds of the truth, amen, amen.
who have been ornaments of your apostolic Now that I have thus spoken, deign, my
see ; from Basil and from Gregory and the lord, to give me your sacred prayers, and to
rest of the lights of the world and that, in our cheer me by a letter in reply telling me that
;
endeavour to shut the mouths of them that your holiness has turned your back on my
dare to oppose the blessed Theophilus and accusers.
Cyril, we use their works, our own writings I and my household salute all thy brother-
testify. For we are most anxious by the hood in piety hi Christ.

medicines supplied by very holy men to heal
them that deny the distinction between the LXXXIV. To the bishops of Cilicia}
Lord's flesh and the Godhead, and who main-
tain at one moment that the divine nature was
Your piety has heard of the calumnies
into and at another that the
directed against me. The opponents of the
changed flesh,
truth allege that I divide our one Lord Jesus
flesh was transmuted into nature of Godhead.
For they clearly instruct us in the dis- Christ, the only begotten Son of God, into
tinction between the two natures, and pro-
two sons, and it is said by some that a ground
for their calumny is derived from a handful
claim the immutability of the divine nature,
calling the flesh of the Lord divine as
of men
being and whoamong you who hold these opinions,
divide God the Word made man
made flesh of God the Word but the doc- ;
into two sons. They ought to listen to those
trine that it was transmuted into nature of
words of the Apostle which openly declare
Godhead they repudiate as impious. " one Lord
Jesus Christ by whom are all
I think that your
excellency is well aware and again "one Lord, one faith,
that Cyril of blessed memory often wrote to things,""
one baptism." ^ They ought to have followed
me, and when he sent his books against Julian
the Master's teaching, for the Lord Himself
to Antioch, and in like manner his book on the
says "And no man hath ascended up to
scapegoat, he asked the blessed John, bishop but he that came down from heaven,
of Antioch, to shew them to the great heaven,
even the Son of man which is in Heaven."*
teachers of the East; and in compliance with
this request the blessed John sent us the books.
And again "If ye shall see the Son of Man
I read them with admiration, and I wrote to
ascend up where He was before."
*
And
the tradition of holy baptism teaches ns that
Cyril of blessed memory and he wrote back there is one
;
to me praising my exactitude and kindness. Son, just as there is one Father

and one Holy Ghost. I hope then that your
This letter I have preserved.
That I twice subscribed the writings of piety will deign, if there really are any,
though I cannot believe it, who disobey the
John of blessed memory concerning Nes- doctrines to close their mouths, to
torius my own hand bears witness, but this apostolic
rebuke them as the laws of the Church re-
is the kind of thing whispered about me by
men who try to conceal their own unsound- quire, and teach them to follow the footsteps
of the holy Fathers and preserve undefiled
ness by calumniating me.
the faith laid down at Nicaaa in Bithynia by
Therefore I implore your holiness to turn
the holy and blessed Fathers, as summing
your back on the liars to give heed to the
;
Church's quiet and either to heal by salutary

encyclical is probably of the same date as the pre-
1 This
ceding.
' I. Cor. viii. 6. *Johniii. 13.
1 '
John XX. 2S. Ephcs. iv. 5. *Johnvi.63.
LETTERS. 2S1
up the teaching of Evangelists and Apostles. peaceful," much more readily do we wel-
'
For it becomes you who love God to give come the peace of God.
heed both to God's glory and our common Some of those men who have been fed on
credit, and not to overlook the attacks lies have hurried to Alexandria and patched
which are made upon us all through the up calumnies against me, with the result
ignorance or contentiousness of these few that the godly bishop of that city, led away
men — if
they really are guilty, and
they by their statements, although
if he had been
are informed
ourselves, suftering from the by my letters, has sent a pious
not, like fully
whetted tongues of false accusers. bishop to the imperial city. I beg you there-
Deign to remember us m
your prayers to fore to shew your
accustomed kindness to
for so the law of love ordains. him, and to confront falsehood with the truth.
God,
LXXXV. To
the bishop Basil.'' LXXXVi:^ To Flavianus, bishop of Con-
The said by the divine Paul
chief good is stantinople.
to be love,^ and by love he ordered the At the present time, most God-beloved
nurslings of the faith to be fed. Of this love lord, I have received many buftetings of bil-
your piety possesses great wealth, and
so has
lows, but I called upon the great Pilot, and
told me what was befitting and given me have been able to stand firm against the
pleasant news. For to them that fear the storm ;
the attacks, however, now made
Lord what can be pleasanter than the health upon me transcend every story in tragedy.
and harmony of the doctrines of the truth } In relation to the attacks which are being
Be well assured, most godly sir, that we plotted against the apostolic faith,
I thought
were much delighted to hear the intelligence that I should find an ally and fellow-worker
of our common
friend; and in proportion to in the most godly bishop of Alexandria, the
our previous distress at hearing that he de- lord Dioscorus,^ and so sent him one ot our
scribed the nature of flesh and of Godhead as
pious presbyters, a man of remarkable pru-
one, and openly attributed the passion of dence, with a synodical letter informing his
salvation to the impassible Godhead, so made
piety that we abide in the agreement
Avere all rejoiced to read the letters of your in the time of Cyril of blessed memory, and
holiness, and to learn that he maintains in accept the letter written by him as well
as
their integrity the properties of the natures, that written by the very blessed and sainted
and denies both the change of God the Word Athanasius to the blessed Epictetus, and,
into flesh, and the mutation of the flesh into before these, the exposition of the faith laid
the nature of Godhead, maintaining on the down at Nicaea in Bithynia by the holy and
contrary that in the one Son, our Lord Jesus blessed Fathers. We
exhorted him to in-
Christ, God the Word made man, the prop- duce those who are unwilling to abide by
erties of either nature abide unconfounded. these documents at once to abide by them.
We praise the God of all for the harmony
of But one of the opposite party, who keep up
divine faith. We
have however written to these disturbances, by tricking some of
either Cilicia,^ although our intelligence is those who are on the spot and contriving
imperfect, as to whether there
are really countless calumnies against myself has
any opponents of the truth, and have charged stirred an iniquitous agitation against me.
the godly bishops to search and examine if But the very godly bishop Dioscorus has
there are any who divide the one Lord Jesus written us a letter such as never ought to
Christ into two sons, and either to bring have been written by one who has learnt
them to their senses by admonition, or cut from the God of all not to listen to vain
them off" from the roll of the brethren. For words. He has believed the charges brought
in fact we equally repudiate both those who
against me though he had made personal
as
dare to assert one nature of flesh and God- and had ar-
enquiry into every one of them,
head, and those who divide the one Lord rived at the truth after questioning,and has
Jesus Christ into two sons and
strive to go thus condemned me. I however have bravely
beyond the definitions of the Apostles. borne the calumnious charge, and have
But let your holiness be well assured that written him back a courteous letter, repre-
we are disposed to peace. For if the prophet senting to his piety that the
whole charge is
" With them that hate peace I was
says, 1
Ps. cxx. 6 and 7. Ixx.
1 There appears be nothing in this letter or in Letter CII.
to
2 This important letter may be placed between the sentence
also addressed to bishop Basil to identify the recipient. Basil of deposition issued by Dioscorus in Feb. 44S and the im-
before November 44S,when
bishop of Seleucia in Isauria w.is at the Latrocinium and at perial edict of March 449; probably
of Constantinople
Chalcedon. Basil, bishop of Trajanopolis was also present Eutyches was arraigned before the Synod
at the same councils. Garnerius is in favour of the former, and presided over by Flavian.
notes the date as 448.
3 cf. Letter
LX, written probably not long after the conse.
a I. Cor. xiii. » Vide note on p. 44- cration of Dioscorus in 444.
13.
2S2 TIIEODORET.
false,and that not one of the godly bishops count are confident that we shall meet with
of the East holds opinions contrary to the mercy.
apostolic decrees. Moreover the pious clergy But that your holiness may not be ignorant
whom he sent as messengers have been con- of this, know, my lord, that he shewed his
vinced by the actual evidence of the facts. ill-will towards me from the time of my
These however he has dismissed unheeded, assenting, in obedience to the canons of the
and, lending his ears to my calumniators, holy Fathers, to the synodical letters issued
has acted in a manner quite incredible, were in your see in the time of Proclus of blessed
it not that the whole church bears witness to memory on this point he has chidden me
;
it. He
put up with them tliat were crying once and again on the ground of my violating
Anathema against me nay he stood up in the rights of the church of Antioch and, as he
;
his place and confirmed their words by add- says, of that of Alexandria. Remembering
ing his voice to theirs. Besides all this he this, and finding, as he thinks, an oppor-
sent certain godly bishops to the imperial tunity, he has exhibited liis hostility. But
city, as we learnt, in the liope of increasing nothing is stronger than the truth. Truth is
the agitation against me. 1 in the first place wont to conquer even with few words. I be-
have for champion Ilim who seeth all things, seech your holiness to remember me in your
for it is on behalf of the divine decrees that prayers to the Lord that I may have power
I am wrestling —
next after Ilim I invoke to prevail against the waves that are beating
your holiness to fight in defence of the faith me hither and thither.
that is attacked, and do battle on behalf of
the canons that are being trodden under foot. LXXXVII, To DomnuSy bishop of Apamea.^
When the blessed Fathers were assembled in The law of brotherly love demanded that
that imperial city' in harmony with them I should I'eceive
that had sat in council at Nicaea, they distin- liness at this time.
many letters from your god-
For the divine Apostle
guished the dioceses, and assigned to each charges us to weep with them that weep
diocese the management of its own aflairs, and
rejoice with them that do rejoice.^ I
expressly enjoining that none should intrude have not received a single one, although
from one diocese into another. They or-
just lately 1 was visited by some of the pious
dered that the bishop of Alexandria should monks of
your monastery with the pious
administer the government of Egypt alone, Elias. Nevertheless I have written,
presbyter
and every diocese its own afiairs.* and 1 salute your holiness ;
and I make you
Dioscorus, however, refuses to abide by acquainted with the fact that the consolation
these decisions he is turning the see of the
; of the Master has stood me in stead of all
blessed Mark upside down and these things
;
other, for in truth not even had I as many
he does though he perfectly well knows that mouths as I have hairs on my head, could
the Antiochene metropolis possesses the Him
throne of the great Peter, who was teacher
I worthily praise for my being deemed
worthy of suffering on account of my con-
of the blessed Mark, and first and coryphaeus fession of Him, and for the apparent disgrace
of the chorus of the apostles.^ which I hold more august than any honour.
But I know the majesty of the see, and I And
if I be banished to the uttermost parts
know and take measure of myself. I have of the earth all the more will I praise Him
learnt from the first the humility of the as being counted worthy of greater blessings.
Apostles. I beseech your holiness not to Nevertheless I hope your holiness will put
overlook the trampling underfoot of the holy
up prayers for the quiet of the holy
canons, and to stand forward zealously as churches. It is because of the storm that
champion of the divine faith, for in that faith is assailing them that I wail and groan and
we have hope of our salvation and on its ac- lament. That quiet, as I know, was driven
away by the Osrhoene clergy,* who poured
Constantinople in 3S1. The second Canon of the out countless words against me, although I
1 i.e. in
Council is referred to, — conhning each bishop ti> his own

"
diocese," i.e.:i tract comprising more than one province. So
had no share in their condemnation, nor in
the bishop of Alexandria was restricted to Ei^ypt. the sentence passed upon them on the con- ;
The immediate cause of this enactment by tlie Constnnti-
~
nopolitan Fathers was the interference of I'etcr of Alexandria trary, as your holiness knows, I besought
in the appointment to the see of Constantinople, when the or-
thodox party nominated Gregory of Nazianzus. cf. p. 1^6. '
Domnus of Apamea is to be distinguished from Dornnus
3 The third Canon of
Constantinople had enacted that hence- II, bishop of Antioch the recipient of Letters XXXI, CX, CXII
forth the see of the new capital should rank next after Koine. and CLXXX. He was present at Chalcedon in 451. This let-
In the text the precedence of Antioch before Alexandria is ter may be placed in 448-g.
based on association with St. Peter. "The so-called Cathedra * Romans xii. Observe the inversion.
15.
3 The action of the Osrhoene
Petri, which is kept in a repository of the wall of the apse of clergy here referred to is their
the Vatican Basilica," and was " exhibited in 1S66" " is proba- accusation of Theodoret's friend Ibas of Edessa. The "sen-
" was that of excommunication delivered
bly a throne made for or presented to Charles the Bold
in
S75." tence by Ibas. The
Diet. Christ. Ant. ii. 1060. For the connexiun of St. Peter with leaders of the cabal against liim were instigated by Uranius,
Antioch sec Routh Kell. Sac. i. 179. bishop of liimeria, one of Ibas's suffragans, cf. note on p. 291.
LETTERS. 283
that the communion might be given to them contend against every kind of heresy ;
this
at Easter. But slanderers find no am
ever giving to the nurslings of
difficulty faith I
in saying what they like. My consolation piety by means of this faith I have meta-
;
lies in the blessing of the Master who said,

" Blessed are morphosed countless wolves into sheep, and
ye when men shall revile you have brought them to the Saviour who is
and persecute you and shall say all manner the Arch-shepherd of us all. So have I
of evil against you falsely for my sake learnt not only from the apostles and
;
I'ejoice and be exceeding glad for great is prophets but also from the
:
interpreters of
your reward in heaven for so persecuted their writings, Ignatius, Eustathius, Athan-
:
they the prophets which were before you."^ asius, Basil, Gregory, John, and the rest of
the lights of the world and before these ;
LXXXVIII. To Taurus the Patrician? from the holy Fathers in council at Niccea,
Slanderers have forced me to go beyond
whose confession of the faith I presei^ve in
its integrity, like an ancestral inheritance,
the bounds of moderation, and compel me
to write to you who have adorned the highest styling corrupt
and enemies of the truth all
and obtained the most
who dare to ti-ansgi'ess its decrees. I invoke
offices, distinguished
honours. I therefore implore you to pardon your greatness,
now that you have heard
do not
from me in these terms, to shut the mouths
me, for I write in self sufficiency,
of my calumniators. It is in my opinion
but because I am thrust forwai'd by necessity.
It is not because I expect to fall unjustly into wholly
unreasonable to accept as true what
trouble and distress, for this is the common
is
charged against men in their absence ;
rather is it lawful and right that those who
fate of all who have sincerely served God, but
wish to appear as prosecutors should accuse
because I desire to persuade your excellency
the defendants in their presence, and endeav-
that those who accuse my opinions are pro-
From our to convict them face to face. Under
ducing false charges against me. my these conditions the
mother's breast I have been nurtuiêd on apos- judges will without diffi-
be able to arrive at the truth.
tolic teaching, and the creed laid down at culty
Nicaea by the holy and blessed Fathers I have
both learnt and teach. All who hold any other XC. To Lupicinus the Master}
opinion I charge with impiety, and if any I have passed through the contests of my
one persists in asserting that I teach the con- prime. I see before me
the confines of old
trary, let him not bring a chai-ge which I age, and have expected as an old man to
cannot defend, but convict me to face. my But I am a
have more honour given me.
For this is agreeable to the laws alike of God mark for the shafts of slander, and am
and of man, but to whom is it so becoming driven to meet by defence accusations lev-
to champion the wronged as to you, O friend elled against me. Under these circum-
of Christ, to whom boldness of utterance is stances, I beseech your excellency not to
given by the splendour of your lineage, the believe the lies of my accusers. Had I been
greatness of your rank and your foremost living a life of silence, there might have
place in the law.'' been room for the suspicion of unorthodoxy.
But I am continually discoursing in the
LXXXIX. To Florentius the patrician!^ churches, and therefore have, by God's
In sending a letter to your greatness I am grace, innumerable witnesses to the sound-
ness of what I teach. I follow the laws and
daring what is beyond me, but the cause of
rules of the apostles. I test
my teaching by
my daring is not self-confidence, but the
slanders of my calumniators. I have thought applying to it, like a rule and measure, the
faith laid down by the holy and blessed
it well worth while to instruct
your righteous Fathers at Nicaea. If any one maintain that
ears how openly the impugners of my
I hold opinion, let him accuse
opinions are calumniating me. I have been me faceany contrary let him not slander me in
to face
guilty, I own, of many errors, but up to
;
now I have ever kept the faith of the apos- my absence. It is fair that even the defend-
ant should have an opportunity of speech,
tles undefiled, and on this account alone I
have cherished the hope that I shall meet and meet with his
defence the charges
brought against him, and that then and not
with mercy on the day of the Lord's appear-
till then should the judges lawfully pro-
ing. On behalf of this faith I continue to
nounce their sentence. This favour I beg
1 Matt. V. II, 12.
LXXXVIII-CIX i.e., magister officiorum, one of the great state officers
» Garnerius dates Letters in 447. 1
They
belong rather to 448-449. under the Constantininn constitution. He had control over
3
Florentius, Praefect of the Imperial Guard, and already six posts, police, arsenals, and the imperial correspondence, and,
times Prsefect of the East, was present as a lay commissioner from his authority in the palace, was a kind of " comptroller,"
atthe trial of Eutyches in 449 and at Chalcedon in 451. or" master of the household." cf. Rufinus, p. 133.
2^4 THEODORET.
through your excellency's assistance. If any your prudent counsels. I beg you therefore
men wish to condemn me unheard, I accept defend the cause of the wronged, to
to
with willingness even their unjust sentence.
contend against lies, and champion the
For I wait for the judgment of the Master, apostolic teaching now assailed. Without
where we need neither witnesses nor accus- doubt the master and guide of the churches
ers. Before Him, as says the divine Apostle,
will bless your endeavour, will scatter the
" all
things are naked and opened."
'
lowering cloud, and bless the nurslings of

the faith with clear sky. Even should He
XCI. To the prefect Eutrechius?
permit the tempest to prevail, your greatness
I well know, and \\qq.A no words to tell will reap your perfect reward, and we shall
me, how your excellency regards me. Ac- bow our heads before the storm, ready to
tions speak more clearly than words, but live with cheerfulness wheresoever it may
drive us, and waiting the
I have been anxious for
you to know the judgment of God
cause of the accusation that is brought and his true and righteous sentence.
against me. For I am suffering under a
most extraordinary charge, being at one and XCIII. To Senator the Patrician.
the same time attacked as unmarried, and as
^ I cherish an indelible memory of your
having been married twice. If my present
calumniators assert that I am falsifying the magnificence, and now by very religious and
holy bishops I salute you. The very holy
apostolic doctrine, why in the world, in- lord bishop Domnus has arranged for them
stead of accusing me in my absence, do
to journey to the imperial
city in order to
they not attempt to convict me face to face "i
This fact alone is enough to give utter refu- put an end to the false charges raised
tation to their lies, for it is because they know against me. For certain men have contrived
manifest calumnies against me, and have
that I have innumerable witnesses 4:o the
grievously disturbed the churches for whose
apostolic character ofmy doctrines that they sake the Lord Christ " endured the Cross
have urged an undefended indictment against " ^
me. Lawful judges must on the contrary despising the shame in whose behalf
;
the band of the divine apostles and com-

keep one ear unbiassed for the accused. If
panies of victorious martyrs were delivered
they give both to the pleadings of the op- to many kinds of death. On behalf of their
ponents, and deliver a sentence acceptable
to them, I shall put up with the peace I call on your magnificence to con-
injustice as tend. It had been easy for the God of all
bringing me nearer to the kingdom of to have nodded His head and scattered the
heaven, and shall await that impartial tri-
lowering clouds but He bides His time,
bunal, where there is neither prosecutor, nor
;
and thereby at once shews the endurance of

counsel, nor witness, nor distinction in rank,
but judgment of deeds and words and
them that are assailed, and gives us oppor-
" tunities of doing good.
righteous retribution. For," it is said,
" we must all
appear before the judgment XCIV. To Protogenes ' the Prcefect.
seat of Christ that every one
may receive
the things done in his body according to that The
loving-kindness of the Lord has
*
he hath done whether it be
good or bad." already given you an opportunity of carrying
out your good intentions. He has given
XCII. To Anatolius the Patrician!'
you a greater opportunity now, that your
The very holy lord archbishop Domnus excellency may the more easily champion
has arranged for the most pious bishops to the cause of the truth that is assailed, bring
lies to nought, and give the churches the
repair to the imperial city, with a view to
the complete refutation of the false accu- calm for which they so intensely long.
sation made against us all. At this time Your excellency has already learned from
we stand in especial need of the aid of your many other sources how great is the surge
magnificence, since the Lord of all has by which the churches in the East are
endowed you with the gifts of pure faith, of overwhelmed, but you will acquire more
warm zeal in its behalf, of intelligence and accurate information concerning it from the
capacity, and power withal to carry out very religious bishops who, on account of
it, have undertaken their long journey in
' Heb. iv. 13.
' vide p. 267.
' This
appears to be merely a figurative description of the
'
Senator was consul in 436, three years after the probable
of the charges, for there was no question of date of Thcodoret's earlier letter to him (cf. Letter XLIV.
inconsistency
Thcodoret's being a " digamos." p. 264.) He was present at Chalcedon.
* II.
Cor. V. 10. 5 Heb. xii. 2.
"Seven Letters are addressed to Anatolius; viz., XLV, '
Protogenes was Prxfect of the East and Consul in 449 and
LXXIX, XCII, CXI, CXIX, CXXI, and CXXXVIII. was present at the Council of Chalcedon.
LETTERS. 285
the winter, relying, next after the Grace of I had wished to say no more, but to know
God, on the providence of your authority. my own place and the greatness of dignities,
Disperse for us, then, O
Christian man, the and to beg you to inform me of the cause of
storm, change the moonless night into your silence. Really I do not know what
clear sunshine, and bridle the tongues set offence I can have given to your excellency.
wagging against us. We
by God's grace are We err unwillingly as well as willingly, and
ever fighting for the apostolic decrees, and sometimes are quite ignorant in what way
we preserve undefiled the faith laid down at we are transgressing. I therefore beg your
Nicaâ, and style impious all who dare to greatness, remembering the divine laws
violate its dogmas. In evidence of the truth which plainly charge us "If thy brother
of what I say may be cited my catechumens, shall trespass against thee go and tell him
" ^
those who are from time to time baptized by his fault betvv'een him and thee alone to
me, and the hearers of my discourses in the deign to make plain to me the origin of
churches. If they mean to accuse me in the annoyance, that I may either prove my-
accordance with the law, they must convict self innocent, or, made aware of where I was
me in my presence, not slander me in my wrong, may beg your pardon. In my con-
absence. In this manner your excellency, fidence in the evidence of my conscience I
when giving judgment in other cases, is hope for the former. All men are adorned
wont to deliver your sentences, perceiving on by magnanimity, and not least those who,
which side lies the right from the pleadings following the example of your excellency,
both of the prosecution and of the defence. trained in outside education as well as in-
structed in divine principles, both hear the
XCV. To the prcefect Antiochus} "
apostolic laws loudly exclaiming " Let not
^
the sun go down upon your wrath and re-
You have laid aside the cares of your very
member the words of Homer "*
important government, but your fame flour-

ishes among all for they that have I'eaped " In fit bounds contain
; thy mighty mind;
the fruit of your benevolence, and they are Benignity is best."
many and everywhere, persistently extol it, I have thus written not as though giving
proclaiming your good report in all direc-
tions, and their hearers' tongues to you information, but to remind one who is
stirring
join in the chorus of acclamation. When I much occupied, and I do so in remembrance
" Therefore
behold the worthy fruit which adorns with of the law of the Lord, who says
if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there
its beauty its far-famed stem, I am
delighted.
For this I'eason I call your excellency to rememberest that thy bi'other hath ought
thee leave there thy gift before the
greater and higher deeds, and beseech you against
;
to give heed to the tranquillity of the churches. altar,

and go thy way first be reconciled to ;
brother and then come and offer thy

They have been overwhelmed with a great thy * In obedience to these words I have
storm by the contrivers of calumnies against gift."
me, and under these circumstances the very thought

it
right to salute your excellency by
the most pious bishops, and to exhort you to
religious bishops, making light of a long
heed to the tranquillity of the churches.
journey, of infirmity, and of old age, have give
left their own flocks unshepherded, and un- They are indeed overwhelmed by a great
dertaken to travel this great distance, in their storm.
eagerness to confute the lies told against us
all. I beseech your gi-eatness to give them
XCVII. To the Count Sporacius.^
your protection, to shew care for the calum- I am delighted with your excellency's
niated East, and your forethought for the wel- letter. My pleasure has been increased by
fare of the apostolic faith. It is only fitting the
very religious presbyter and monk lam-
that you should add this further glory to the blichus, who has told me of your warm zeal,
rest of your good deeds.
your earnestness in religion, and your real
goodwill to me. On hearing of this as well
XCVI. To Nonius the Patrician? as of the efforts of the glorious and pious lord
I have written to you two letters, indeed I 1 Matt, xviii. 15.

3 II. ix.
256. cf. pp. 104 and 255.
2 * Matt. v. 23, 24.
Ephes. Iv. 26.
think three, but without getting any answer. 6
Sporacius or Asporacius was present at Chalcedon in 451,
as comes domesticorum, or one of the two commanders of the
Antiochus was Consul in 431.
1
body g-uard. It was at his request that Theodoret wrote his
Scf. Letters LVIII and LXXXI. Nomus the consul and Hcereticarum fabularuiii compendium which he dedicates "To
Nomus the patrician are distinguished in Schulze's Index to the most maarnificent and o^lnrious lord Sporacius my Christ-
the Letters, but there seems no reason to doubt their identity. loving son." To was also addressed tlie short
Nomus the powerful minister of Theodosius II. was consul treatise
" aJversu- Sporacius
Nestorium " of which some editors have
in 445 and patrician in 449, to which year this third letter may doubted the genuineness. The present letter may be dated in
be ref-.-rred, 449.
286 THEODORET.
"a '
on spider's web."
'
Patricius my behalfgive you the apos- calumny as
I I await the
tolic blessing which the l)lessccl Onesiphorus great judgment which needs no words, but
obtained from that holy tongue; " The Lord makes manifest what in the meanwhile is
give mercy to your house, for he oft refreshed unknown.
me and was not ashamed of my chain " ;
I send this by the very religious bishops,
" The Lord
grant unto him that he may find thinking it worth while to salute your ex-
^
mercy of the Lord in that day." This I pray cellency by them and to remind you of your
for you, even though the enemies of the truth promise. For attacked as I am I do not
Inflict on me yet greater miseries as they cease to go a-hunting, for I know that even
suppose for we have been taught to regard the sacred apostles in the midst of the as-
;
men's purpose ; but be sure of this, that with saults made upon them did not cease to ply
true religion death to me is very pleasant, the net of the spirit.
and exile to the ends of the earth. Still we
are distressed at the storm of the churches, C. To Alexandra?
which the Lord of all is mighty to disperse.
I have recently received your
excellency's
letter. For the zeal you have shewn on my
XCVIII. To Pancharizis.
behalf I thank you, and pray the God of all
We are distressed to see the tempest of to guard the goods you have, to increase
the churches, but their Master and Ruler them with further boons, and to grant 3'ou
ever through mighty billows shows to men the enjoyment of future and everlasting
His own wisdom and power. He rebukes blessings. I think that He hears the prayer
the winds and brings about a calm as He even of them that are sentenced to relegation,
did when He was in the apostles' boat.^ So, and all the more when it is for the sake of
though I am distressed, nevertheless because His divine doctrine that they are undergoing
I know this power of our Saviour and am apparent disgrace. I am writing by the
very
aware of what He arranges for us, even religious bishops, and I beg that they may
though adversity befall me, I give thanks, meet with your kindly care. It is for the
and accept it as a gift of God. I have learned sake of the faith of the gospel and the peace
the lesson to care little for the present, and of the churches that they have undertaken
to wait for the expected blessings. But it this long journey.
behoves your excellency zealously to de-
fend the apostolic faith, that you may receive CI. To the Deaconess Celarina.
from the God of all the recompense of such
conduct. The flames of the war against us have
been lit up again. After yielding awhile, the
XCIX. To Claudianns the Ajitigrapharius.* enemy of men has once more armed against
us men nurtured in lies, who utter open
Although you have not yet met me, I think slander against me, and say that I divide our
that your excellency is aware of the open one Lord
Jesus Christ into two sons. I
calumnies that have been published against however know the distinction between God-
me, for you have often heard me preaching head and manhood, and confess one Son,
in church, when I have proclaimed the Lord God the Word made man. I assert that He
Jesus, and have pointed out the properties is God eternal, wiio was made man at the
alike of the Godhead and of the manhood end of days, not by the change of the God-
;
for we do not divide one Son into two, but,

head, but by the assumption of the man-
worshipping the Only -begotten, point out hood. It is however needless for me to
the distinction between flesh and Godhead. inform
your piety of my sentiments, for you
This, indeed, is I think confessed even by have exact knowledge of what I preach, and
the Arians, who do not call the flesh God- how I instruct the I beseech you
ignorant.
head, nor address the Godhead as flesh. therefore since the workers of lies have
Holy Scripture clearly teaches us both poured their insults upon all the godly
natures. Nevertheless, though I have ever bisho])s of the East at once, and overwhelmed
thus spoken, certain men are uttering lying the cluuches with a
storm, that your piety
words against me. But I rely on my con- will show all
possible zeal on behalf of the
science and have as witness to my teaching doctrines of the
gospel and the peace of the
Him who looks into the hearts. So, as the churches. On this account the very godly
prophet says, I regard the contrivances of bishops have left the churches shepherded
«Cf.I.etler XXXIV. « II.Tim. i. i6and iS. » Matt. viii. 26.
by them, have disregarded the inclemency
* "Fuit vero ai'Tiypai/>f m? npud Ora'cos queni Galli vocant
Controleur giniral desjinances." Garncriua. ' 1 Isaiah lix. 5. 2 cf. Letter XIV.
LETTERS. 287
find my
of winter, and endured the labours of their am encompassed with calumny,
that calm the chief consolation in the thought of it.
long journey, they may tempest
which has arisen. 1 am sure that your godly
excellency will regard them as champions of
cm. To the Count Apollonius}
piety and governors of the churches.
The very godly bishops have been led to
travel to the imperial city by the calumnies
CIL To Bishop Basilius} uttered against me, and I by their holinesses
There is nothing remarkable in the re- send your excellency my salutation, and pay
that are directed against me being the debt of friendship, not indeed to wipe
proaches
heard in silence by men who do not know out the cherished obligation, but to make it
me but that your holiness should not refute greater.
;
For in truth the obligations of
their discharge.
the lies of my revilers, or at least should do friendship are increased by
the fruits of
so only to a certain extent, and with no great That I should now be reaping
one who is not extraordinary, for, in that
heartiness, passes the belief of any calumny
And that I must
knows your character and conduct. I I am human, there is nothing
to be not expect. All troubles of this kind must
say this not because friendship ought
witness be borne them that have learned wisdom
preferred to truth, but because
of truth is on the side of friendship.
the by
Your one thing only is distressing that harm — ;
reverence has veryoften heard me preaching should accrue to the soul.

in church, and, in other assemblies where I
have spoken on doctrinal questions you ; CIV. To Flaviamis,^ Bishop of Constanti-
have listened to what I have said, and I do nople.
not know of any occasion on which you have I have already in another letter Informed
found fault with me for expressing unortho- the calumniators
your holiness how openly
dox opinions. But what is the case at the of our teaching are slandering us.^ Now in
present moment? Why in the world, my like manner by means of the very godly
dear friend, do you not utter a word against not only these
be bishops I do the sa^me, having
falsehood, while you allow a friend to as witnesses of the orthodoxy of my teaching
calumniated and the truth to be assailed.? but also countless other men who are my
If this is because you disregard the helpless Above
hearers in the churches of the East.
and insignificant, remember the plain pro- and all these I have my conscience,
beyond
clamation of the commandment of the Lord and Him who sees my conscience. And I
" Take heed that ye despise not one of these
know too the divine Apostle often ap-
how
litde ones which believe in me, for I say unto of his conscience, for
do always pealed to the testimony
you that in heaven their angels " our
rejoicing is this, the testimony of our
behold the face of my Father which is in conscience
" "
and again " I say the truth in
heaven." ^ If however it is the influence of conscience also bearmg
Christ I lie not, my
my calumniators which imposes silence upon me witness in the Holy Ghost."
"
Know
the other law which
you, you must listen to then, O holy and godly sir,
that no one has
" Thou shalt not honour the person of
says " ^ and " ever at any time heard us preaching two
the mighty Judge righteous judg- to me
sons; in fact this doctrine seems
ment" " and " Thou shalt not follow a mul- abominable and impious, for there is one Lord
titude to do evil"* and "He that shutteth whom are all things.
Jesus Christ through
his eyes from seeing evil and stoppeth his both as everlastmg
You may Him I acknowledge
ears from hearing of blood."®
God and as man in the end of days, and I
find innumerable similar passages in holy
have thought it needless
o-ive Him one worship as only begotten. I
Scripture, which I have learned however the distinction
be-
to collect when writing to a man brought up
tween flesh and Godhead, for the union
is
in the divine oracles, and watering Christian drawn as were in

unconfounded. Thus up it
people with his teaching.

Rut this I will of Anus
battle array to oppose the madness
say, that we
shall all stand before the judg- and refute the
Eunomius, we very easily
ment seat of Christ, and shall give account hazarded by them against the
of our words and deeds. I, who for every
blasphemy
what was spoken
only begotten, by applying
other reason dread this tribunal, now that I
in humility about th e Lord, and suitalUy
to
1 Cf. Letter LXXXV. There seems nothing to indicate sacrarum

Cf. Letter LXXIIL Apollonius
1 was ''comes
whether this Basil is Basil of Seleuciaor Basil of Trajanopolis,
both of whom were present at the Latrocinium and took part LXXXVL This letter may probably
refers it to the former, a time- ^''•fcf'Lette'rsXL'and
against Theodoret. Garnerius be placed between the sentence of internement
and the assem-
server of the court.
' Matt, xviii. lo and 6. *
John vii. 24. blinsi of the Latrocinium.
» Leviticus xix.
15.
^ Ex. xxiii. 3. 3"Compare Letter LXXXVL 1 Rom. IX. I.
« Isaiah xxxiii.
15. Observe the inversion. MLCor. i. 12.
288 THEODORET.
His assumed nature, to man, and, on the forces of the divine Scripture, and collect
other hand, what becomes the divine and from evidence of the assumption of the
it
signifies the divine nature, to God not ;

manhood. For a physician must use reme-
dividing Him into two persons, but teaching dies appropriate to the disease, and suit the
that both the former and latter attributes be- medicine to the case.
long to the only begotten, the latter to Him Now, therefore, I beseech your holiness
as God the Creator and Lord of all, and the to scatter the slander raised
against me, and
former as made man on our account. For bridle the tongues now vainly reviling me.
divine Scripture says that He was made man, For, after the incarnation, I worship one
not by mutation of the Godhead, but by as- Son of God, one Lord Jesus Christ, and de-
sumption of human nature, of the seed of nounce as impious all who hold otherwise.
Abraham. This the divine Apostle openly Deign, sir, to give me too your holy
" For
says in the words verily He took not prayers, that, by God's grace, I may reach
on Him the nature of angels, but He took on the other side of the ocean of danger, and
Him the seed of Abraham, wherefore in all drop my anchor in the windless haven of
things it behoved Him to be made like unto the Lord.
His brethren." ^ And again " Now to Abra-
ham and his seed were the promises made CF. To Etdogius the CEconomus}:
he saith not and to seeds, as of many but as

of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ." ^
;
have heard from man}'^ sources of We
your piety's efforts on behalf of true reli-
These and similar passages have been cut
It is therefore right that you should
out of divine Scripture by Simon, Basilides, gion.
readily succour one who is calumniated
Valentinus, Bardesanes, Marcion, and the for
the same cause, and should refute the
man who is named after his maniacal heresy.^
So they style the Master Christ God only,
revilers' lies. You, godly Sir, know what O
I hold, and what I teach, and that no one
and describe Him as having nothing human
has ever heard of my preaching two sons.
about Him, but appearing in imagination
Exert, I implore you, in this case too your
and appearance as man to men. On the
divine energy, and stop the mouths of the
other hand the Arians and Eunomians say
evil speakers. In conflicts of this kind one
that God the Word assumed only a body,
must help not only one's friends but even
and that He Himself supplied the place of a
soul in the body. And Apollinarius de- those who have caused us pain.
scribes the Master's body as endued with a
* CVI. To Abraham the CEco7ioi)ius.
soul but, deriving, I know not whence,
;
the idea of a distinction between soul and By the godly bishops I salute you. I be-
intelligence,^ deprives intelligence of its seech you to give heed to the churches'
share in the achieved salvation.^ The calm, and to disperse the waves of calumny.
" Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he
teaching of the divine Apostles lays down on
^
the contrary that a soul both reasonable and also reap," as says the divine Apostle.
intelligent was assumed together with flesh, Without doubt then he who fights for the
and the salvation of which the hope is held apostolic doctrines shall reap the fruit of
out to them that believe is complete. the apostolic blessing and enjoy the Apos-
There is yet another gang of heretics who tles' devotion.
hold differently. Fhotinus,^ Marcellus,*
and Paul of Samosata,^ assert that our Lord CVII. To the presbyter Theodotus.
and God was only man. When arguing The
struggles which your piety has under-
with these we are under the necessity of ad-
gone on behalf of the apostolic doctrines
vancing proofs of the Godhead, and of shew- are not unknown, but are frequently men-
ing that the Master Christ is everlasting tioned alike by those who have knowMi them
God. When, on the other hand, we are
by experience, and by others who have
contending with the former faction, which heard of them from these. Continue, my
calls our Lord Jesus Christ God only, we
dear sir, your efforts, and fight for the doc-
are obliged to marshal against them the
trines of the Fathers. For these I too am
1 Heb, li. i6. 17. * i.e. Manes. ''
iûx") ^"^ vou^. In an ecclesiastical sense the title osconomus was used of
'
2 tf. pp. 132 and 140-

Gal. iii. 16. (i) the treasurer of a particular church:
''
'e/u.i/d/voi'. e.g. Cyriacusof
Disciple of Marccllus. of. Soc. ii. 30. Thcodorel, in his
'
Constantinople (Cliron. Pasch. p. 378).
interpretation of the Ep. to the Hebrews, links liini with (ii) a diocesan ollicial. Tlie Council ofChalcedon ordered
Sabcllius. (Ed. Migne. iii. 547.) that every diocese should have its otconomus.
(iii) the custos nionasten'i, who had charge of the secular
" cf.
p. 139.
" Patriarch of
Antioch 260-270. Bp. Wordsworth calls him affairs of the monastery, as the diocesan oeconomus of those of
" the Socinus of the
3rd c." Saniosata (Sanisat) was capi- tlio tliocese.
tal of the CoiTiinagene in Syria. ' Gal. vi. 7,
LETTERS. 289
buffeted in all directions and, while I re- Apostle too speaks in the same strain.
ceive the shock of the great waves, I beseech " Yea and all that will live
godly in Christ
our Governor either to nod his head and Jesus shall suffer persecution, but evil men
scatter the tempest, or enable the victims of and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
'
the storm by His grace to play the man. deceiving and being deceived." These
words give me the greatest comfort in this
CVIII. To Acacius the Presbyter. distress. As the calumnies uttei'ed against
True indeed the promise of David's
is
me have probably reached your holiness's
ears, I beseech your holiness to give no
Psalm, for through him the Spirit of truth credence to the lies of my slanderers. I am
gave this promise to them that believe, not aware of ever having taught anyone up
" Commit
thy way unto the Lord, trust also to the present time to believe in two sons.
to him and he shall bring it to pass and
; ;
I have been taught to believe in one only
he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the
^begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ, God the
light and thy judgment as the noonday."
This we find too has come to pass in the Word
made man. But I know the distinc-
tion between flesh and Godhead, and regard
case of your piety. For the great care you
as impious all who divide our one Lord Jesus
bestow upon them that are weeping for their
Christ into two sons, as well as those who,
orphanhood, and your struggles on behalf
travelling in an opposite direction, call the
of the apostolic doctrines, are in every one's
and as the " Hidden Godhead and manhood of the master Christ
mouth, so, prophets say, one nature. For these exaggerations stand
things are made manifest." Since I too have
to one another, while between them
heard of your piety's admirable exertions I opposed
lies the way of the doctrines of the Gospel,
write to salute you, most godly sir, and be-
beautified by the footprints of prophets and
seech you to increase your glory by adding
and of all who after them have
to your labours, and to fight on behalf of the apostles,
been conspicuous for the gift of teaching.
doctrine of the Gospels, that we may both
I was anxious to adduce their opinions, and to
keep the inheritance of our fathers unim- out how they bear witness in favour of
point
paired, and bring our Master His talent with
my own, but I want more words than a letter
good usury.^ allows room for, wherefore I have written
CIX. To Eusebms^ Bishop of Ancyra? summarily what I have been taught about
the incarnation of the only begotten I send ;
Many are the devices secretly plotted my statement to your godly excellency.^ I
against me, and through me patched up have written not with the object of teaching
against the faith of apostles. I am others, but of making my defence against
however comforted by the sufferings of the accusations brought against me, and of
the Saints, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, explaining my sentiments to those who are
and men famous in the churches in the ignorant of them. After
your holiness has
word of Grace and besides these by the read what I have written, if you find it in
;
promises of our God and Saviour, for in conformity with the apostolic doctrines, I
this present life He has promised us
nothing hope you will confirm my opinion by what
pleasant or delightful, but rather trouble, you reply
" In that I have said
— if, on the contrary, anything
toil, and peril, and attacks of enemies.
" jars with the divine teaching,
the world," He says, ye shall have tribula- I request to be told of it by your holiness.
" if me they For, though I have spent much time in
tion," "and they have persecuted
and " If they teaching, I still need one to teach me.
*
will also persecute you," We
have called the master of the house Beelze- know," " in
says the divine Apostle part,"^
bub how much more shall they call them and he " If man think that he
" again says, any
of his household,"® and The time cometh knoweth anything he knoweth nothing yet
when whosoever killeth you will think he as he ought to know."* So I hope that I
doeth God service," ^ and "Straight is the
may hear the truth from your holiness, and
gate and narrow the way which leadeth unto that you may also give heed to the calm of
life,"
*
and " When they persecute you in the Church, and fight for the divine doc-
this city flee you into another," " and I
might trines. It is for their sakes that the very
quote all similar passages. The divine godly bishops, making light of the diffi-
1 Psalm xxxvii. culties of the journey, and of the winter,
j. 6.
- On the care of
orphans in the early church vide Ig-. Ep. have set out for the imperial city, in the
Smyrn. VI. and Bp. Lightfoot's note. At Constantinople the
Orphanotrophus was a priest of high rank.
3 Cf. Letter LXXXII. 6
*
John xv. 20. 'John xvi. 2. 1 II. Tim. iii. 12. 13.
« Matt. • Math. vii.
"
John XV. 33. 25. 14.
2 Garnerius supposes this to refer to Dial. 11.
Math. X. 23. 8 I. Cor. xiii. 9. * I. Cor. viii. a.
VOL. III. U
290 THEODORET.
endeavour to bring about some end to the obedience to the sentence of the very godly
storm. Send them I pray you, on their way bishops of Phoenicia, and knowing both the
with your prayers and with your prayers too and the magnanimity and love for the
zeal
strengthen me.' poor and all the other virtues of the very
godly bishop Irenceus, and in addition to
ex. To Domnus, bishop of Antioch} this the orthodo.xy of his opinions, I have
When I read your letter I remembered the ordained him. I am not aware that he has
ever objected to apply to the holy Virgin the
very blessed Susannah, who when she saw title '
the famous villains, and i:)elicved that the Theotokos,' or has ever held any
God of all was present, uttered that remark- other opinions contrary to the doctrines of
able cry, " I am straitened on every side
" ^ the Gospel. As to the question of digamy, I
;
have followed my predecessors for Alex-
but nevertheless preferred to fiill into the ;
ander of blessed and sacred memory, the or-

snares of slander rather than to despise the
just God. And I, sir, have two alternatives, nament of this apostolic sec, as well as the
blessed Acacius, bishop of Beroea, or-
as I have often said, to offend God and very
dained Diogenes of blessed memory who
wound my conscience, or to fall by man's
The most pious emperor, was a digamus
'
and similarly the blessed
' '
unjust sentence.
;
I think, knows nothing of this. For what Praylius ordained Domnhius of Ca^sarea
hindered him from writing, and ordering the
who was a digamus.'^ We have therefore '
followed precedent, and the example of

ordination to take place, if in truth it so
men well known and illustrious both for
pleased him? Why in the world do they and chai'acter.
utter threats without and cause alarm, and learning Proclus, bishop
of Constantinople, of blessed memory well
yet do not send letters openly ordering it?
One of two things must be true either the aware of this and many other instances, both
;
himself accepted the ordination, and wrote
very pious emperor is not induced to write, in
or they are trying to make us break the law praise and admiration of it. So too did
and afterwards be indicted by them for ille- the leading godly bishops of the Pontic Dio-
I have before me the example of the cese,^
and all the Palestinians.
gality. " No doubt has been raised about the mat-
blessed Principius,'' for in that case, when
ter, and we hold it wrong to condemn a man
they had given orders by writing, they pun- illustrious for
ished him for obedience. Moreover the let- many and various noble ac-
tions." In my opinion it is
becoming to write
ters wliich I read on the very day of the letter-
in these terms. your holiness holds any
If
bearer's arrival are of a contrary tenour. other view, let what seems good to you be
For one of the holy monks has written to
done. I, as they suppose, have undergone
some one that he has received letters both
one punishment, and am ready by God's
from the very illustrious guardsman and tlie
help to undergo yet another. Even a third
very glorious ex-magister stating that the and fourth, if they like, by the stay of God's
case of the very godly lord bishop Irenaeus
will stand more favourably, and in return for grace I will endure, praising the Lord. If
holiness thinks right, let us see what
this good will they ask prayers on their be- your
half. I think therefore that a reply ought to
answer comes from Palestine, and, after con-
be written to the clergy who have written sidering
more exactly what course is to be
" taken, let us so write to
from the imperial city to the effect that" in Constantinople.
1
Tlie route of the bishops would bo by land, in consequence CXI. To Afiatolius the patrician.*
of the dangers of the sea voyajie in winter time. From Ancyra
(Angora) they would follow the course of the Sangarius into Your excellency will be recompensed for
Bithynia, and would cross thence via Chalcedon to Constanti-
nople. the kindness you have shewn me by the God
This letter is placed by Garnerius in the end of 447 on ac-
'•i
count of its allusion to Proclus, who died in October 447, and to

the deposition of Irenxus of Tyre, for which t)ie formal edict tioch is described as bishop of this apostolic see, a phrase
was issued in Feb. 4-}S, but which was perhaps rumoured earlier. natural for Domnus to use, but not for Theodoret.
But some the death of Proclus is placed a year earlier. 1
It is uncertain who this Diogenes was; he cannot have
by been Diogenes of Cyzicus, for he was alive and present at
3 Ilist. of Susannah 22.
<Of is known,
the blessed Principius nothing cf. Tille- Chalcedon in 451.
2 No more is known of Domninus or
mont, XV. 267. Praylius. cf. p. 157.
t- "
The phraseology of this letter has given rise to much "It is clear from the Philosopliumena of Hippolytus (ix, 12.)
misapprehension. The use of the first person has led some to that
by the beginning of the third century the rule of mono-
suppose that Theodoret, who belonged to another province, was gamy for the clergy was well established, since he complains
the consecrator of Irenxus, or that he took part in his conse- that in the days of Callistus digamist and trigamist
'
" Diet.bishops,
cration, or even with the Abbe M.artin (le Pseudo-Synodc priests, and deacons began to be admitted.' Christ.
d'fephise, pp. 84, Ss) that it is erroneously ascribed to 'rheod- Ant. i.
552.
It is clear from ihe ^ The I'ontic Diocese is one of the twelve civil divisions of
orct, and was really written by Domnus.
tenor of the epistle that it was written by Theodoret, and that the Constantinian empire.
the first person is employed by him as writing in Domnus' * This letter is in
reply to that written by Anatolius on the
name. (Tillemont xv. pp. 871, 872.) " Diet. Christ. Biog. receipt of Letter XCII. Garnerius, who places the decree iA
iii. 3S1 n. relegation earlier than Tillemont, dates it about the end of April
It is in consonance with this theory that Alexander of An- 44S.
LETTERS. 291
of all, for all that is done for His sake has its Were I not restrained
by the imperial decree
reward. I laugh at all my slanderers. The I would have gone away, and spent the
bodies of them who are most severely remainder of my days in some remote spot.
scourged do not feel the pain, because the I am faint for the
plots hatched against me.
scourged flesh is deadened. Still I lament I am sure those Edessenes never put together
over them whose unrestrained mouths utter their slander against me of their own accord.
such lies. In what way have the accusers They were prompted to these attacks on me
of the godly bishop Ibas been wronged by '
their truly truthful neighbours. I thank
by
me that they should utter such calumnies our Saviour that he has deemed me
worthy
against me? To begin with, I was not even of the beatitudes of the Gospel, all
unworthy
one of the judges, for in obedience to the though I be. For this reason I have gladly
imperial decree I was living at Cyrus. accepted the sentence of relegation. I am
Moreover, as I have heard from many, they ready for exile, and, for the sake of the
all along treated
my absence as a grievance, " laid for
'
welcome whatever
hope up me,"
for I had arranged for their
partaking of the fate they may inflict. I pray without ceasing
Holy Communion at the Easter feast of for your excellency, and beseech all the
salvation,^ and as they often expressed a wish saints to share in my petitions.
to meet me, I received them with kindness
and advised them as to the proper course to CXII. To Domnus, bishop of Antioch^
take. But that I may also speak in the de-
fence of the very
When news was brought to me that the
godly bishop the lord
of the victorious emperor had been
Domnus, what was the proper course for pettiness
him to take.? He was openly attacked he put an end to, a reconciliation eflected between
saw men deposed by a synodical sentence him and the very godly bishop,^ the summons
;
to the council cancelled,

and the peace of the
sent into another diocese, and
i-esuming churches restored,
their priestly functions in violation of the hoped that our troubles I
laws of the Church he saw things holy and were a thing of the past. But I am deeply
;
divine laughed at and turned into ridicule by distressed at what I hear from your holiness.
the enemies of the Church what was he to ;
It is impossible to
hope for any good from
do ? When he knew this he handed over the this notorious council, unless the merciful
case to others, and not only to the very
Master with His wonted providence shall
godly undo the riotous demons' devices. Even in
lord but also to the
Ibas, holy lord bishop the
of that the metropolitans of
Amida, great synod, I mean that of Nicaea, the
Symeon Arian party voted with the orthodox and set
the two provinces might hear the charges.
What fairness is there in charging the same their hands to the apostolic exposition. But
they did not cease to war against the truth
persons with cruelty and kindness ? If we ex- till
communicate, we run into if we do they had torn asunder the body of the
danger Church.
;
For thirty years the supporters of
not excommunicate, we do not escape it. We
alone of all the world are objects of attack. the apostolic doctrines and they who were
infected with the Arian blasphemy continued
Other dioceses are at peace. alone are We
exposed to calumniators, —
specially I my-
in communion with one another. But at An-
took no tioch," when the latest council was finished,

self, though I part in the trial, and
am absolutely without responsibility in the when they had seated the man of God, the great
matter. Meletius, on the apostolic throne, and then
Thus have I been forced to write on reading after a few days ejected him by the imperial
authority, Euzoius who was afiected with the
your lordship's letter, and on learning from undoubted
it how for these reasons a plague of Arius was put forward,
great commotion
has been made against me, a man confined to and straightway the champions of apostolic
doctrines seceded and thereafter the division
my diocese a man of peace one not even continued.
; ;
deliberating with the godly bishops of the

As I look back on what happened then,
province. As a matter of fact, although
there have been already two
episcopal ordi- »Col.i. 5.
nations in our province, I took part in neither. 2 Garnerius
points out that the indications of the date of this
letter are clear. It mentions the imperial summons to the
L.atrocinium, and contains Theodoret's advice to Domnus as to
1 The
leaders of the attack on Ibas, (bishop of Edessa and what companions he should take with him. It must therefore
metropolitan, in 436) were four presbyters, Samuel, Cyrus, be placed between the arrival of the summons at Antioch and
Eulogius, and Maras. The cabal chose the moment for action the departure of Domnus for Ephesus. The summons is dated
when Domnus_ visited Hierapolis for the enthronization of the 30th of March, and appointed the 1st of August for the
Stephen, and in 445 Ibas was summoned by Domnus to meeting. Antioch is aclearthirty days' journey from Ephesus
Antioch, but did not come. In 448 the eighteen cliarges some — and Domnus had not yet chosen his companions. We
frivolous, some of gross heresy — were formally heard, and therefore date the letter in the May of 449.
may
Domnus decided in favor of Ibas. cf. p. 283, note. 3
Presumably Irenaius of Tyre.
" i.e. recommended Ibas not to excommunicate his ac. *
i.e., in 361. For Theodoret's account of the circumstances
cusers. vide pp. 92, 93.
U 2
292 TIIEODORET.
and look fonvard to similar events in the nople and to the reverend clergy. Moreover
future, my wretched spirit sighs and wails, when we were summoned to Constantinople
for I see no prospect of good. The men of we had five discussions in the imperial pres-
the other dioceses do not know the poison ence, and afterwards sent the emperor three
which lies in the Twelve Chapters having protestations. And to the very godly bishops
'
regard to the celebrity of the writer of them, of the West, of Milan I mean, of Aquileia,
they suspect no mischief, and his successor in and of Ravenna, we wrote on the same sub-
the see" is I think adopting every means to conject, protesting that the Chapters were full of
firm them in a second synod. For supposing the Apollinarian novelty. Furthermore their
he who lately wrote them at command, and writer received a letter from the blessed John
anathematized all who did not wisli to abide by the hands of the blessed Paul,' openly
by them, were presiding over an oecumenical blaming them ;
and in like manner from Aca-
council, what could he not effect? And be cius of blessed memory. And to give your
well assured, my lord, that no one wlio knows holiness concise information on the subject I
the heresy they contain will brook to accept liave sent you both the letter of tlie blessed
them, though twice as many men of this sort Acacius, as well as that of the blessed John
decree them. Before now, though a larger to the blessed Cyril, in order that you may
number have rashly confirmed them, I resisted perceive that though they were writing to
at Ephesus,and refused to communicate with him on the subject of agreement they blamed
the writer of them till he had agreed to the these Chapters. And the blessed Cyril him-
points laid down by me, and had harmonized self, in his letter to the blessed Acacius
his teaching with them, without making any plainly indicated the drift of these Chapters in
mention of the Chapters. This your holiness the words " I have written this against his
can ascertain without any difficulty if you innovations and when peace is made they
order the acts of the synod to be investigated ;
will be made manifest." The very defence
for they are preserved as is customary with proves the accusation. I have sent you the
the synodical signatures, and there are extant copy of what he wrote at the time of the
more than fifty synodic acts shewing the ac- agreement, that you may see, my lord, that
cusation of the Twelve Chapters. For be- he made no mention of them, and that
^
fore the journey to Ephesus the blessed John those who attend the Council are under an
had written to the very godly bishops Euthe- obligation to bring forward what was written
rius of Tyana, Firmus of Cajsarea, and at the time of the agreement, and to state
Theodotus of Ancyra, denouncing these plainly what had caused the difierence and
Chapters as Apollinarian.* And at Ephesus on what terms the sundered parts were
the exposition and confirmation of these atoned. For they who are summoned to
Chapters was the cause of our deposition of fight for the truth must flinch from no toil,
the Alexandrian and of the Ephesian.* and must invoke the divine aid, that we may
Moreover at Ephesus many synodic letters preserve unimpaired the heritage bequeathed
were written both to the victorious emperor, us by our forefathers.
and to the great officers, about these Chapters Your holiness must look out for men of
;
and in like manner to the laity at Constanti- like mind among the godly bishops and
make them companions of your journey ;
Cyril wrote his Ilird letter to Nestorius probably on Nov. and likewise of
1
" To the end of the letter were the reverend clergy those
3, 430. twelve arti-
appended
'
cles
'
or chapters,' couched in the form of aiiathcinatisins
'
" 'rhese
who are zealous for the truth, lest betrayed
against the various points of the Nestorian theory." even by them of our own side we are either
propositions were not well calculated to reclaim Nestorius;
nor were they indeed so worded throughout as to approve driven to do something displeasing to the
themselves to all who essentially agreed with Cyril as to the
personal Deity of Christ. On the contrary the abruptness God of all, or, in our abandonment, fall an
of their tone, and a certain one-sidedness made some
easy prey to our foes.
. . .
of them open, prima facie, to serious criticism from per-

sons who, without being Nestorians, felt that in the attack on It is faith in which we have our hopes of
Nestorianism tlie truth of Christ's real and permanent man-
hood might be in danger of losing its due prominence" Canon salvation, and we must leave no means un-
Bright, Diet. Christ. Siog. i. 766. tried to prevent aught spurious being
2 Dioscorus succeeded
Cyril at Midsummer, 444.
s i.e.
John of Antioch. "He reached Ephesus June27, 431. brought into it, and the apostolic teaching
* Eutnerius of
Tyana (Kiliss Ilissar in Karamania) was a from being corrupted.
strong Nestorian, and signed the appeal of Nestorius after his
deposition in 431. On July 17th John and his adherents "were I write yon these words from far away,
deposed. Firmus of tiie Cappadocian Cajsarea (still Ka-
saria") himself a graceful letter writer, was an anti-Nestorian.
with sighs and with groans, and T beseech
Theodotus of Ancyra also sided with Cyril. our common Master to scatter this dark
''i.e. Cyril and Memnon. "No sooner had John reached
Ephesus, than before he had washed and dressed after his cloud and bestow on us once more the boon
journey, in the inn itself, late at night, in secret session, by the of the bright sunshine.
connivance of the Count Candidianus, a sentence was passed
on Cyril .and Memnon — on Cyril, on the accusation of Tneodo-
ret." Cf. Garaerius Hist, Thcod., and Cyril. Ep. ad Cixlest. •
John of Antioch sent Paul of Eniesa to confer with Cyril
Iâbbe iii. 663. on terms of peace in 432.
LETTERS. 293
To Leo, bishop of Rome. thrice blessed and divine pair arose in the
CXIII.
their rays in
the region of sunrise, and spread
If Paul, the herald of the truth, all directions. Now
from the region of sun-
of the Holy Ghost, hastened to
they willingly welcomed
the
trumpet set, where
in order that he might
^
the great Peter of this life, they illuminate the world.
setting
him desired solution of diffi-
from
They have rendered your see most glorious
carry the ;
culties to those at Antioch who were

in of your
'
this is the crown and completion

doubt about living in conformity with the crood things but in these days their God has
;
law, much more do we, men insignificant adorned their throne

*
by setting on it
your
and small, hasten to your apostolic see' holiness, emitting, as you do, the rays of
in order to receive from you a cure tor the Of this I might give many
orthodoxy.
wounds of the churches. For every reason proofs, but it is enough to mention the zeal
it is fitting for you to hold the
first place,
which your holiness lately shewed against
inasmuch as your see is adorned with many the ill-famed Manichees, proving thereby
cities are indeed adorned by
privileges. Other your piety's earnest regard
for divine things.
their size, their beauty, and their population Your recent writings, too, are enough to
;
and some which in these respects are lacking indicate your apostolic character. For we
are made bright by certain spiritual boons. have met with what your holiness has
But on your city the great Provider has written concerning the incarnation^ of our
bestowed an abundance of good gifts. She God and Saviour, and we have marvelled at
is the largest, the most splendid, the
most
the exactness of your expressions.
illustrious of the world, and overflows with For both writings agreed in setting forth
the multitude of her inhabitants. Besides
both the everlasting Godhead of the Only-
all this, she has achieved her present sover- derived from the everlasting Father,
her name to her begotten
eignty, and has given and the manhood derived from the seed of
subjects. She is moreover specially adorned Abraham and David and that the nature ;
her in due testimony whereof the assumed was in all

by faith,
" things like unto us, being
divine Apostle exclaims your faith is unlike to us in this respect alone, that it
whole world."* remained free from all sin since it
spoken of throughout the springs ;
And if even after receiving the seeds of the not of nature but of free will.
were
message of salvation her boughs The letters moreover contain this, that the
heavy with these admirable Son of God is one, andhis God-
straightway Only-begotten
fruits, what words can fitly praise
the piety
head impassible, immutable, and invariable,
now practised in her.? In her keeping too like the Father who begat Him and the Holy
are the tombs that give light to the souls of and that on this account He took the
Spirit
the faithful, those of our common fathers and
;
nature, divine nature being incapable

teachers of the truth, Peter and Paul.* This passible
of suftering, that by the suffering of His^ own
1 This celebrated letter may be dated towards the end of
reach Theodoret of his deposi-
flesh He might bestow freedom from suftering
440 allowing time for news to
Leo had on them that have believed in Him. These
tion at the Latrocinium on August 11. In 44S pro-
cured the well known decree from Valentinian lit, addressed statements and others of like nature were con-
to tlie famous Aetius in connexion with the dispute
with Hilary
tained in letters. We, in admiration of
of Aries, constituting the bishop of Rome the chief authority your
in the Western Church, basing his demands not so
much on the have lauded the grace
see as on the supposed your wisdom,
spiritual
recognised precedence of the imperial
primacy of St. Peter. But in 451 only two years
,
after the date of of the
Holy Ghost uttered through you, and
Theodoret's letter the council of Chalcedon (Can. xxviii)
beg and
.after
the canon of Constantinople that " the
bishop we invoke and beseech and implore
recording (iii)
of Constantinople shall have the primacy of honour after the highness to protect the churches of God
because that Constantinople is new Rome," your
bishop "of Rome, now assailed the storm.
addecl we decree the same things concerning the privileges that are by
of Constantinople, which is new Rome. The Fathers formerly
gave the primacy to the see of old Rome,
because she was the We had expected that through' the
and like to new Rome, of the sent
imperial city, gave privileges rightly instrumentality representatives
judging that the city which enjoyed
like imperial privileges
next holiness to Ephesus, the tempest
should also be honoured in matters ecclesiastical, being by your
in rank." We are yet very far from later claims. Indeed even
title of cecu-
Gregory the Great when he protested against the cf. note on page 262.
menical bishop, assumed by John the Faster, did not claim it
1
KoAo(;)uii'. ^^ a
ine idea
2 St. Paul is treated as in a sense bishop of Rome,
for himself.
»Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem, not to Peter, but miy
have some bearing on the hypothesis sometimes adopted,
" unto the Apostles and elders." Acts xv. 2. Peter took a to avoid the difficulties in the early
Roman succession, that
the " sentence

" was
pro- there was a
Gentile line derived from St. Paul, who ordained
leading part in the discussion, but and after him Cletus; and that for the Jewish brethren
nounced not by Peter, but by James, and the decree was that Linus, ordained Clement.
of " the Apostles and elders with the whole Church." The St. 3
Peter
" " of the
scriptures of which Theodoret is
His dogmatic epistles and his sermons. He is not known
slight wresting
a desire to compliment an important to have written any large treatise. u
him sat Julius of Puteoli, who
r-r.
guilty is due rather to
,. i-
of later controversies. 4 Dioscorus

presided, and next
personage than in anticipation company with the presbvtcr Ren.atus, and the deacon Hilarius
3 Rome was the only apostolic see in the West. in
Flavian the
(successor to Leo in the papacy) had carried to
*Rom.i.S. ^c c r " tome " of Leo in June 449. Leo (Epp. XXXII. and
»The traditional places of sepulture are, of half 01 each ot famous
1.
Paul in the crypt XXXI V.l describes his legates

assent " de latere meo. Ac-
the shrine of SS. Peter and
the holy bodies, to one version of the story Renatus died at Delos on
of St. Peter's; of the remaining moiety of St. Peter the cording out. Labbe IV,
the way
Lateran ; of St. Paul, St. Paolo fuori le Mura,
1079.
294 THEODORET.
would have been done away, but we have possession what I wrote twenty years ago ;
fallen under severer attacks of the storm. what I wrote eighteen, fifteen, twelve, years
For the very righteous bishop of Alexan- ago against Arians and Eunomians, against
;
dria was not content with the illegal and Jews and pagans against the magi in ;
on divine Providence on theol-

very unrighteous deposition of the most Persia ; ;
holy and godly bishop of Constantinople, ogy and on the divine

;
incarnation. By
the lord Flavianus, nor was his soul satisfied God's grace I have interpreted the writings
with a similar slaughter of the rest of the of the apostles and the oracles of the
bishops, but me too in my absence he prophets. From these it is not difficidt to
stabbed with a pen, without summoning me ascertain whether I have adhered to the right
to the bar, without trying me in my presence, rule of faith, or have swerved from its straight
without questioning me as to my opinions course. Do not, I implore you, spurn my
about the incarnation of our God and prayer regard, I implore you, the insults
;
Saviour. Even murderers, tomb-breakers, piled after all my labours on my poor grey
and adulterers, are not condemned by their head.
judges until they have themselves confirmed Above implore you to tell me whether
all, I
by confession the charges brought against I ought put up with this unrighteous de-
to
them, or have been clearly convicted by the position or not for I await your decision.
;
testimony of others. Yet I, nurtured as I you bid me abide by the sentence of con-
If
have been in the divine laws, have been condemnation, I abide and henceforth I will
;
demned by him at his pleasure, when all the trouble no man, and will wait for the right-
while I was five and thirty days march away. eous tribunal of our God and Saviour. God
*
Nor is this all that he has done. Only last is my witness, my lord, that I care not for
I care only for the scan-
year when two fellows tainted with the un- honour and glory.
soundness of Apollinarius had gone thither dal that has been caused, in that many of the
and patched up slanders against me, he stood simpler folk, and especially those whom I
up in church and anathematized me, and have rescued from various heresies, cleaving
that after I had written to him and explained to the authority of my judges and quite unable
my opinions to him. to understand the exact truth of the doctrine,
I lament the disturbance of the church, and will perhaps suppose me guilty of heresy.
long for peace. Six and twenty years have I All the people of the East know that dur-
ruled the church entrusted to me by the God ing all the time of my episcopate I have not
of all, aided by your prayers. Never in the acquired a house, not a piece of ground, not
time of the blessed Theodotus,' the chief an obol, not a tomb, but of my own accord
at
bishop of the East never in the time of his have embraced poverty, after distributing,
;
successors in the see of Antioch, did I incur the death of my parents, the whole of the
the slightest blame. By the help of God's property which I inherited from them.
grace working with me more than a thousand Above all I implore you, O holy sir, be-
souls did I rescue from the plague of Mar- loved of God, to grant me the help of your
cion many others from the Arian and Eunom- prayers. I have told you this by the reverend
;
ian factions did I bring over to our Master and godly presbyters Hypatius and Abraniius
'^
Christ. I have done pastoral duty in eight chorepiscopi and by Alypius exarch
'
of
hundred churches, for so many parishes does our monks. I would hasten to you myself
of the
Cyrus contain and in them, through your were I not kept back by the chains
;
prayers, not even one tare is left, and our imperial order, which imprison
me as they
flock is delivered from all heresy and error. do others. Treat my messengers, I beseech
He who sees all things knows how many you, as a father might his sons; give them
stones have been cast at me by evil heretics, kindly and unbiassed audience; deign to
how many conflicts in most of the cities of grant your protection to my old age,^ slan-
the East I have waged against pagans, against dered as it is and attacked in vain. Above
After all this all, to the utmost of your power, the
Jews, against every heresy. regard,
trial and all this danger I have been con- faith conspired against; preserve for the
demned without a trial. churches the inheritance of their fathers un-
But await the sentence of your apostolic
I
Xo w(M(l exactly renders the title of these ministers, dis-
1
see. I beseech and implore your holiness charfrinsr functions of an episcopal kind, thousrh without .h'ffh
in the Councils of
to succour me in my appeal to your fair and rcMionsihility. Tlicy are lirst nicntionL-d subscribed the
Ancyra and of Neo-Csesarea and fifteen of them
righteous tribunal. Bid me hasten to you, decrees of Nicsa. . ,
=
Kxarch,in its most ordinp.ry ecclesiastical sense nearly
and prove to you that my teaching follows
equivalent to patriarch, came also to bo used
ot officers charged
the footprints of the apostles. I have in my with the visitation of monasteries.
3 If born in
3S() (Garnerius),
Theodoret wjuld now be 63.
* Patriarch at Antioch 430-429. Tilleiisonl says 3yj.
LETTERS. 295
impaired. So will your holiness receive the eous zeal of your holiness, and the just and
recompense due for such deeds from the lawful boldness of speech which you em-
great Giver of all good gifts.' ployed in condemning the audacious proceed-
ings at Ephesus. Nor is this known to us
CXIII. (â).'
From Pope Leo to Theodorct. alone, but the fame of your orthodoxy has
out into all lands, and all men are cele-
To our much beloved brother Theodore- gone
brating your righteousness, your zeal, your
tus, bishop, Leo, bishop.
boldness, and your denunciation of my un-
CXIV.'' To Andiberis. fair treatment. And your holiness took
this course after seeing one massacre. If
The reverend presbyter Peter is distin-
you had seen the others which took place
guished not only by his priestly rank, but
after your departure you would perhaps have
also by his wise practice in medicine. Dur-
emulated the fervour of the famous Phine-
ing his long residence with us he has won has.' I am one of those who was subse-
all hearts by his
conciliatory manners. On
quently condemned, being forbidden by the
learning of my departure he has now de-
termined to leave Cyrus 1 therefore com- imperial order to attend the council, and
;
sentenced in my absence.^
mend him your excellency, and hope
to
Six and twenty years have I been a bishop
that, fully capable as he is of doing good
;
service to the city, —

for when he lived at
innumerable labours have I undergone I
have struggled hard for the truth I have
;
Alexandria he practised the same profession, ;
— he will meet with kindness at your hands.

freed tens of thousands of heretics from their
errors and brought them to the Saviour ;
and now they have stripped me of my priest-
CXV. To Apella. hood they are exiling me from the city.
;
When undertook the direction of the

I For my old age, for my hairs grown gray in
see of Cyrus, I procured for it from all direc- the truth, they have no respect. Wherefore,
tions men who practised necessary arts, and I beseech your sanctity, persuade the
^
very
besides this induced skilful physicians to sacred and holy archbishop to bid me
live there. Of these one is the reverend hasten to your council. For that holy see
presbyter Peter, who
practises his profes- has precedence over all churches in the
sion with wisdom, and
adorns it by his world, for many reasons and above all
;
character. On my departure, several have for this, that it is free from all taint of heresy,
and Peter also has determined to
left the city and that no bishop of heterodox opinion has
leave. Under these circumstances I beseech ever sat upon its throne, but it has kept the
your excellency to give him your kind care. grace of the apostles undefiled.'* Confi-
He is well able to attend the sick and to dent in your justice I shall accept your de-
wage war against their ailments. cisions, whatever they may be, and shall
claim to be judged by my writings. More
CXVI.* To the presbyter Renatus. than thirty books have I written against
We have heard of the warm and right- Arius and Eunomius, against Marcion,
the heathen
i The tone of this letter, it need hardly be said, is quite in- against Macedonius, against
consistent with the later idea of an " appeal to Rome." It is and against Jews I have ;interpreted the
" an
appeal," but the appeal of a wronged man for the sup- and any one who likes may
port, succour, and advice, of a brother bishop of the highest holy Scriptures,
position and character. It does not on the face of it suggest easily learn that I have followed in the
that Leo has any authority to review or alter the sentence of
the council. Tillemont (Mdm. Ecc. xv. 294) observes that steps of the apostles, proclaiming the one
though addressed to Leo in person the appeal is really made Son, one Father, and one
to the bishops of the West in council. Leo remonstrated, but Holy Ghost one ;
Theodosius and his court maintained that the decrees of the Godhead of the Trinity, one sovereignty,
Latrocinium must stand.
2 In one power, eternity, immutability, impassi-
Migne's edition here follows the reply of Leo to The- *
odoret, which appears as Letter CXX. in the works of Leo.
bility, one will that the Godhead of the
;
3 Written after the deposition at Ephesus, and when Theod-
oret is either on the point of departing, or has departed, from Lord Jesus Christ was perfect, perfect the
Cyrus to the Apamean monastery. The simultaneous exercise
of the clerical and medical professions points perliaps to the
continuance of the class of " Silverless martyrs," i.e. physi- 1 Numbers xxv. 7.
cians who took no fee but healed on condition that their pa- 2 Hilarius did leave
Ephesus before the second session of
tients should turn to Christ. The legendary Saints of the un- the council (Cf. Leo Ep. XLVI) and before the deposition of
feed faculty are Cosmo and Damian, the brothers whose Theodoret. The "massacre" may refer to the brutal treat-
church occupies the site of the Temple of Remus, or of the ment of Flavian by the adherents and bullies of Dioscorus.
Penates, in the Roman Forum. 3 i.e. Leo.
< This
letter will be of the same date as CXIII. Theodoret *This is more or less true up to the time of Leo the great,
was aware that Leo was to be represented at the Latrocinium but Leo the great was the first pope who was an eminent
by Renatus as well as by Julius of Puteoli and the archdeacon theologian. Liberius is a doubtful case. Cf. page 76.
Hilarius, but had not heard that he had never reached Ephesus. 5 The Monothelite
Controversy dates from two centuries
We are told on the authority of Felix, the author of the
" Breviarium H<zre%is " that Renatus
afler Theodoret, when Heraclius was trying to bring about
Eutychianm died at religious union in his empire. Pope Honorius asserted two
Delos on the way out. This death is however discredited by energies, but one will. Monothelitism was definitely condemned
Qitesnel and some other authorities. at Constantinople in 6S1, and Honorius anathematized.
296 THEODORET.
manhood taken for our salvation and for our teach the assailants of the truth that men
sak.es delivered unto death. I do not know who strive to act unscrupulously at their
one Son of man and another Son of God, own good pleasure cannot be allowed to
but one and the same, Son of God and God work out their ends.
begotten of God, and Son of man, through
the form of the sei-vant, of the seed of Abra- CXVJII. To the Archdeacon of Rome}
ham and David. These and like doctrines
I continue to teach these also I have found
;
terrible storm has A
attacked our
churches, but the adherents of the apostolic
in the writings of the most
holy and sacred have and quiet
lord archbishop Leo, and I
faith in your holiness a safe
praise the Lord haven. Not only do you champion the cause of
of all that I agree with his apostolic doctrines.
the doctrines of the Gospel, but you utterly
Receive, I beseech you, supplication, and
my was
do not overlook the wrongs under which I
detest the wrong done to me. 1 living
far away at a distance of thirty-five days'
suffer. On this account I have sent to your
holiness the godly presbyters Hypatius and journey, when I was condemned at their
Abramius, chorepiscopi, and Alypius exarch good pleasure by those most righteous
of our monks, adorned as they are by good judges. Teaching which has obtained in
the churches from the coming of God our
lives, and able by word of mouth to give
Saviour till this day they have abandoned.
you exact information as to the affairs of my a novel and bastard
They have introduced
insignificant self.
doctrine, diametrically contrary to the tra-
dition of the apostles, and are openly at
CXVII. To the bishop Florentiiis}
war with them that hold to the ancient in-
Truly the grace of our God and Saviour struction. Deign, then, most godly sir, to
has not yet abandoned the human race, but kindle the zeal of the very sacred and holy
has left us a seed in your holiness " lest we archbishop, that the churches of the East
should become as Sodom, and be made like too may enjoy your kindly care. Above all
unto Gomorrah." " This seed sutlers us not fight in behalf of the faith delivered from
the beginning by the holy apostles; preserve
altogether to faint, but charges us to wait
for the passing away of the dire storm this ;
the heritage of our fathers unimpaired, and
renders us hopeful. scatter the mist that oppresses us. Give us
We have therefore sent to your holiness instead of moonless night clear sunshine,
the very presbyters Hypatius and
and condemn the wickedness of the massa-
godly
and cre unrighteously wrought against us. It is
Abramius, chorepiscopi, Alypius,
exarch of our monks, that you may put an becoming to your holiness to add yet this
end to the disaster which has befallen the act of zeal to your other good deeds.
churches of the East that in the first place
;
you may confirm the faith handed down to CXIX. To Anatolms the patrician}
us from the first by the holy Apostles, may Your excellency has been fully informed
proscribe the heresy that has started up, and as to the acts of the most righteous judges
openly convict the men who have the hardi- at Ephesus, for their sound has gone out
liood to debase the preaching of the CEco- into all lands and their most
'
and secondly may
just judgment
nomy ; fight as champion
the ends of the world,
to What church ^
of thein who are being attacked for the has not felt the storm that has been raised
truth's sake. For it is in the cause of the
by it.-* The one side wronged, the other
apostolic Faith, most holy, that we have un- were wronged, but they who neither suflered
dergone that unrighteous massacre, because nor did the wrong share the distress of the
we refused to abandon the truth of the Gos-
wronged, and lament over them that so
pel doctrines. Now it behoves your holi- savagely and against all laws human and
ness not to overlook the unjust persecution divine massacred their own members. Even
of men of like mind with yourself, but hy house breakers
caught in the very act are
your just help to put a stop to injustice, and first tried and then punished by their judges ;
even murderers, violators of sepulchres, and

'There were at this time two well known personages of
the name of Florentiiis to whom this letter may possibly hiivc adulterers, are first haled before the bench,
been addressed. Florentiiis the patrician, recipient of Letter and their accusers ordered to make their
LXXXIX., and Florentiiis bisliop of Sardis. Ajijainst the
former hypothesis are tlic terms of the letter; asfainst the hit-
tor tlic characterand sympathies of tlie metr()i)o!itan of Lydia, 1
Cf. note on page 393. Garnerius however is doubtful
il, as Garnerius thinks, he was an Eutychian. Canon Venablcs whether the archdeacon is Hilarius or another. The evidence
(Diet. Christ Biog. 11. 540) supposes' a Florcntius bishop ofa seems in favour of the identitv.
2 This letter is of the same diite as the rest of the
nameless western see. Garnerius and others think the letter present
was probably really addressed lo tlic clergy or bishops assem- series. Thcodoret has heard il' liis deposition and is expect-
lilcd in synod at Rome. ing the sentence of banishmcn'. .
^
2
Komaus i.\. 25.
' ^'idc page 72. Cf. I'rahii xix. .|,
LETTERS. 597
indictment, and the motive of the witnesses Of these petitions, if possible, I ask the
tested to see that
is
they are not giving evi- former if not at least I implore that, through
;
dence to curry favour with the prosecutoi's, your

excellency's interposition, the second
or are prejudiced against the defendants
may be granted me. I shall ever carry
;
and after this they are bidden to make their the

memory of your kindness in my heart
defence to the charges brought against them. and on
my lips, supplicating the Lord of
This is done twice, thrice sometimes even hosts to requite
;
your excellency as well with
four times and then, and not till then, after present as with future
; I am com-
blessings.
the truth has been sought in the words of
pelled to write to you in these terms be-
both accuser and accused, the sentence is cause I have heard that certain
persons are
given. As to how these men judged in the endeavouring to compass my removal from
case of the rest I will say nothing, lest I this
place.
may seem a meddler in what does not con-
cern me. I am forced to speak on behalf CXX. To Lupiciiis}
of myself alone, for the unrighteous deed of
Even the enemies of the truth must, I
violence compels me. The imperial order
think, be indignant at the injustice and
kept me at home, and prevented me from
the bounds of the illegality of the violence done us. It is
travelling beyond city
under The only reasonable that the nurslings of the
placed my pastoral care. decis-
at whose head stands your excellency,
ion of the synod went against me, and a man truth,
should be still more distressed at this new
was condemned who was five and thirty
and surprising tragedy. It is only right that
days' journey away.
those who are the more grieved should show
Nowthe God of all said to the patriarch
Abraham about Sodom and Gomorrah the more earnestness and zeal to counteract
:
" Because the the deeds impiously and illegally done and
cry of Sodom and Gomorrah restore to its
;
is and because their sin is previous concord the Church's

very great very
grievous ; I will go down now and see
body now in peril of being torn asunder.
whether they have done altogether accord- Wherefore I beseech your excellency to
reckon the present crisis an opportunity for
ing to the cry of it which is come unto me ;
to give on your side
and if not, I will know." He knew quite
*
spiritual reciprocity ;
earnestness on behalf of the truth, and to

well the wickedness of those men, and
receive from our generous Master alike His
nevertheless He said, " I will go down and
kindly care in this present life and in the
see," so teaching us to wait for the proof of
facts. But these men never summoned me
life to come the kingdom of heaven.
to trial, they never heard the sound of my
CXXI. To AnatoUus the patrician.^
voice, they refused to hear from me a state-
ment of my opinions, and handed me over, as The Lord who overlooks and governs all
a victim to be slaughtered, to the rage of the things has shewn both the apostolic truth
enemies of the truth. of my doctrines, and the falsehood of the
I, however, welcome my rest, and espe- slander laid at my door. For the writings
cially so at the present time, when the apos- sent from the right godly and holy lord
tolic decrees have been by many destroyed, Leo, archbishop of Great Rome, to Fla-
and the new heresy strengthened. But lest any vianus of holy memory and to the rest
one who does not know me should believe assembled at Ephesus, are entirely in har-
that the slanders uttered against me are true, mony with what I myself have written
and should be scandalized at the idea of my and have always preached in church. So
holding opinions other than those of the soon therefore as I had read them, I praised
gospel, I implore your excellency to ask as the loving-kindness of the Lord, in that He
a favour from the victorious sovereign that had not wholly forsaken the churches, but
I may go to the West, and there
plead my had protected the spark of orthodoxy or —
cause before the very godly and holy bishops ;
shall I not rather say.-*
— not ;
a spark, but a
and if I be found transgressing in the least very great torch, such as might enkindle and
degree the rule of the faith, that I may be enlighten the world for he has truly, in
;
plunged into the midst of the deep sea. If his writings, observed the apostolic stamp,
he will not grant you this request, let him and in them we have found at once what has
at least command me my monas-
to inhabit
' Garnerius reads Lupicinus and identifies him with the
tery,* which hundred and twenty miles
is a recipient of Letter XC. Letter CXX
is of the same date as
the precedino^.
away from Cyrus, seventy-five from Anti- 2 This letter
may be dated shortly after Letter CXIX.
och, and lies three miles away from Apamea. Garnerius points out thut it contains a short summary of the
orthodox tradition, but makes no mention of the council of
I
Gen. xviii, 30, ai. I.e. Nicerte, Ephesus in 431.
29^ THEODORET.
been delivered by the holy and blessed ranked with them that are at war with us.
prophets und apostles, and their successors But if they bear witness to our holding the
in the preaching of the Gospel, and more- right teaching of the gospel message, we
over the holy Fathers assembled at Nicaea. hail them with the cry, " Do you too stand '
By these I confess that I abide, and indict having your loins girt about with truth, , . ..
all who hold other doctrines as guilty of andyour feet shod with the preparation of the
" '
impiety. Side by side with these writings of gospel of peace,' and so on, for it is said
mine I have set one of the letters sent by that virtue comprises not only temperance,
him to Ephesus, to the end that when your righteousness, and prudence, but also cour-
excellency reads them you may remember age, and that by means of courage the rest
the words which I have often spoken in of its component parts are preserved. For
church, may recognise the harmony of the righteousness needs the alliance of cour-
doctrines, and may hate the utterers of the lie, age in its war against wrong; temperance
as well as those who have set up their new vanquishes intemperance by the aid of cour-
heresy in opposition to the doctrines of the age. And for this reason the God of all said
to the "
The just shall live by his
Apostle. prophet
faith, and if any man draw back, my soul
^
CXXII} To Uranius' bishop of Emesa. shall have no pleasure in him." Shrinking
Ihave been greatly delighted that we who
he calls cowardice. Hold fast then, my
dear friend, to the apostolic doctrines, for
correspond in character should have corre- " He that shall come will come, and will
sponded by letter. But I do not quite see not tarry,"
^
and " He shall render to every
what you mean by saying " Are not these
man according to his deeds,"* for "the
my words?" If it were said only for the fashion of this world passeth away," and *
sake of salutation, I am not annoyed at it but

the truth shall be made manifest.
;
if it is intended to remind me of the advice

which recommended silence, and of the so-
called ccconomy,^ I am very much obliged, CXXIII. To the same.
but I do not accept the suggestion. For the
Your letter was a long one, and a pleasant
divine Apostle charges us to take quite the
" Be instant in season and one, and it shews how warm and genuine is
opposite course.* aflection. So delighted am I with it
out of season." And the Lord says to this your that I am not at all sorry for having errone-
" Be not
very spokesman, afraid, but
*
and to Isaiah, "Cry aloud, spare ously conjectured
the meaning of the
speak" of your former one. For my mis-
not"® and to Moses " Go down, charge the beginning
^ " apprehension of the intention of your letter
people" and to Ezekicl I have made thee
has disclosed your brotherly love, made plain
a watchman unto the house of Israel," and
" ^ the sincerity of your faith, and shewn your
it shall be if thou warn not the wicked,"
and the like for I think it needless to write
:
zeal for the true religion. have indeed We
shared between us the words and the trials
at length to one who knows. Not only
of the prophet your holiness has used the
therefore are we not distressed at having
;
words I am bufleted by the hurricane and

spoken freely, but we even rejoice and are billows, and
;
against the rowers of the ship I

glad, and laud Him who has thought us exclaim in his words "
of these and call on They that observe
worthy sullerings aye
;
vanities forsake their own mercy."*
lying
my friends to encounter the same perils. He who is Jonah's Lord and mine
If they know that we do not keep the Perhaps
will grant that I too may rise and be released
apostolic rule of the faith, but swerve to the from the monster. But if the surge con-
right hand or the left, let them hate us let
;
tinue to boil I trust that even thus I shall
them join the opposite side let them be
enjoy the divine protection, and learn by my
;
1
The two following letters arc written from the i7ionastcryat
own experience how His strength is " made
for He has measured
'
Niccrte where Theodoret found a retreat after his banislunent perfect in weakness,"
from Cyrus. Garnerius would place the former late in 449, and
the latter
early
in 450. the peril by my infirmity. The divine
ITranius, nishop of Enicsa in Phrenicia, was present at the
prophet whom I have mentioned was flung
*
two trials of Ibas, at Tyre in February and at lierytus in Sep-

tember 44S. At the Latrocinium he was accused of immorality into the sea by his shipmates one and all,
and of episcojjal usurpation. It was during his episcopate am
that the head of the IJaptist was supposed to be found at Emesa.
but I
granted the consolation of your
Cf. notes on pp. 96 and 242. holiness, and of other godly men. For them
p. 72. Here oiKOfo/iia is used {ox discreet silence
3 Cf. note on
like the German " Ziiruckhaliuiig," and the French " tiu'ii-
aêment." Cf. the Socratic epuiveia and the Latin dissimu-
'
Kphcs. vi. 14.
latio. 2 Ilcb. X. 3$. Cf. Hab. ii. 4. Sept. Note inverted quotation
* II. Tim. iv. 3. 6 Isaiah Iviii. i. of Ilabakkuk.
' Acts xviii.
9.
' Exodus xix. 21. sileb. X.37. 8 1. Cor. vii. 31. '
II. Cor. xii. 9,
'Ezekieliii. 17.19. inexact quotation. * Rom. ii. 6. *
Jonah ii. S.
LETTERS. 299
and for your godliness I pray that the bless- of the famous Naboth in more excellent
ing bestowed upon the excellent Onesiphorus things. Naboth for his vineyard's sake suf-
may be yours, for you have not blushed at fered most unrighteous slaughter, because he
my gibes nay rather you have shared in my
; would not give up the heritage of his fathers.
afflictions for the faith's sake. You are fighting not for vineyards, but for
And one thing which I wish you to know divine doctrines, and I'eject this new-fangled
is that, though other godly bishops have sent and spurious heresy as blackening the bright-
me their bounty, I have declined to receive ness of the teaching of the gospel you do
— not from any want of respect to the not suffer the number of the blessed Trinity
;
it;
senders, God forbid ;
— but because hitherto to be diminished or increased. For it is
food convenient for me
has been provided by diminished by those who ascribe the passion
Him Who gives it even to the ravens wîth- of the only begotten to the Godhead It Is ;
out stint. In the case of your reverence I Increased b}'^ those who have the audacity
have acted differently, for ideally the warmth to introduce a second son. You believe in
of your affection has overcome what has one only begotten, as you do in one Father
hitherto been my fixed principle. For be and in one Holy Ghost. In the only be-
well assured, my godly friend, that ever since gotten made flesh you behold the assumed
friendship grew up between us the fire of our nature which He took from us and offered on
love has been kindled to greater heat. our behalf. The denial of this nature puts
our salvation far from us for if the Godhead
;
CXXIV. To the learned Maranas? of the only begotten Is impassible, as the

nature of the Trinity Is Impassible, and we
I too am distressed at the calamities of the
refuse to acknowledge that which is by nat-
Church, and wail over the storm that is rag-
ure adapted to suffer, then the preaching of
ing for myself I am glad to be quit of agita-
;
a passion wliich never happened is idle and
tion, and to be enjoying a calm which is de-
As to the men whom your vain. For if that which suffers has no exist-
lightful to me.
learning states to be still carrying on their ence how could there be a passion.'' We
declare that the divine nature is impassible ;
iniquities, the day is not far distant when
— a doctrine confessed by our opponents as
they will pay the penalty of their present
well as by ourselves. How
then could there
rash lawlessness. All things are governed
and rule, and be a passion when there is no subject capa-
by the Lord of all with weight ble of suffering.-* The great mystery of the
whenever any fall away into unbounded
iniquity His long suffering comes to an end,
osconomy will appear an appearance, a mere
and He then acts as Judge and appoints pun- seeming instead of the reality. This is the
fable started by Valentlnus, Bardesanes, Mar-
ishment. Foreseeing this I pray that they
clon and Manes. But the teaching handed
may cease from their license that I may not down to the churches from the
be compelled to weep once more for them as beginning re-
I behold them undergoing chastisement. cognises, even after the incarnation, one Son,
Your excellency I can never forget, and I our Lord Jesus Christ, and confesses the
same to be God, and man made
beg our common Master to fill your house at the end everlasting
of days made man not by the
with blessing. ;
mutation of the Godhead but by the assump-

To Aphthonius, Theodoritus^ Nojinus, tion of the manhood. For suppose
the di-
CXXV.
vine nature to have undergone mutation into
ScylaciuSy Aphthonius, Joannes, Magistrates
the human nature, then it did not remain
of the Zeugmatensis.
what It was and if it is not what it was,
;
I know the strength and stability of your

they who have these objects of worship are
faith, and have been filled with the greatest false in calling Him God. We, on the con-
possible delight, for, since we worshippers of trary, recognise the only begotten
Son of
the eternal Trinity constitute one body, it is God to be Immutable as God, and Son of
only natural that together with the members the very God. For we have learnt from the
that are sound the rest of the members divine Scripture that being In the form of
should rejoice. So says the divine Apostle ; God He took the form of the servant and ;
'
" Whether one member be honoured all the

took on Him the seed of Abraham, not was
members rejoice with it." ^ I therefore re- changed Into Abraham's seed and shared ;
joice with you in your struggles on behalf of just as we do both in ffesh and blood and in
the apostolic doctrines and your following a soul immortal and immaculate. Preserv-
This letter may be dated during Theo- ing these for our sinful bodies He
» Cf. Letter LXVII.
offered His
doret's banishment to Nicerte in 449, and is evidently in reply
to a letter of condolence from the advocate.
* I. Cor. xii. 36. 1 Phil. ii. 6 and 7.
300 THEODORET.
sinless body and for our souls His soul may well be asked, is the proper course to
free from all stain. It is for this reason that be taken by those who abominate such doc-
vvc have the hope of the comnion resurrection, trines.'' They have, I should reply, two
for the race will assuredly share with its first alternatives before them they may either
;
fruits, and as we have shared with Adam in come to close quarters, and prove the spuri-
his death, so too with Christ our Saviour ousness of the doctrines, or they may decline
shall we be sharers in His life. communion with their opponents as openly
This the
divine Apostle has plainly taught us, for impious.
"
''
now he says '• is Christ risen from the I, indeed, liave received the wrong done
dead and become the first fruits of them that me as a divine blessing. I do not mean
slept. For since by man came death, by that I have thanked them that have wronged
man came also the resurrection of the dead, mc how could I thank fratricides, and men
;
for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ who have become followers of Cain?
But I praise mv Master for thinking me
'
shall all be matle alive."
I write thus not to inform you but to re-
worthy of the lot of them that suffer wrong,
mind you, I have tried to be brief, but I for separating me from wrong-doers and
fear I have transgressed the limits of a letter.
blasphemers, and for giving me my most
I was however urged to write by the very delightful rest.
reverend and godly presbyter and archi-
mandrite Mecimas, who, in obedience to the CXXVII, To Jobius, presbyter and archi-
law of love, has undertaken so long a jour- mandrite.^
ney, told us of your excellency's zeal, and The patriarch Abraham won a victory in
begged us to inflame it by a letter. I have his old age.* now an
The great Moses was
therefore granted his supplication, and writ-
old man when, so long as he stretched out
ten my letter, and I implore the Lord of all
his hands in prayer, he vanquished Amalek.^
to keep you safe in the faith and make
The divine Samuel ^ was an o'ld man when
stronger than him who sifts us.'* he put the aliens to flight. These are em-
ulated by your venerable old age. In our
CXXVI. To the Bishop Sabinianus.^ wars for true religion's sake you are play-
I praised your holiness on
your quitting ing the man, and championing the cause of
the envied see. Once it was venerable the gospel doctrines, and putting young men
;
now it is ridiculous, for we have made it a in the shade by the vigour of your spirit.
thing to be bought and sold. I was as- hear it, and am glad, and long
I rejoice to
tounded hear of your having appealed to
to to embrace your right venerable gray hairs.
the men who ejected you. You ought to This I cannot do, for your reverence is kept
have done just the contrary, and, on being in- at home by your years, and I am kept in
vited to grasp the tiller, to have declined to durance here by the imperial decree. But I
do so, on the ground that your shipmates had cheat my love by this letter, and give your
become your foes. Are you not aware, most piety this most loving embrace. I call upon
godly sir, what our Saviour, through His you in your prayers to help the churches
sacred apostles, taught us to preach } Do now whelmed in the storm, and to win for
you not know what the heirs of the apostolic me the divine support, assailed as I am for
doctrines have just now laid down as objects the sake of the doctrines of the gospel, and
of worship.^ For who of the old teachers standing sorely in need of help from above.
from the time when the message was first
preached down to the jêriod of the darkness CXXVJJI. To Candidus, presbyter and archi-
that now obtains, ever listened to any one viandrite."
preaching one nature of flesh and Godhead 1 am afraid that the vigour of
or dared at any time to call the nature of the your godly
soul has beenovercome by old age, and that
only begotten passible.'' These doctrines in
our day are by some men openly and boldly you do not keep your hands stretched out as
usual. So Amalek is trying to win. May
uttered, while among others their utterance
there be some to succour your weakness, as
isoverlooked, and by silence men become once of old Ur and Aaron supported the
participators in the blasphemy. What then,
'Joliius was an orthodox archiin;indrite of Constantinople,
'
Cor. XV. 20. 21. 22.
I. ^cf. Luke xxii. 31. and subscribed the deposition of Eulychca by the hand of his
^
Sabinianus succeeded Atlianasius bishop of Pcrrha on the deacon Andreas .at Constantinople in 4^8. (Lal>bc iv, 2.^2) _ In
deposition of the latter at Antiocli in 445. lie was deposed at 450 Leo addresses him with other archimandrites (Ep. LXXI
ihe Latrociniuin and Atlianasius restored. Roth liishops pasjfe ini2). This letter seems to have been written about the
signed at Chalcedon as bisliops of Perrha (Labbe iv, 602, Jijo. time of the Latrocinium.
Ilict Christ: Biog: iv, 574.
:
The letter iiiav be dated 450. 2 Gen. xiii.
15.
' Ex. xvii.
13.
* I. Sam. vii. 12.
Theodoret chides Sabini'anus for appealing- to the dominant ' Garnerius
would date this letter at the time of the council
wrong doers against his expulsion. ,of Chakedoa.
LETTERS. 301
hands of the law-giver, that you may over- whom they used to call their chiefs. The
throw Amalek and save Israel. These are witnesses of these things detest the enemy
days when we specially need more earnest and pity the deserters, but are afraid to give
prayers, when Gentiles and Jews and every aid to the victims of the attack upon the
heresy are at peace, and the Church alone is apostolic doctrines. Nay, suppose the
beaten by the storm and surrounded by the urge them with greater insistency,
traitors to
boisterous billows. they will perhaps themselves pass over to
We indeed specially need the aid of your the side of the assailants, will give no
pi"ayers, for those whom we
reckoned to be quarter to their fellow-believers, but will
fighting on our side are fighting on that of our drive against them their barbs side by side
foes. with the very men whom they accuse.
They will act thus though they have been
'
CXXIX. To Magti us Anto nin us the presbyter. taught by the divine Scripture that a wrong
done to one's neighbour incurs punishment,
Sailors at night are cheered by the sight
while the sufiering of injustice entails great
of the harbour lights, and so are they who are
and lasting rewards.
in peril for the sake of the apostolic faith by
Your own piety, your zeal for the faith,
the zeal of them that share the faith. We
and your good will to myself, have been
have great comfort in what we hear of your
proved by this agitation. Twice you have
godliness's eftbrts on behalf of the divine written me a letter in
for this mind has been contempt of all that
doctrines, given you deter you, and have thus shewn your
might
by the Giver of all good gifts and for the aft'ection. You have also indicated
safe keeping of these doctrines you undergo brotherly
the conflict you are sustaining on behalf
every toil. Now I, comforted by your zeal, of the You ask me to
make an insignificant return, calling on j'ou apostolic doctrines.
tell you by letter what we ought to think
to persevere in your divine labours, to de-
and preach concerning the passion of
spise your adversaries as an easy prey, (for salvation. I have received your request
what is weaker than they who are destitute
with delight, and, not indeed to give you
of the truth and to trust in Him who said
" I will not fail thee nor forsake thee," ^ and information but only to remind one who is
.'')
" Lo I am with beloved of God, will proceed to tell you

you alway even unto the what I have learnt from the divine
^ Scripture
end of the world." Help me too with your and from the Fathers who have inter-
that I " The
prayers may confidently say it.
Lord is on my side I will not fear what can preted :
man do unto me ? " *

;
Know then, most godly sir, that before
all things it is necessary to observe the dis-
tinction of terms, and, in addition to this,
CXXX. To Bishop Timotheus.^ the cause of the divine incarnation. Once
Not without purpose does the supreme let these be made clear, and there will be no
Ruler allow the spirits that are against us to ambiguity left about the passion. We
will
agitate the waves of impiety. He does so therefore first, to those who endeavour to
that He may try the courage of the sailors, contradict us, put this enquiry. Which of
and, while He exhibits some men's manliness, the names given to the only begotten Son of
convicts others of cowardice, stripping the God are anterior to the incarnation, and
mask from the faces of some who put on an which posterior, or rather, connected with
appearance of piety, and proclaiming others the operation of the occonomy.? They will
as foremost fighters in the ranks of the truth. reply that the terms anterior are, " God the
We have seen an instance of this in the Word," " only begotten Son," " Almighty,"
present time. The storm rose high some and "Lord of all creation"; and that the
;
shewed their secret impiety ;

some aban- names "Jesus Christ " belong to the incar-
doned the truth which they were holding, nation. For, after the incarnation, God the
went over to the phalanx of our foes, and Word, the only begotten Son of God is called
"
now, with them, are smiting the very men Jesus Christ; for " Behold" He says " unto '
you is born this day Christ the Lord and

1 Garnerius
supposes that this Antoninus is the same as the because others had been called christs,
Antoninus mentioned as living in Theodoret's Religious
History and thinks that the Solitary may have become an priests, kings, and prophets, lest any one
Archimandrite after 445 when the Religious History- was
shoidd suppose Him to be like unto them,
written, but the mss. vary as to the superscription of the letter,
which may be addressed to Magnus, Antonius and others. the angels conjoined the title Lord with that
* 3 Matthew xxviii. 20. Psalm cxviii. 6.
••
Joshua i. J.
I"
Timotheus was Bishop of Doliche, a town of the Euphra- of Christ, in order to prove the supreme
tensis. He was present at Antioch when Athanasius of
Perrha was deposed, and also at Chalcedon. The letter may be
dated from Nicerte in 450. 1
Luke ii. 11.
302 THEODORET.
di^^nity ofHim that was born. And, again, Father before the ages, and of the manhood
Gal)riel says to the blessed Virgin, " Behold assumed of David's seed, is it becoming to
thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring adojDt a similar course, and distinctly to re-
"
forth a son and shalt call His name Jesus
'
cognise the everlasting, eternal, simple, uncir-

" for He shall save His cumscribed, immortal, and invariable charac-
'
people from their
sins." Before the incarnation, however, ter ofthe one nature, and the recent, complex,
He was never called either Christ or Jesus. circumscribed, and fluctuating nature of the
For truly the divine Prophets, in their pre- other. We acknowledge the flesh to be now
dictions of things to come, used the words, immortal and incorruptible, although before
just as they prophesied about the birth, the the resurrection it was susceptible of death
cross, and the passion, when the events had otherwise was it
and of passion ;
for how
not yet come Nevertheless, even nailed to the tree, and committed to the
to pass.
after the incarnation He is called God the tomb.' And though we recognise the dis-
Word, Lord, Almighty, only begotten Son, tinction ofthe natures, we are bound to wor-
Maker, and Creator. Ff)r He was not made ship one Son, and to acknowledge the same
man by mutation, but, remaining just what as Son of God and Son of man, form of
He was, assumed what we are, for "• Being God, and form of a servant. Son of David,
in the form of Gotl," to use the words of the and Lord of David, seed of Abraham, and
divine Apostle " He took the form of a ser- creator of Abraham. The union causes the
vant."^ On this account, therefore, even names to be common, but the community of
after the incarnation, He is called also by names does not confound the natures. With
the titles which are anterior to the incar- them that arc right-minded some names are
nation, since His nature is invariable and plainly appropriate as to God, and others as
immutable. But when relating the passion to man and in this way both the passible and ;
the divine Scripture nowhere uses the term the impassible are properly used of the Lord
God, since that is the name of the absolute Christ, for in His humanity He suflered,
nature. No one on hearing the words " In while as God He remained impassible. If,
the beginning was the Word and the Word according to the argument of the impious, it
was with God, and the Word was God " * was in the Godhead that He suffered, then,
and similar expressions, would suppose that I apprehend, the assumption of the flesh,
the flesh existed before the ages, or is of one was supererogatory for suppose the divine ;
substance with the God of the universe, or nature to have been capable of undergoing pas-
was Creator of the world. Every one sion, then He did not need the passible man-
knows that these terms are proper to the hood. But grant that, as even their own argu-
Godhead. Nor would any one on reading ment contends, the Godhead was impassible,
the genealogy of St. Matthew suppose that and the passion was real, let them beware of
David and Abraham according to nature denying that which suflered, lest they deny
were forefathers of God, for it is the assumed with it the reality of the passion for if that ;
nature which is derived from them. which suffers does not exist, then the pas-
Since then these points are plain and indu- sion is uiu'eal. Now for any one who likes
'
bitable even among extreme heretics, and to open the quaternion of the sacred
we acknowledge both the nature which is evangelists, it is easy to perceive that the
before the ages, and that which is of recent divine vScripture distinctly proclaims the pas-
time, so are we bound to recognise at once sion of the body, and to learn from them
the passibility of the flesh, and the impassi- how Joseph of Arimathasa came to Pilate,
Inlity of the Godhead, not dividing the union and begged the body of Jesus how Pilate ;
nor separating the only begotten into two ordered the body of Jesus to be delivered,
persons, but contemplating the properties how Joseph took down the body of Jesus from
of the natures in the one Son. In the case the tree and wrapped the body of Jesus in
of soul and body, which are of natures con- the linen cloth, and laid it in the new tomb.
temporary and natiually united, we are ac- All this is described by the four evangelists
customed to make this distinction, describ- with frequent mention of the body. But if
ing the soul as simple, reasonable, and im- our opponents adduce the words of the
mortal, but the body as complex, passible, angel to Mary and her companions,
" Come
and mortal. We
do not divide the union,
nor cut one man in two. Far rather, then, first'The word TerpaicTus commonly cxprcs<;es the sum ofthe
four numbers in the Pythagorean system, i.e. 10, the
in the case of the Godhead, begotten of the root of creation; (i-|-2+3-l-4=)o.) Cf. the Pythagorean 0.1th
" .\ai Its use for
/ulA Toil li/utTtpa \fiv\a -napaSoi'Ta TeTpaKTVf."
TeTpaSiToi' orT€Tpa6io>' (cf. Acts xii. 4) may indicate acceptance

'
I. like i, 31. of the llieory of the mystic and necessai-y number of the gos-
' Matt. i. 21, Observe the confusioti of quotation. pels of wliicn and remarkable expression is found in Iren-
early
» Phil. ji. 6. «John i. i. teus (cont. Hxr. iii. 11.)
LETTERS. 303
where the Lord lay,"

'
referred ening my positions, by the teaching of the
let them be
to the in the Acts which Fathers. I have moreover now sent a few
states that
passage
devout men " carried Stephen to his burial statements of the ancient teachers, sufficient
and observe that it was not the soul, but to shew the drift of their instruction. Give
the body, of the victorious Stephen, to which me in return, most godly sir, the succour of
the customary rites were paid. And to this your prayers, that I may pass through the
very day, when we approach the shrines of terrible tempest and reach the quiet haven
the victorious martyrs, we commonly enquire of the Saviour.
what is the name of him who is buried in
the grave, and those who are acquainted CXXXI. To Longirws, Archimandrite of
with the facts reply peradventure "Julian Doliche^
the martyr," or " Romanus," or,
" Timo-
'
Youhave shewn alike your zeal for the
theus."
true religion, and your love for your neigh-
Very often it is not entire bodies that are bour, both of which are at the present time
buried, but only very small remains, yet clearlv connected, for it is for the sake of
nevertheless we speak of the body by the am being at-
the apostolic decrees that I
name that belongs to the whole man. It
tacked, because I refuse to give up the heri-
was in this sense that the angel called the
" tage of my fathers, and prefer to undergo any
body of the Lord, Lord," because it was
suffering to looking lightly on the robbery
of
the body of the Lord of the universe. More-
one tittle from the faith of the Gospel. You
over the Lord Himself promised to give on have
accepted fellowship in my sufferings,
behalf of the life of the world, not His invisi- not
" only by comforting me by means of your
ble nature, but His body. For," He says, but further by sending to me the
" the bread that I will give is my flesh which letter,
honourable and pious Matthew and
I will give for the life of the world,"
"
and very I am well
Isaac. You shall hear, assured,
when He took the symbol of divine myste-
from the "I was
" This is lips of the righteous Lord,
He my body which is *
We
prison, and ye visited me."
ries, said, in are
*
given for you." Or according to the ver- small and of no account, and burdened by a
sion of the Apostle, "broken."® In no
great load of sins, but the Lord
is bountiful
where He of the did He
place spoke passion and generous. He remembers the small
mention the impassible Godhead. rather than the great, and says,
" Inasmuch
It is therefore before all things necessary unto one of the least of
as ye have done it
that the question should be put to those who "^ " which believe in me "* "
these ye have
are endeavouring to contradict us whether *
done it unto me." I pray you in that you
they confess that the perfect manhood
was and
are conspicuous for right doctrine,
assumed by God the Word, and assert the shine by worthiness of life, and there-
vmion to have been made without confusion. fore have great boldness before God, help
Once let these points be admitted, and the me in your prayers, that I may be able
rest will follow in due course, and the pas- " to
stand," to use the words of the Apostle,®
sion will be attributed to the passible nature. " the sins
against the wiles of error," escape
I have now summed up these heads and
of the destroyer, and stand, though with little
have exceeded the limits of my letter. I have
boldness, in the day of the appearing before
sent also what I lately wrote at the sugges-
the righteous Judge.
tion of a very godly and holy man of God,
'
the lord in the form of a concise in- Edessa?
CXXXII. To Ibas, bishop of
struction designed to teach the truth of the
apostolic doctrines. Should I find a good The Lord has taught them that suffer
copyist, I will also send your holiness wrong not to be cast down, but to rejoice,
what I have written in the form of a dia- 1
Sent presumably at the same time as the preceding.
logue,® extending the argument, and strength- Nothin<^ is recorded of Longinus. It will be remembered
that the^name, recorded also in the Acts of Linus as
that ol
» Matt, xxviii. 6. ' Acts viii. 2. an officer commanding the executioners of St. Paul, is
soldier who wounded the Saviour's
3 There were many martyrs of the name of Julianus. Theo- assigned by tradition to' the
doret might have visited a shrine of Julianus martyred at Emesa side. -,. „ ...
Matt, xviii. 6.
4
,
in the reign of Numerian. A Romanus was one of the seven 2Mattxxv.36.
sMatt.
of Diocletian. Among sMatt. XXV. xxv.ô.
martyrs at Samosata in the persecution 40.
iv. 14, andvi. 11. As in the case of the former
martyred Timothei was one who suffered at Gaza in 304. cEph from memory, and
I. Cor. xi. 24. citation Theodoret seems to be quoting
*Johnvi.5i. in which the word /j6Ho6fta occurs.
* Luke xxii.
19.
' The name is omitted. coupliiiu' the two passages
» Garnerius identifies the " short instruction
" with the com- " Wiles^" fiti in better with the evident allusion to Eph. vi. 11,
than the periphrasis by which A. V. renders iv. 14, and for
mentioned in letter CIX. and sent to Euschins of "
position which the revisers substitute ''the wiles of error.' 'Vfô5«'«
Ancyra; and the bishop whose name
is omitted with the
as uttoo-toAiki) (Jxoi-))," for it oc-
same Eusebius. But in his note on CIX, he thinks this may be exactly described two i\
seem from this curs nowhere but in these passages.

composition is a part of Dial. II. It would ' To console him under the unjust sentence of the Latro
letter that the composition in question was distinct from the
cinium.
Dialogues.
304 THEODORET.
and to derive consolation tVom the examples been my wish and prayer that your piety
of old. For from the period of the first should give heed to exact truth, and shun
men down to our own days we find instances the communion of traitors to true religion,
of men who have been zealous in the wor- ascribing to the Supreme Ruler His care on
ship of tlic God of all, and yet have been our behalf. For indeed, while I have been
wronged by those with whom tlieir lot was silent and inactive. He has put an end to
cast, and have fallen into many and grievous our very keen and terrible sufferings, and has
troubles. Of these I would have gone replaced the dire tempest by this bright
through the entire list, had I not been writ- calm. And now that the lovins^-kindness of
ing to one of accurate knowledge of the the Lord has granted us this blessing, I find
divine vScriptures. But since you, O beloved the quiet of my retreat indeed delightful, for
of God, have been nurtured from your boy- I feel the necessity of persuading those who
hood in the divine oracles, I have thought have been led away by the slanders launched
it needless so to do. I
only ask you to cast against me, and of both convincing them of
your eyes on them, and to look on all the the truth of the teaching of the gospels, and
kind-hearted clergy that have done wrong, refuting the attack of falsehood. When once
with sorrow on all tliat look lightly on
;
this refutation is finished, and the victory of
wrong doing, with pity and to be sorrow-
;
the truth is secured, it is my purpose to quit
ful for the disquiet of the Church. I ask public life, and withdraw to the rest that I
you to rejoice and be glad that I am a sharer so greatly long for. As to the foes of the
in sufiering for the sake of true religion, and truth I cry with the prophet, " Their memo-
to praise without ceasing Him who has rial is perished with a noise, but the Lord
imposed this lot on me. As for honour and shall endure for ever." As to ourselves, I '
comfort and the dignity of sees and wretched " He sent from
sing with the Psalmist,
reputation, let us yield them to the murder- above. He took me. He drew me out of
ers. many waters, He delivered me from my ^
Let us cleave only to the doctrines of the strong enemy,"
gospel, and with them, if need be, endure any This letter is in reply to two received
extremity of pain, and choose honourable from your holiness, one conveyed by Anas-
penury rather than wealth with its many tasius, the presbyter of Beroea, and one by
cares. the standard-bearer Theodotus. In your
I am not writing in these terms in order last letter you mention another, but this has
to give you exhortation, for I know the not been delivered. As to my journey
courage of your holiness in trouble. My thither I can say nothing till I know what
object is to make my own mind known to orders are given concerning me by the most
your piety, and to inform you that you have pious emperor. His letter has not yet
on your side comrades who are gladly incur- arrived.
ring peril for the truth's sake. I have been
anxious for some time to write thus to you, CXXXIV. To Theoctistus, Bishop of Bercca.^
but I have been unable to find anyone to
Saviour, Lawgiver, and Lord, was
Our
convey my letter. Now I have met with the
once asked, " What is the first command-
very honourable and pious presbyter Ozeas,
a man who is at once engaged in the battle ment?" His reply was "Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
for truth and attached to your piety. So I
write and salute your holiness, and beg you with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
to give me both the prop of your prayers and And He added " This is the first command-
the comfort of a letter from you. ment and the second is like unto it. Thou
:
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Then

CXXXIII. To John, bishop of Gcrmanicia.^ On He said further " these two command-
ments hang all the law and the prophets." *
1 have always known, sir, that you are not He then who keeps these, according to the
unmindful of our friendship. And it has ever definition of the I-ord,
plainly fulfils the Law ;
and he who transgresses them is guilty of

•
be remembered that Flaviaiius had actually died
It will
from tlie brutal treatment he had received at the hands — and the
feet — of Dioscorus with his partisans and bullies, and " inii^ra- ' Ps. ix.ft, 7, Ixx. 2 Ps. xviii. 16, 17.
vil ad Dominum dolore pluffarum,^' Aui^. ii, .(49, three days "This letter marks the chanaê in the condition of affairs
after he was carried from St. Mary's at Kphesus to his dun- which followed on the death of Theodosius on July 20, 45".
geon. (Liberatus Hrev. xix. Diet". Clirist. Bio^. i.S58.) and the accession of Pulcheria and Marcian. Eutyches
2
John of Gerinanicia (vide p. .S6 n.) was on the Nestorian was exiled, the eunuch Chrysaphius banished and executed,
side at Ephesus in 4,y, and so naturally associated with and Theodoret recalled. It may be placed in the autumn of
Theodoret. At Chalcedon he was compelled to pronounce a 4:;o or earlv in .151. The earlier letter (xxxii) to Theoctistus
special anathema a^'ainst Neslorius. (Mansi vil. ly^, Diet. claims on behalf of Celestinianus a kindness which Theodoret
Christ. HioK. iii.
374.)
The letter is written at"lerthe deposition in his then hour of need had failed to receive.
and before the banishment to Niccrte. C(. Ep. 147. •
Matt. xxii. 36-40.
LETTERS. 305
transgressing the whole Law. Let us then story, and remarked how the King of the
examine, before the exact and righteous tri- Syrians, bethinking him of the loving
bunal of our conscience, whether we have kindness of the kings of Israel, assumed the
fulfilled the divine commandments. Now form of a suppliant and failed not to obtain
the first is kept by him who guards the faith his petition. Remember therefore, sir,
given by God in its integrity, who abomi- the divine wrath. God delivered Ahab to
nates its assailants as enemies of the truth utter destruction for using mercy, and de-
and hates heartily all those who hate the livered his sentence through the mouth of
beloved and the second by him who most the prophet, saying " Thy life shall go for
;
highly esteems the care of his neighbour and his life and thy people for his people."
'
We
who, not only in prosperity but also in ap- are thus commanded to temper mercy with
parent misfortunes, observes the laws of justice, since not every kind of mercy is
friendship. They, on the other hand, who pleasing to the God of all. The present
look after their own safety, as they suppose, state of affairs specially requires prudent
who on its account make little of the laws of council for we are contending on behalf of ;
friendship and take no heed of their friends the divine doctrines, wherein we have the
when assaulted and attacked, are reckoned to hope of our salvation. But herein, too, may
belong to the number of the wicked and of be seen the great difference between man
them that are without. The Lord of all re- and man. Some men are verily infected
quires better things at the hands of His with the common impiety; while others,
"Love" He "
disciples. says your enemies, without distinction, advance at one time one
for if ye love them which love you. what doctrine, and at another its opposite. Some
reward have ye ? for the sinners and the publi- who know the truth conceal it in the secret
cans do this."' I, however, have not re- chambers of soul, while they preach
their
ceived even such kindness as publicans impiety with the rest others again who are
;
receive. Publicans, do I say? I have not filled with envy have made their private
even received the consolation given to mur- ill-will an occasion of waging war against
derers and wizards in their dungeons. If the truth, and wreak all kinds of mischief
every one had imitated this cruelty, nothing against the prophets of the truth. Again,
else would have been left then for me in there are who embrace the truth of the
my
life time but to be wasted
by want, and, at my apostolic doctrines, and yet because they are
death, instead of being committed to a tomb, afraid of the power of the dominant party
'
to be made meat for dogs and wild beasts. are too cowed to proclaim it, and though
But I have found support in those who care they lament at the abundance of our mis-
nought for this present life, but await the fortunes, nevertheless side with them that
enjoyment of everlasting blessings, and these set the mighty surge a-rolling. It is in
furnish me with manifold consolation. But this last category that we place your rev-
the loving Lord " caused judgment to be erence. We
have believed you to be sound
heard from heaven the earth feared and
; in the divine doctrines, and think that ycu
was still, when God arose to judgment." ^ keep your affection for me, and are borne
But the wicked shall perish." The falsehood along with the time for no other reason thim
of the new heresy has been proscribed, and
your cowardice. Under these circumstances
the truth of the divine Gospels is
publicly though I am not writing to any of the rest,
proclaimed. I for my
part exclaim with I write to your holiness, and receive your
the blessed David, " Blessed be the Lord I see your drift and to some extent
reply.
God who only doeth wondrous things, and I pardon your pusillanimity. But the loving
blessed be His glorious name and let the : Lord has now removed all occasions of
whole earth be filled with His glory amen ; cowardice, by exhibiting the new-fangled
^
and amen." impiety, and shewing the plain truth of the
gospels. I, even though my mouths were as
CXXXV. To Bishop Romulus." many as my hairs, cannot praise as I ought
the loving-kindness of the Lord for com-
You have reminded me of the ancient to
pelling my strongest opponents openly
preach what has been preached by me. For
Matt. 46 instead of
1 cf. V. 44. rriva fjnadov
exere; the text has
Ti' TrAe'oc iroictTf . I have heard that he who shares your holi-
2 The use of the somewhat rare and poetical word Bopa
sug-g-ests a possible allusion to several well known passages ness's roof, when he heard that anathemas
in the dramatists; e.g. ^sch. Pr. 5S3, Soph. Ant. 30 and Eur.
PhcEn. 1603. at Chalcedon in 451. Who may have been his crab-gaited friend
Psalm Ixxv. S and 9.
3 * Psalm
xxxvii. 20. can only be conjectured.
Psalm Ixxii. iS, 19.
^
It would appear that edicts anathematizing Eutyches were
Romulus, bishop of Chalcis in Coele Syria, sided with
'^
published soon after the accession of Marcian.

the dominant haeretical party through pusillanimity. He was '
I. Kings XX. 43.
VOL. III. 3
3o6 THEODORET.
had been published In the great cities, somewhat longer than it is We must
wont.
ceased crooked gait of crabs,
to imitate the await the resurrection. Wemust remem-
and, after disputing in a certain assembly ber that the Ruler of the world in His
about doctrines, walked in the straight road. wisdom, and clearly knowing as He does
Never must we suit our words to the season, not the present only but the future also,
but ever preserve the unbending rule of guides events for our good. wise man A
truth. who knew all this full well reasons about
deaths of this kind and says, " Yea speedily ;
CXXXVI. To Cyrus Magistrianus} was he taken away, lest that wickedness

'
I was very much distressed to hear of the

should alter his understanding."
trouble which had befallen you. Let us submit I beg you to the wise Ruler
I low in-
deed could I fail to suHer, making as I do of all let us submit to His decrees. Whether ;
be or whether they be grievous,

your interest mine, and remembering the they are pleasant
apostolic law which bids us not only
" re- they good and profitable, they make men
wise for them that endure they ordain
joice with them that do rejoice, but also ;
" " crowns.

weep with them that weep }
Suffering it-
self is able to draw even those that are at
enmity with one another into sympathy. CXXXVJI. To the Archimandrite John.^
What is so grievous as to lose a wife one The blessed David fell into several errors,
;
who bore blamelessly the yoke of wedlock, which God, who

wisely orders all things,
one who made her husband's life pleasant, has caused to be recorded for the
one who shared the care of the family; one them that were to come after. But it was
good of
who managed the household and shared in not on their account that
Absalom, joarri-
the direction of everything one who was
cide, murderer, impious, and altogether vile,
;
ready to suggest whatever might be likely to started his wild war against his father. The
be of service, and to comply with the wishes reason of his beginning that most unright-
of her husband? But what sorrow could eous struggle was because he coveted the
surpass tlie committal to the tomb of the The divine David, however,
sovereignty.
mother at the same moment as the son when these events were coming to pass, began
whom she bore a son who had been care-
; to remember the wrong that he had done.
fully trained and had received a learned I too am conscious within
myself of the
education one who, you hoped, would
guilt of many errors, but I have kept un-
;
be the stay of your old age buried in the defiled the ;

dogmatic teaching of the Apos-
very spring of his manhood, when the down tles. And they who have trampled upon
was just beginning to grow upon his cheeks? all laws human and
divine, and condemned
Did we only look at the character of the me in have not sentenced me for
my absence,
calamity, it admits of no consolation. But what I have done secret deeds
when we bethink us how our race is doomed are not made manifest to themmybut
wrong, for
to die
they have ;
that against that race the divine fiat

;
contrived false witness and calumny against
has gone forth that sullering is common,
;
me, or rather in their open attack upon the
such woes ; we shall bravely
for life is full of
doctrines of the Apostles have proscribed me
bear what has happened, shall repel the " So the Lord
assaults of despair, and shall raise that won-
my obedience to them. for
awaked as one out of sleep He smote His
derful song of praise " The Lord gave and the
;
enemies in the hinderparts and put them to a

Lord hath taken away the Lord hath done ^
Counterfeit and spurious
perpetual shame."
;
what seemed to him good blessed be the doctrines He has scattered to the winds, and
;
name of the Lord." ^ But wc have many has provided for the free preaching of those
more reasons for consolation. have We
which He has handed down to us in the holy
been distinctly taught the hopes of the resur-
Gospels. To me this suffices for complete de-
rection, and we look for the time when the I do not even long for a city in which I
dead shall live again. know how the light.
We have passed all my time in hard work all I ;
Lord many times called death sleep. If we

long for is to see the establishment of the truth
trust, as in truth we do, the Saviour's words, of the
Gospels. And now the Lord has satis-
we are bound not to mourn those that have fied this I am therefore very glad
longing.
fallen asleep, even though their sleep lasts
Wisdom iv. ii. •
'
There is here neither note of time, nor certainty whether ^ A Johannes was an Archimandrite of Constantinople and
this Cyrus is the Cyrus who is thanked in Ep. XIII. for tlic was present at Clialccdon in 451, (Iâbbe iv. Si2d) but there is
Lesbiun wine. The superscriptions of both letters arc unl^;i- no evidence to identify the recipient of the present letter,
vourable to theories identifying him with any possible bishop which may be dated from Nicerte not long after the death of
of the name. Thcodosius.
' Romans xii.
65 and 66.
3 I'salni Ixxviii.
15. 'Job i. 21. Ixx.
LETTERS. 307
and happy, and I sing praises to our gener- I ing the truth to the winds, and courting the
ous Lord, and I invite your reverence to re- power of the hour. He was obeyed by
joice with me, and, with our praises, to put
men who think as I do, whose doctrines
up the earnest prayer that the men who say are my doctrines, and who had expressed
now one thing and now another and change admiration of me and mine. None the less
about to suit the hour, like the chameleons did that day convict some men of treachery ;
who assume the colour of the leaves, may be some of cowardice while to ; me a ground
strengthened by the loving-kindness of the of confidence was given by my sufferings
Lord, established upon the rock, and, of His for the truth's sake. And
our master to me
mercy, made to pay the highest honour to Christ hath granted the boon " not only of
the truth. believing on Him but also of suffering for
'
His sake." For the greatest of all gifts of
CXXXVIII. To Anatolius the paMcian} grace are sufferings for the Master's sake,
and the divine Apostle puts them even be-
Ihave cordially welcomed the rest which
fore great mai*vels.
has fallen to my lot, and am harvesting its In these boons I too glory, humble and
beneficial and pleasant results. Our Christ-
insignificant as I am, and having no other
loving Emperor,^ after reaping the empire as
fruit of his true piety, has offered as first- ground of boasting. And I beseech your
fruits of his sovereignty to Him that bestowed excellency to offer on behalf of my poor self
it, the calm of the storm-tossed churches, expressions of thanksgiving to the emperor,
lover of Christ, and to the most pious Au-
the triumph of the invaded flxith, the victory
of the doctrines of the Gospel. To these he gusta,^ dear to God, instructress of the good,
for that she has requited our generous
has added the righting of the wrong done to
Lord with such gifts, and has made her zeal
me. Of a wrong so great and of such a kind
for true religion the foundation and ground-
who ever heard? What murderer was ever
doomed in his absence ? What violator of work of her sway. Besides this, beg their
wedlock was ever condemned without a godly majesties to complete the work that
has been so well marked out, and to summon
hearing? What burglar, grave-breaker,
a council, not, like the last, composed of a
wizard, church-robber, or doer of any other
turbulent rabble, but —
kept quite clear of
unlawful deed, was ever prevented, when
all of these —
of men who decide on and
eager to appeal to the law, and slain when
far away by the sentence of his judge? In highly value divine things, and esteem all
their cases nothing of the kind was ever
human affairs as of less account than the
truth. If their majesties wish to bring about
known. For, by our law, plaintiff and de-
the ancient peace for the churches, and I am
fendant are bidden to stand face to face be-
sure that they do, beg their pious graces to
fore the judge, while the judge has to wait
take part in the proceedings, that their pres-
for the production of plain truth, and then,
ence may overawe those of a contrary
and not till then, either dismiss the accused
as innocent, or punish him as being reached
mind and the truth may have none to gainsay
her, but may herself by her own unaided
by the indictment. In my case the course
pursued has been just the opposite. The powers examine into the position of affairs,
and the character of the apostolic doctrines.
emperor's letter forbade me to approach the I make this request to your excellency,
far-fjimed synod, and the most righteous
not because I long to see Cyrus again, for
judges condemned me in my absence, not
your lordship knows what a solitary town
after fair trial, but after extravagant lauda-
it is, and how I have somehow or other
tion of the -documents which were produced
to incriminate me. Neither the law of Godmanaged to conceal its ugliness by my great
nor shame of man stayed the deed of blood. expenditure on all kinds of buildings, but to
the end that what I preach may be shewn
Orders were given by the president,^ fling-
to be in agreement with apostolic doctrines
1 This is the last of the series of Theodoret's
letters to his
illustrious friend. It expresses his gratitude for his restitution Constantinople." Canon Bright in Diet. Christ. Biog. i. 856;
by Marcian and begs Anatolius to use his best endeavours to Mansi. vi. 607.
get a council called to settle the difficulties of the Church. The iPhil. i. 29.
letter thus dates itself in the year 451 and indicates that the 2cf. p. iS5n. " A
sudden and total revolution at once took
—
calling of the council of Chalcedon was to some extent due to place. The change was wrought, not by the commanding
Theodoret's initiative. At the earlier sessions at Chalcedon voice of ecclesiastical authority, —
not by the argumentative
Marcian was represented by Anatolius, and it was partly the eloquence of any great writer, who by his surpassing abilities
authority of Anatolius which overbore the protests of Diosco- awed the world into peace, —
not by the reaction of pure Chris-
rus and his party against the admission of Theodoret. tian charity, drawing the conflicting parties together by evan-
gelic love. It was a new dynasty on the throne of Constanti-
2 Marcian was crowned
Kmperor on August the 24th 450.
Thendosius II. had died on the preceding aSth of July. nople. The feeble Theodosius dies; the masculine Pulcheria,
3 " Dioscorus tlie champion and the pride of orthodoxy, the friend of Flavi-
presided, and next to him Julian, or Julius, the
representative of the most holy bishop of the Roman Cliurch' anus and Leo ascends the throne, and gives her hand, with a
'
then Juvenal of Jerusalem, Domnus of Antioch, and, his share of tlie empire, to a brave soldier Marcianus." Milman,
lowered position indicating what was to come, Flavian of Lat. Christ, i. 264.
X 2
3o8 THEODORET.
while the Inventions of my opponents are council not, like the last, of men who from
;
counterfeit and base. Once let this come to their habits of unrulincss throw the synod
pass, by God's help be it spoken, and I shall into confusion, but, in peace and quiet, of
pass the remainder of my days in cheerful members instructed in divine things, and in
contentment, wherever the Master may bid the habit of confirming the apostolic decrees
me dwell. To you who have been brought and rejecting what spurious and at variance
is
lip in the true religion, and are dowered with with the truth. I And
express this hope to
the wealth of goodness it is becoming to make the end that your excellency may reap the
this effort, and by your urgent counsel to ren- good which such a course of conduct is
der yet more zealous our most pious emperor likely to produce.
and the Christ-loving Augusta, zealous al-
ready as they are to strengthen their glorious CXL. To the Master Vincomaliis}
empire by laudable and rightful energy. have been much astonished to learn that
I
CXXXIX. To Aspar^ Consular and Patri- your magnificence, though quite unacquainted
with me and mine, and knowing only the
cian.^
wrong that had been done me, stood up as
To the other good deeds of your excel- my advocate, and left no means untried to
lency must be added your having acquainted undo the results of the conspiracy against
our pious and most cliristian emperor, whom me. But your excellency will assuredly re-
God's grace has appointed for the bless- ceive recompense from our bountiful Lord,
ing of his subjects, of the enormous wrong for He who promised to give a reward for a
done against me, and your having by a little water will doubtless give greater
righteous edict annulled an edict which recompense to the givers of greater gifts.
was nothing of the kind. Supported by I have indeed endured such
sufferings as
divine Providence I have made what they none, or at least very few, of the ancients
reckoned a punishment a means of good, have undergone, and this not only from my
and have welcomed my rest with delight open foes, but, as I apprehend, from my real
I ;
but none the less I have been wrongly and friends. The former attacked me, the latter
illegally treated, though in no single point betrayed me.
guilty of the errors which the enemies of the Who in the world ever heard of such a
truth slanderously laid at my door, but yet trial? ever commanded a criminal toWho
made to suffer the penalty of the greatest be tried in his absence after chaining him
criminals. Nay, my fate has been yet up at a distance of more than five and thirty
harder than theirs. I was judged without stages } What judge has ever been so savage
a trial ; I was doomed in my absence ; when and inhuman as not only to try men, aye but
forbidden by the emperor's orders to go to to condemn men the sound of whose voice
Ephesus I received the most righteous sen- he has never heard, and this in most savage
tence of my holy judges. All this has now and inhuman fashion? The Lord has ordered
been undone by his most serene majesty, the erring brother, who spurns advice, after
through the active interposition of your ex- a first, second and third admonition, to be
cellency. I, for my part, feeling that I treated as " an heathen man and a publican." *
should be wrong to keep silent and not offer Now these most equitable and righteous
you my thanks, have availed myself of this judges have not even given to them of the
letter, whereby I beseech your excellency to same faith with themselves the treatment
speak in warm terms in my behalf both to which they give to heathen men and pub-
the victorious and Christian emperor and licans. These indeed they do see and oc-
to the very godly and pious Augusta. On casionally converse with, and that with all
their behalf I imjolore our good Lord as honour and deference where they appear to
earnestly as lies in my power to guard their be of rank and dignity. But they have
empire in security, and to grant that it may be ordered me to be cut oft' from home, from
at once a source of loving protection for their water, from everything. This is the way in
subjects, and of terror to their foes, and which they have wished to become imitators
establish honourable peace for all. May of our Father in heaven "Who maketh
your excellency be induced to petition them His sun to rise on the evil and on the good
completely to put an end to the agitation of ^The internal evidence of the letter makes it synchronize
the Church, and order the assembling of the with the preceding. The advocacy of the cause of Tneodoretus
by Vincoinalus is the more striking in tliat it does not appear
•
Cjariierius has substituted for Aspar the name Abienus who tohave been suggested by personal friendship. Vinconialus
was Consul in 450. Schulzc would retain the ordinary reading was Consul Designate in 452. (Diet. Christ. Biog. iv. 1159.
of Aspar. The recipient of the letter, whoever he be, is I.abhe iv. S43.) Magister =." Magister Officiorum," cf. note
thanked for his part in the rescinding of the acts of the late on p. 2S.{.
Latrocininm. 2 Malt, xviii. 17.
LETTERS. 309
and sendeth rain on the just and on the and injustice against me. But He has made
'
But of these men I will say no the tongues of the pious pour forth their
unjust."
more. The tribunal o£ the Lord is at hand fountains in their wonted message. I, how-
where is required not stage pretence but the ever, am gathering the delightful fruits
reality of life. Now I beseech your excel- of rest as I look at the agitation of the
;
lency to express my thanks to the emperor,

churches I am grieved, but I rejoice and
the lover of Christ and victorious, and to the am gflad at beingr freed from cares. I have
ever been gratified at your admirable piety,
very pious and godly Augusta, for having
made true religion the firm root of their but heretofore I have not written, not from
lack of regard for the dictates of charity,
pious empire, and to implore their majesties any
to make the peace of the churches firm by but because I have waited for some suita-
commanding the assembling of a council, not ble occasion. Just now, having fallen
in
of men of violence who throw the discussion with the most pious and prudent monks who
into confusion, but of the lovers of the truth have been sent by your holiness on other
who confirm the apostolic teaching, and business, I have lost no time in carrying out
repudiate this new fangled and spurious my
wish. I salute your godliness. I beg
heresy. And I pray that of these honourable you in the first place to support me with
endeavours you may reap the fruit at the your prayers, and further to cheer me by a
hands of our loving Lord. letter, for by God's grace I have been at-
tacked for the Gospel's sake.
CXLI. To Marcellus, Archimandrite of the
Acoemetce^ CXLII. To the same.
Bright is made your holiness by your T have already addressed your reverence
goodly life, exhibiting on earth the image of in another letter, and have delivered it to
the conversation of the angels, but it is made your much respected brethren. Now again
still brighter by your zeal for the apostolic I address
your holiness. I am induced to do
faith. As keel to boat, as corner-stone to so both by your admirable life, and by the
house, so to them that choose to live in piety praiseworthy zeal which you have shewn
is the truth of the doctrines of the Gospel. on behalf of the apostolic faith, fearless alike
For this truth when assailed you have of imperial power and of episcopal com-
bravely fought, not striving to protect it as bination. For granted that the majority of
though it were weak, but shewing your the covincil consented under coercion, still
godly disposition for the teaching of our
; they did confirm the new fangled heresy by
Master Christ is gifted with stability and their signatures. Your holiness, however,
strength, in accordance with the promise of was shaken by none of these things, but
the same Saviour, " that the gates of hell abided by the ancient doctrines which the
^
shall not prevail against it." It is the lov- Lord, by means of both the prophets and the
ing and bountiful Lord who has thought apostles, has taught the churches to hold.
right that I too should be dishonoured and These decrees I pray that I may preserve,
slain on behalf of this doctrine. For truly and keep to the end my faith and confession
we have reckoned dishonour honour, and in one Father, one Son and one Holy Ghost.
death life. We
have heard the words of For the incarnation of the only begotten
the apostle " For unto us it is given by made no addition to the number of the
God not only to believe on Him, but also Trinity. Even after the incarnation the
^
to suffer for His sake." But the Lord arose Trinity is still a Trinity. This is the teach-
like the sleeper, and stopped the mouths of ing I have received from the beginning ;
them that uttered blasphemy against God this has been my faith in this ;
was I bap-
tized ;
this have I preached ;
in this have I
» Matt. V. 45.
2The Acoemetae, "sleepless," or "unresting," were an baptized, this I continue to hold. Of them
order of monks established in the 5th century by Alexander, an that utter a lie about the Father the Lord
has said " When he speaketh a lie he speak-
officer of the imperial household. Marcellus, the third Abbot,
was a second founder, and was warmly supported by the
for what is said of the
'
patriarch Gennadius of Constantinople. (45S-71.) Before eth of his own,"
Chalcedon he joined with other orthodox abbots to petition
Marcian against Eutyches. (Labbe iv. 531 Diet. Christ. Biog. teacher is appropriate to the disciples. So
iii. S13). Alexander's foundation was of 300 monks of various these men who employ lies against me speak
nations, divided into six choirs, and so arranged that the work
of praise and prayer should " never rest." This has been of their own, and do not describe what is
copied elsewhere and since,
" where mine. I am comforted by my Master's words
tapers day and night
" Blessed are
On the dim altar burned continually.
In token that the house was evermore ye when men shall revile you
Watching to God." and persecute you and shall say all manner
Wordsworth, Exc. viii.
* 1
»Matt. xvi. 18. Phil. i. 29. John viii, 44.
310 THEODORET.
of evil against you falsely for my sake. Re- to one of like sentiments with your own and ;
joice and be exceeding glad for great is your of this you can easily assure yourself from
'
reward in heaven." my copious writings.

I entreat your piety to
pray that I may not Write then to me in i-eturn, and again your
have my part among the wrong doers, but letter, by God's leave, shall serve to kindle
among them that sutler wrong on account of aflection. And before you write, give me
the truth of the Gospels. the help of your prayers, and beseech our
good Lord to guide my feet into the right
CXLIIL To Andrew, Monk of Constanti- road, that I may travel the rest of my jour-
nople^ ney in accordance with His laws. You who
have won right of access from your unstained
I have never seen
your piety nor have we life will easily persuade Him Who is eager to
ever communicated by letter, but I have l)c-
give us His good gifts.
come warmly attached to you. What has
wrought the charm and continues to inflame CXLIV. To the soldiers.^
it is the report unanimously brought
by the
tasters of your honey. All express admira- Human nature is everywhere the same, but
tion of the orthodoxy of
your faith, the pursuits in life are many and various. Some
brightness of your life, the constancy of your men prefer a sailor's career, some a soldier's ;
soul, the harmoniousness of your character, some men become athletes, some husband-
the attractiveness and sweetness of your so- men some ply one craft and some another.
;
ciety and all the other characteristics of the To pass by all other differences, some men
true foster child of philosophy. For all these are zealous and diligent about divine things,
reasons I am attached to your godliness, and and get themselves instructed in the exact
my longing has made me even begin a corre- teaching of the apostolic doctrines while ;
spondence but, my dear sir, grant me as soon

; others, on the contrary, become slaves of the
as possible what I desire and let me have belly, and suppose that the enjoyment of base
written communication from you. For when pleasures is happiness. Others again are
friends are at a distance considerable comfort there, lying in a mean between these two ex-
is given them by epistolary communication. tremes, who do not exhibit this praiseworthy
You will write to no man of heterodox
opin- enthusiasm, nor embrace a life of inconti-
ions, but to one nurtured in the teaching of nence, but still honour the simplicity of the
the apostles and preacher not of a quater- faith. Men who attack the statement that
nity but of a Trinity, for in reality I see little some things are altogether impossible with
difterence in the impiety of those who have God must not, I apprehend, be classed with
the hardihood to endeavour to contract into the zealous and the well instructed in divine
one the two natures of the Only-begotten things, but rather either with those who have
and those who endeavour to divide our Lord no exact knowledge of the apostolic doctrint^s,
Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, God or those who have been enslaved by pleas-
the Word made man, into two sonssuch ;
if ures and shift hither and thither at the caprice
indeed there be I ; cannot think so but ;
of a moment, setting forth now one thing and
Arians, Eunomians, and Apollinarians too now another.
have ever shamelessly fabricated this slander You have asked me to write on these
against the Church, and indeed laborious stu- points. I should prefer at the present time
dents may easily perceive that our far famed to keep silence. But in obedience to the
Fathers,' lights of the churches, laboured commandment of the Lord, " Give to every
at the hands of the foes of the truth under man that asketh of thee," ^ I am constrained
this accusation which is now levelled briefly to reply.
against
mc by the most excellent champions of the I say then that the God of the universe can
new fangled heresy. Our wise Lord has do " all" is
all things, but that in the word
laid bare their impiety, for lie could not en- comprehended only what
is right and good,
dure to confirm the unholy heresy by His long for He who
naturally both wise and good
is
sulTering. admits of nothing that is of a contrary nature,

Be sure then, sir, that you will be writing but only what becomes his nature. If any
'Matt. V. II, 12. objectors gainsay this statement, ask them if
'Giirncrius identifies this Andrew with an archimandrite the God of the universe, the
who was in favour of the deposition of Eutychcs at Flavian's lawgiver of
Constantinopolitan
"
Council in 44S.
"
From the mention at the end of the letter of the epistle of
>
No one," says Garncrius will have any doubt as to the

•'
Leo lo Flavianus, Garncrius argues that it must be dated at the
reference being to Diodorus of Tarsus and Th'coilorus of Mop- end of 449 or somewhat later. The epistle of Leo is dated on
sucstia who compares the words used with Letter the 13th of June and could not have reached Theodoret in his
XVI, witli the
end of Dialofjue 1, and with exnressions in botli the ecclesias. detention at Cyrus till the autuma.
Ucal and religious history." Cf. pp, 25O, 175, 133, and 136. 'LukeviijOt
LETTERS. 311
truth, can lie. If they say that lying is pos- nailed to the cross, all teaching with one
sible to God, expel them from your company voice that Joseph of Arimathea came to
as impious and blasphemous. Should they Pilate and begged the body of Jesus that he ;
agree that lying is not possible to the God of took down the body of Jesus from the tree
the universe, ask them in the second place, and wrapped in fine linen, and laid in his
if He who is the fount of justice can become own new tomb the body of
Jesus that Mary ;
unjust. Should they allow that this too is the Magdalene came to the tomb seeking the
impossible to the God of all, you must yet body of Jesus and ran to His disciples, and
again enquire if the unfathomable depth of reported these things when she could not
wisdom can become unwise, God cease to be find the body of Jesus.
God, the Lord cease to be the Lord, the This is the unanimous teaching of the
Creator be no Creator, the Good not good but evangelists. But if your opponents urge that
evil and the true Light not light but its oppo- the angels said " Come see the place where
If they admit that all these things and the Lord lay" let the foolish folk learn that the
'
site.
the like are impossible to God, you must say divine Scripture says also about the victorious
to them therefore many things are impossible Stephen "And devout men carried Stephen
with God and that their being impossible so to his burial." ^ And yet it was the body only
;
far from being a proof of want of power, inwhich was deemed proper for burial, while
dicates on the contrary the greatest power. the soul was not buried together with the
Even in the case of our own soul, when we body nevertheless the body alone was spoken
;
say that it cannot die, we do not predicate of by the common name. Similarly the
weakness of it, but we proclaim its cajoacity of blessed Jacob said to his sons " Bury me
immortality. And similarly when we confess with my fathers."
^
He did not say " Bury
the immutability, impassibility, and immortal- my body." Then he went on " There they
ity of God, we cannot attribute to the divine buried Abraham and Sarah his wife there ;
nature change, passion, or death. Suppose they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife ;
them to urge that God can do whatever He and there I buried Leah."^ He did not
" their bodies." The names are com-
will, you must reply to them that He wishes say
to do nothing which it is not His nature to do mon to bodies or souls, but nevertheless it
;
He is by nature good, therefore He does not is only the bodies which he called by the
wish anything evil He is by nature just, common names.
; In this manner too we
therefore He does not wish anything unjust constantly describe the shrines of the holy
;
He is by nature true, therefore He abominates apostles, prophets and martyrs, one it may
falsehood He is by nature immutable, there- be of Dionysius, another of Julianus another
;
fore He does not admit of change and if He of Cosmas." And yet we know that only
;
does not admit of change He is always in the fragmentary remains of bodies lie there,
same state and condition. This He Himself while the souls in diviner regions are at
" I am the rest.
asserts through the prophet. Precisely the same custom is to be
Lord I change not." And the blessed found in common use, for such an one, we
'
David says " Thou art the same and Thy years say, died and such an one lies in this place ;
;
If He is the same He although we know that the soul is immortal

*
shall have no end."
undergoes no change. If He is naturally and does not share the tomb with the body.
" Come see the
superior to change and mutation He has not In this sense the angel said
become from immortal, mortal nor from im- place where the Lord lay " ^ not because
passible, passible, for had this been possible he shut the Godhead in the tomb, but be-
He would not have taken on Him our nature. cause he spoke of the Lord's body by the
But since He has an immortal nature. He Lord's name.
took a body capable of suffering, and with In proof of this being the view of the
the body a human soul. Both of these He holy Fathers let them mark the words of Atha-
kept unstained from the defilements of sin, nasius, illustrious archbishop of Alexandria,
and gave His soul for the sake of the souls who adorned his episcopate with confession.
that had sinned, and His body for the sake He exclaims " Life cannot die, but rather
of the bodies that had died. And since the quickens the dead."
body that was assumed is described as body Let them hear too the words of the far-
of the very only begotten Son of God, He
Matt, xxviii.6. ' 3 Gen. xlix.
refers the passion of the body to Himself. 2 Acts viii. 2. < Gen. xlix.
29.
31.
But the four evangelists testify that it was Cf. note onp. 30 3. Among martyred Dionysii were (i)
one of the Seven Sleepers of Bphesus, (ii) one at Tripoli (iii)
not the divine nature but the body which was another at Corinth, and and two at (iv v)in the Caesarea, per.
secution of Diocletian. Cosmas and Damianus are the famous
semi-mythical physicians, the Silverless Martyrs. Vide p. 295.
*
Malachi iii, 6. ' Ps. cii. 47. 6 Matthew xxviii, 6.
312 THEODORET.
famed Damasus bishop of Rome, " If any- viour should also aim their shafts of false-
one allege that on the cross pain was under- hood against His right minded servants. It
gone by the Godhead and not by the body must needs be that the servants who grieve
with the soul, the form of the servant which sorely at the outrage inflicted on their Master
He had taken in its completeness, let him be should share it. That so it should be they
'
anathema." have been forvvarned by their Lord Himself,
Let them hear too the very sacred and Who consoles His holy disciples with the
holy bishop of the Church of the Romans, words " If they have persecuted me they
the lord Leo, who has now written " The " If '
will also persecute you." they have
Son of God suffered as He was capable of called the Master of the house Beelzebub,
suffering, not according to the nature which how much more shall they call them of His
assumed but that which was assumed. For household." ^ Then He cheered them by
the impassible nature assumed the passible pointing out tliat calumny is easily detected,
" There is
body, and gave it for us, to the end that He for He went on nothing covered
might work out our salvation and at the same that shall not be revealed and hid that shall
^
time preserve His own nature impassible." not be known." I have often seen the truth
And again "For He did not come to de- of the divine prediction, but I see it with
^
stroy His own nature but to save ours." special clearness now. The authors of the
If therefore they accuse us for saying that calumny against me, who have bought my
God can do what He wishes, but that He destruction for large sums of money, have
wishes what is becoming to His own nature, been distinctly seen to be involved in the
and what is unbecoming He neither wishes unsoundness of Valentinus and Bardesanes.
nor is capable of; let them accuse too these They had hoped to cloke their own iniquity
saints and all the rest who maintain this if only they could whet their tongues on the
position. Let them accuse even the Apostle hone of falsehood in order to wound me.
who says That by two immutable things For ever since I saw that the heresy long ago
'
^
in which it was impossible for God to lie." extinguished had been renewed by these men
And " If we believe not, He I never ceased to
again yet cry aloud, bearing my
abideth faithful He
cannot deny Himself."
:
*
testimony in private and in public, as well in
Repeat these passages to your opponents, social gatherings as in the temples of God,
and if they are convinced, praise the good and strive to confute their conspiracy against
Lord for that, by means of your zeal, He the faith. They have consequently poured
has benefited them. If they remain uncon- out their insults on ray head, and allege that
vinced, enter into no discussion with them I preach two sons. But they ought to have
about doctrines, for it is forbidden by the convicted me to my face, not slandered me
divine apostle to " strive about words to no behind my back. They have done just the
profit but to the subverting of the hearers."
^
contrary. They tied me hand and foot at
But do you keep inviolate the teaching of Cyrus by the imperial decree they com- ;
the Gospels, that in the day of His appear- pelled the very righteous judges to condemn
ing you may bring to the righteous Judge me without a trial, and delivered their most
what has been entrusted to you with its due equitable sentence against a man who was
intciest, and may hear the longed for words five and thirty stages away. Such treatment
" Well done was never suffered by any criminal charged
good and faithful servant; thou
hast been faithful over a few things I will with witchcraft or robbery of the dead, by
make thee ruler over many things. Enter murderer or by adulterer. But for the present
thou into the joy of thy Lord." ® I will leave the judges alone, for the Lord is
at hand " Who judges the world with righte-
" *
CXLV. To the Monks of Constantinople.' ousness and the people with his truth ;
Who exacts an account not only of words

There is nothing new or surprising in the and deeds, but even of evil thoughts. But I
fact that the men who have made their
think it right to refute the false charge which
tongues weapons against our God and Sa- has been made. What proof have they of
Damas. Epist. :id Paulinum. II. Tim.
my asserting two sons.-* Had I been one of
> ••
ii. 13.
» Leo Epist. ad Flavianuni. f''
II. 'rim. ii. 14.
3 Hebrews vi. 18, ^ Matt. xxv. 23. the silent kind there might have been some
'This, remarks Garncrius, is less a letter than a prolix for the suspicion, but my task has
exposition of Thcodorct's view of the Incarnation. Theodoret ground
mentions his condemnation at the I.,atrocinium and the exile been to contend on behalf of the apostolic
of Eutyches, but s.-iys nothing of the favour.ablc action towards
himself of Marcianns. Theodosius died-on the 29th of July, decrees, to bring the pasture of instruction to
and Marcian began his reign on the 25th of August, ^<,o. the Lord's flocks, and to this end I have
Theodoret could not possibly hear of the exile of Eutycries
before tin- end of September. The docnmrnt may therefore be
>Tohn XV. 20. 3 Matt. X. 36.
dated in the late autumn of 450 before 'rheodoret had received
* Ps. xcvi. 13.
the imperial permission to return to Cyrus. >Mattz.ais.
LETTERS. 313
written five and thirty books interpreting the men, nurtured in falsehood as they are, do
divine Scripture, and proving the falselwod not even dare to assert that they have ever
of the heresies. The falsehoods these men have heard me say anything of the kind but ;
concocted are therefore easy of refutation. they aflirm that I preach two sons because I
Tens on tens of thousands of hearers testify confess the two natures of our Master Christ.
that I have taught the truth of the doctrines And they refuse to perceive that every human
of the Gospel, and for any one who likes to being has both an immortal soul and a
bring them to the test my writings lie before mortal body yet no one has hitherto been
;
the world. Not on behalf of a duality of found to call Paul two Pauls because he
sons, but of the only begotten Son of God, has both soul and body, any more than Peter
against the heathen, against Jews, against two Peters or Abraham or Adam. Every-
the recipients of the plague of Arius and one recognises the distinction of the natures,
Eunomius, against the supporters of the mad- and does not call one man two Pauls. Pre-
ness of ApoUinarius, against the victims of cisely in the same way, when styling our
the corruption of Marcion, I have never Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of
ceased to struggle trying to convince the
; God, God the Word incarnate, both Son of
heathen that the Eternal Son of the ever God and Son of Man, as we have been
living God is Himself Creator of the Uni- taught by the divine Scripture, we do not
verse the Jews that about Him the prophets
; assert two sons, but we do confess the
uttered their predictions, the Arians and peculiar properties of the Godhead and of
Eunomians that He is of one substance, of the manhood. The party however who deny
one dignity and of equal power with the the nature assumed of us men cannot hear
Father Marcion's mad adherents that He is
; these arguments without irritation.
not only good but just and Saviour not, as
; It is only right that I should point out
they fable, of another's works, but of His from what sources they have derived this
own. Once for all, fighting against each impiety. Simon, Menander, Cerdo, and
heresy, I charge men to fall down and wor- Marcion absolutely deny the incarnation, and
ship the one Son. call the birth from a Virgin fable. Valen-
And what need is there of many words, tinus, however, Basilides, Bardesanes, and
when it is possible to refute falsehood in few ? Harmonius and their following, accept the
We provide that those who year by year conception of the Virgin and the birth but ;
come up for holy baptism should carefully they deny that God the Word took anything
learn the faith set forth at Nictea by the holy from the Virgin, but made as it were a
and blessed Fathers and initiating them as
; transit through her as through a conduit, and
we have been bidden,' we baptize them in appeared to mankind in semblance only, and
the name of the Father and of the Son and of seeming to be a man, in like manner as He
the Holy Ghost, pronouncing each name sin- was seen by Abraham and certain others of
gly. Furthermore when performing divine ser- the ancients. Arius and Eunomius on the
vice in the churches, both at the beginning contrary held that He assumed a body, but
and the decline of day and when dividing that the Godhead played the part of the soul,
the day itself into three parts, we glorify the in order that they may attribute to it what
Father the Son and the Holy Ghost. ^ If, as was lowly in His words and deeds. Apol-
our slanderers allege, we preach two sons, linarius did indeed assert that He assumed a
which do we glorify and which do we leave soul with the body,'not the reasonable soul, but
unworshipped ? It were the wildest folly to the soul which is called animal or phytic'
believe that there are two sons, and to give Their contention is that the Godhead took the
the doxology to one alone. And who is so part of the mind. He had learnt the distinction
distraught as, while hearing the words of of soul and of mind fi'om the philosophers
the divine Paul " one Lord, one faith, one that are without while divine Scripture says
baptism,"* and again "there is one Lord that man consists of soul and body. For we
Jesus Christ by Whom are all things," to read " And the Lord God formed man of the
*
lay down the law at variance with the teach- dust of the siôund and breathed into his
ing of the Spirit, and cut the one in two. nostrils the breath of life and man became
But I am prating unnecessarily, for these a living soul."
^
And the Lord in the
sacred Gospels said to His apostles " Fear
ixvcrayuiyeuj came ultimately to equal
1
fiViTTaytoyovvTe';,
" The word and had them which the body but are not
baptize." its correlatives long passed out not kill
of special mystic use. In Cicero a /xvo'TaY'^'y''^ is a
"Cicerone" (Verr. iv. 59) and Strabo uses ju-uo-Taywyeii' for to able to kill the soul."^
be a guide. (S12.)
* Reference
appears to be made here to offices at the 3d, 6th,
and 9th hours, and to morning and evening services, without 1
i.e. the life common to man with animals and plants, cf.
specification of their number. p. 194 n.
*I.Cor. viii. 6. s Gen. ii. s Matt. x. 28.
Êphes. iv. 5. 3.
3M THEODORET.
So great is the divergence between the the same point in these few words. First he
doctrines. These men have now done their states that the assumed nature derives its
best to outdo ApoUinarius, Arius and Euno- descent from the loins of David; secondly
niius, in their impiety and have now endeav- that He took not a body only, but also an
oured to plant anew the lieresy sown of old immortal soul, and thirdly that He delivered
by Valcntinus and Bardesanes, and afterwards body and soul to death, and, after taking
uprooted by most excellent husbandmen. them again, raised them as lie would. His
Like Valentinus and Bardesanes they have own words are '- Destroy this temple and in
denied that the body of our Lord was as- three days I will raise it up." But we have '
sumed of our nature. But the Church, fol- learnt that the divine nature is immortal.
1
Aving the footprints of the Apostles, con- What sufiered was the passible, and the im-
templates in the Lord Christ both perfect passible remained impassible. For God the
(jodhead and perfect manhood. For just as Word was made man, not to render the
lie took a body, not that He needed a
body, impassible nature passible, but on the pas-
but by its means to give immortality to all sible nature, by means of the Passion, to
bodies so too He took a soul, the guide of bestow the boon of impassibility. And the
;
the body, that every soul by its means

might Lord Himself in the holy Gospels at one time
share His immutability. For even if souls says " I have power to lay down my life and
are immortal, they are not however immuta- I have
power to take it again, no man taketh"
for they undergo many and frequent it from me but I
lay it down
ble ; of myself ;
changes, as they experience pleasure, now

^
"That take it again."
I may And again
from one object, and now from another. " Therefore doth Father love me because
my
Whence it cometh about that we err when I lay down my life for the sheep,"
^
and
we are changed and are inclined to what is again "Now is my soul troubled"* "my"
worse. But our bodies soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death"
after the resurrection
enjoy immortality and incorruptibility, and and of His body He says "The bread that
our souls impassibility and immutability. I will give is my flesh which I will give for
For this reason the only begotten Son of the life of the world," and when He de- "^
God took both a body and a soul, preserved livered the divine mysteries and broke the
them free from all blame, and offered the symbol and distributed it, He added " This
sacrifice for tlie race. And this is why He is is my body which is being broken for you
called our high priest; and He is named high for the remission of sins," ' and again " This
priest not as God but as man. He makes the is my blood which is shed for many for the
offering as man, and accepts tiie sacrifice remission of sins,"** and again "Except ye
with the Father and the Holy Spirit as God. eat the flesh of the Son of JMau and drink
If only Adam's body had sinned, it alone His blood " "
ye have no life in you and
should have benefited by the cure. But " Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh
since the soul not only shared in the sin but "
my blood hath eternal life" in himself" he
was first in the sin, for first the thouglit adds.'" Innumerable passages of the same
forms an image of the sin and then carries it character may be quoted, both in the old
out by means of the body, it was just, I Testament and the new, pointing out the
ween, that the soul too should be healed. assumption both of the body and of the soul,
But it is perhaps superfluous to demonstrate and that they are descended from Abraham
these points by reasoning, when the divine and David. Joseph of Arimathea when he
Scripture clearly proclaims them. This doc- came
begged the body of Jesus,
to Pilate
trine is distinctly taught by the
holy David and the fourfold
authority" of the holy
and the very divine Peter, the one foretelling Gospels tells us how he received the body,
from distant ages, and the other interpreting wrapped it in the linen cloth, and committed
his prediction. The words of the first of the it to the tomb. I do, indeed, sorrow and
" David therefore
apostles are being a lament that I am compelled by the attacks
prophet, and knowing that God had sworn of error to adduce against men supposed to
with an oath to him, that of tlie fruit of his be of one and the same faith with myself the
loins, according to the flesh, He would raise
up Christ to sit on his throne he seeing this ijohn
; 10. ii.
before spake of the resurrection of Christ 2|olin X. iS. 17. Observe the inversion and inexactitude.
3
John X. 17 and 15. Matt. xxvi. 3S. •''
that His soul was not left in hell neither His *john xii. 27. cjohnvi.î.
'I. Cor. xi. 24. Matt. xxvi. 28.But it is tn be noticed tliat
flesh did see for St. Paul's word itAco^ti'or, i.e. " beinjj broken," Theodoret
corruption."'
Now he has given us much instruction on substitutes ^pvmo\jLivov, i.e. ''beini; crushed," or "broken
small," a verb not used by the evangelists. And the clause
" for the remission of sins" is misplaced.
8 Matt. xxvi. 2$. 10
John vi. 54.
Acts ii. 30 and 31. Pa. xvi. 10,
8Johnvi.53. >• Cf. note on page 302.
LETTERS. 315
arguments which I have

already urged of man coming
His Father's glory," took
in
'
against the victims of the plague of Marcion, them after six days into an exceeding high
— of w^hom, by God's grace, I have con- mountain, and was transfigured before them,
verted more than ten thousand, and brought and His face became as the sun, and His
them to Holy Baptism. What child of raiment was bright like the light."' By these
the church ever had any doubts on these means He shewed the manner of the second
points ? Who has not cited this teaching of advent. He taught that the assumed nature
the holy Fathers? The works of the great is not uncircumscribed (for this is character-
Basil are full of it as well as those of his
;
isticof the Godhead alone) but that it shall
fellow soldiers Gregory and Amphilochius, send forth flashes of the divine glory, and
and of those who in the West have been emit rays of light transcending the powers of
illustrious teachers of grace, Damasus, bishop the sense of sight. With this glory He was
of great Rome, and Ambrose of Milan; and taken up with this the angels said that He
;
Cyprian of Carthage who for the sake of should come for their words were " He
;
these doctrines won the martyr's crown. who was taken from you into heaven shall so
Five times was the famous Athanasius driven come in like manner as ye have seen him go
from his flock and compelled to dwell in into heaven."
^
When moreover He was
exile and in the cause of these doctrines
;
seen by the divine apostles after the resurrec-
strove too his master Alexander. Eustathius, tion. He shewed them both hands and feet ;
Meletius, and Flavianus, luminaries of the and Thomas He shewed also His side and
to
East, and Ephraim, harp of the Spirit, who the wounds of the nails and of the spear.
daily waters the people of Syria with the For on account of those men who positively
streams of grace; John and Atticus, loud deny the assumption of the flesh, and further
heralds of the truth and men of an earlier age
; of those others who assert that after the re-
than they, Ignatius, Folycarp, Irengeus, Justin, surrection the nature of the body was changed
and Hippolytus, of whom the more part not into the nature of Godiiead, He preserved
only shine at the head of the company of unaltered the prints of the nails and of the
bishops, but also adorn the martyr's band. spear. And while raising all other bodies
He, too, who now rules great Rome and free from every disfigurement,'' in His own
diffuses in all directions from the West the body He left the marks of His suflerings,
rays of right teaching, the most holy Leo, to the end that deniers of the assumption of
has expressed to me this distinctive mark of the body may be convicted of their error by
the faith in his own letters. All these have means of His sufierings and holders of the
;
clearly taught that the only begotten Son of notion that His body was changed into an-
God and everlasting God, ineffably begotten other nature may be taught by the print of
of the Father, is one vSon and that after the
; the nails that it abides in its own proper
incarnation He was called both Son of man qualities. Suppose any one to imagine that
and man, not because He was changed into he has a pi'oof that the body of the Lord did
manhood, for His nature is immutable, but not remain a body after the resurrection in
because He took what was ours. They teach the fact that He came in to the disciples when
too that He was both impassible and im- the doors were shut, let such an one re-
mortal as God, and mortal and passible as member how He walked upon the sea while
man but after the resurrection even in rela-
; His body was still mortal, how He was born
tion to His humanity He received impassi- keeping the seals of virginity intact,
after
bility and immortality, for, though the body and how again when encircled by them that
remained a body, still it is impassible and were plotting against Him He frequently es-
immortal, verily a divine body and glorified caped from their hands. But why need
I
with divine glory. mention the Lord, who was not only man,
This is distinctly told us
by the blessed Paul in the words ''For our but God before the ages, and to whom it
conversation is in heaven from whence also was easy to do whatsoever He would ? Let
we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus them tell how Habakkuk was translated
Christ, who shall change our vile body that from Judsea into Babylon in a moment of
it may be fashioned like unto the
body of time and passed through the covering of the
His glory." '
He does not say to " His den, and brought the food to Daniel, and re-
but to " the body of His glory," and turned again, without destroying the seals of
"
glory
the Lord Himself, when He had said to His the den.* It is sheer foolishness to enquire
" There be some
apostles standing here which into the manner of the miracles of the Lord,
shall not taste of death till
they see the Son
1 Matt. xvi. 28. Observe variation. The MSS. agree.
* Cf.
* Cf. Matt, xxxvii. i. a. p. 109. n.
^ Bel and the
iPhil. iii. 30 and 21. » Acts i. 1 1. Dragon. 36.
3i6 THEODORET.
but in addition to what has been said it colour and power of fire, but it does not lose
ouofht also to be known that after the resur- its nature, but at the same time remains
own
rection our bodies also will be incorruptible gold and has the active qualities of fire. In
and immortal, and being released from what this manner also the Lord's body is a body,
is earthly will become light and aethereal. but impassible, incorruptible, immortal, of
This moreover is distinctly taught us by the the Lord, divine and glorified with the di-
divine Paul in the words "It is sown in cor- vine glory. It is not separated from the
ruption, it is raised in incorruption, it is Godhead, nor yet is of any one else, save
sown in weakness it is raised in power; it of the only begotten Son of God Himself.
is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it ; For it does not show to us another person,
is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual but the only-begotten Himself clad in our
"
body and in another place "
'
We
shall be nature.
caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in This is the doctrine which I am continu-
the air."'* If then the bodies of the saints ally preaching. They on the other hand
become light and ajthercal and easily travel who deny the incarnation wrought on our
through the air, we cannot wonder that the behalf have called me a heretic, adopting a
Lord's body united to tlie Godhead of the course something like that of unchaste
only begotten, when, after the resurrection, females, who, while they sell their own
it had become immortal, entered in when the charms, assail honest women with the in-
doors were shut. and apply language
sults of their profession,
Countless other proofs might be quoted proper to their own wantonness to women
without difficulty from apostles and prophets. who hold such wantonness in abhorrence.
But what has been already said is enough This is how Egypt has acted. She has her-
to show the drift of my teaching. I believe self fallen willingly into the thraldom of
in one Father, one Son and one Holy Ghost;
base desire. She has lavished her sei'vile
and I confess one Godhead, one Lordship, adulation on a man of chaste character.
one substance and three hypostases. For Then, failing to entice him by her wiles, or to
the incarnation of the only begotten did not trap him in the snares of her voluptuous
adtl to the number of the Trinity, and make the passion, she describes one who is faithful to
Trinity a quaternity, but, even after the purity as an adulterer.
incarnation the Trinity was still a Trinity. But these men will be called to account
And while confessing that the only begotten by God, as well for their devices against the
Son of God was made man I do not deny faith as for the snares they have laid against
the nature which He took, but confess, as I me. I only charge those who have been
have said, both the nature which took and infiuenced by the false accusations uttered
the nature which was taken. The union did against me to keep one ear for the accused,
not confound the properties of the natures. and not to give both to the accusers. In this
For if the air by receiving the light through manner they will fulfil the divine law which
" Thou shalt not raise a false
all its parts does not cease to be air, nor yet lays down
at the same time destroy the nature of the report,"' and "Judge righteously between
light, for with our eyes we behold the light every man and his brother."'' In these
and by our feeling we recognise the air, as it words the divine law charges us not to
meets us cold or hot, or moist or dry, so it believe the calumnies uttered against ihe
were sheer folly to call the union of the absent but to judge the accused face to face.
Godhead and the manhood confusion. If
created natures which share at once subordi- CXLVI, To John the CEconomus?
nate and temporal existence, when united
Rest and a life free from care are very
and in some sense mingled,yet remain un-
when
the grateful to me. I have therefore blocked
iinpaired, and, light withdraws,
the natui"e of the air is left alone, much more
the door of the monastery, and decline inter-
is I for the nature course with my friends.
proper it, apprehend, But I have received information that fresh
wliich fashioned all things, when conjoined
attacks are being made against the Faith of
with and united to the nature wliich it as-
sumed from us, to be acknowledged to con- the Gospels, and therefore conclude that there
tinue itself in its purity, and in like manner may
be danger in my silence. When wrong
to preserve unimpaired that which it liad
has been done some mortal prince, not only
assumed. Gold, too, when brought in con- » Ex. xxiii. I. 2 Deut. 16. i.
^ Cf. nnte on
tact with the fire, participates both in the ment is pag'e 288. This letter, or rather doctrinal state-
Garnerius
incomplete. to have heen
supposes
it
written durin<j Theodoret's retirement after the Council of
Chalcedon. There he cut himself off from society and wished
'
1. Cor. XV. 43. 43. » I. Thess. iv. 17. to devote himself to study and contemplation.
LETTERS. 317
the guilty authors of the outrage but they one the Father of whom are all things
God
also who have been standing by and made and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom
. .
no effort to drive off the assailants, are in are all things." Thus he calls the same
'
peril of punishment What penalty then person, Christ, Jesus, Lord, and Creator
:
ought not to be undergone by men who can of all things. And writing to the Thessalo-
venture to look lightly on the utterance of nians he says " Now God Himself and our
blasphemy against our God and Saviour? Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct
This is the fear which has impelled me now our way unto you."^ And in his second
to write and expose the innovations of which epistle to the same he puts the Christ before
I have been informed. the Father, not to invert the order, but to
It is said that a common report in the teach that the order of the names docs not
city represents that certain presbyters indicate a distinction of dignity and nature.
after
had offered prayer, and concluded it in the His words are " Now
our Lord Jesus Christ
wonted manner, while some said " For to Himself, and God, even our Father, which
Thee belongs glory and to thy Christ and to hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting
the Holy Ghost ;" and others " Through consolation and good hope through grace,
grace and loving kindness of thy Christ, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in
with whom belongs glory to Thee with thy every good word and work." ^ And at the
holy Spirit," the very wise archdeacon pro- end of his Epistle to the Romans after cer-
hibited the use of the expression, " the tain exhortations he adds " I beseech you
Christ" and said that the " only begotten" brethren for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake
ought to be glorified. If this is true it were and for the love of the spirit."
*
if he Now
impossible to exceed the impiety. For he had known the Christ as being any other than
either divides the one Lord Jesus Christ into the Son he would not have put Him before
two sons and regards the only begotten Son the Holy Ghost. Writing to the Corinthians,
as lawful and natural, but the Christ as at the very beginning of his letter, he men-
adopted and spurious, and consequently tions the name of Christ as alone sufficient
unmeet for being honoured in doxology or to inffuence the faithful.
;
I beseech "Now
else he is endeavouring to support the heresy you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus
"
which has now burst in on us with the riot Christ that ye all speak the same thing *
of wild revelry. Had a grievous tempest and when writing to them a second time he
been now oppressing us, any one might have thus concludes " The peace of our Lord Jesus
supposed that the blasphemer suited his Christ and the love of God the Father and
blasphemy to the necessity of the moment, the communion of the Holy Ghost be with
through fear of the power of the originators you all."
^
Here he puts the name of Christ
of the heresy. But now that He who is not only before the Spirit, but also before the
blasphemed has rebuked the winds and the Father and this in all the churches is the
sea, and blessed the storm-tossed churches beginning of the Liturgy of the Mystery.
with a calm, while everywhere by land and According, then, to this extraordinary reg-
sea the proclamation of the apostles is ulation the august name of our God and
preached, what room is there for the blas- Saviour, Jesus Christ, ought to be omitted
phemy.? While not even they who have from the mystic writings. But it is unneces-
lately basely inserted among the doctrines of sary to say more on this point. The opening
the Church that flesh and godhead are of one of every one of his letters is distinguished by
and the same nature have ever forbidden the the divine Apostle with this address. At one
offering of praise to the Lord Christ. This time it is " Paul a servant of Jesus Christ
'
fact may be easily ascertained from those called to be an apostle." At another
who have returned thence. A
man holding " Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus
the foremost place in the ecclesiastical rank Christ."'* At another "Paul a servant of
ought to have known the divine Scripture, God and an apostle of Jesus Christ."^ And
and to have learnt from it that just as the suiting his benediction to his exordium he
heralds of the truth rank the only begotten deduces it from the same source and links
Son with the Father, so accordingly using the title of the Son with God the Father,
the title of " the Christ
"
instead of that of saying " Grace to you and peace from God
"Son" they number Him sometimes with our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
'"
the Father and sometimes with the Holy And he graces the conclusion of his letters
Ghost for the Christ is none other than the
;
only begotten Son of God. So we may '

I. Cor. viii. 6. « I. Cor. i. 10. « I.
9
Cor. i. I.
Thess. iii. n. eil. Cor. 13. Titus i. I.
quote the divine Paul writing to the Corin-
2 I.
14.
3 Thess. ii. 16,17. 7 Romans w Romans
" There is II. i. i. i.
7,
thians, but teaching the world, that * Romans xv. 30.
3iS THEODORET.
with the blessing "The grace of our Lord Let no one then foolishly suppose that the
any other than the only begotten
'
Jesus Christ be witli you all, amen."

Clirist is
Copious additional evidence may be found S(jn. Let us not imagine ourselves wiser
whereby it may be learnt without difficulty than the gift of the Spirit. Let us hear the
that our Lord Jesus Christ is no other person words of the great Peter, " Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God."
'
than the Son which completes the Trinity. Let

For the same before the agês was onlv be- us hear the Lord Christ confirming this
" On this rock," He " I
gotten Son and God the Word, and after the confession, for says,
resurrection He was called Jesus and Christ, will build my church and the gates of Hell
^
receiving the names from the facts. Jesus shall not prevail against
it." Wherefore
means Saviour; " Thou shalt call His name too the wise Paul, most excellent master
of the churches, fixed no other
Jesus for He shall save His people from their builder
sms. foundation than this. " I," he says, " as a
He is named Christ from being as man wise master builder have laid the foundation,
anointed with the Holy Ghost, and called our and another buildcth thereon. But let every
High Priest, Apostle, Prophet and King. man take heed how he buildcth tliereon.
Long- agfo the divine Moses exclaimed " The For other foundation can no man lay than
Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
^
How
prophet, from thee, of thy then can they think of any other foundation,
the midst of
l)rcthren, like unto ine."^ And
the divine wlien they are bidden not to fix a founda-
Da\id cries ''• The Lord hath sworn and will tion, but to build on that which is laid.'' The
not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the divine writer recognises Christ as the founda-
order of Melchiscdek."
^
This prophecy is tion, and glories in this title, as when he
confirmed by the divine Apostle." And says, "I am crucified with Christ: never-
"
again seeing then that we have a great theless I live ; yet not I but Christ liveth in
me.'"* And " To me to live is Christ
High Priest that has passed into the heavens, again
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our and to die is gain,"
*
and again " For I
profession."
'^
determined not to know anything among you
That as God, He is king before the ages save Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
*
" But wc
that prophetic minstrelsy teaches us in the And a little before he says, preach
words "Thy throne, O
God, is for ever and Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling-
ever the sceptre of Thy kingdom is a right block and to the Greeks foolishness, but unto
;
sceptre."
'
them which are called both Jews and
His majesty as man is also shown us. For Greeks, Christ the power of God and the
having the sovereignty of all things as God wisdom of God." '
And in his Epistle to
and Creator, He assumes this majesty as the Galatians he " But when it
writes,
" Thou lovest
man, wherefore it is added pleased God who separated me from my
righteousness and hatest wickedness, there- mother's womb and called me by His grace
fore God thy God hath anointed thee with to reveal His Son in me that I might preach
the oil of gladness above thy fellows."" And Him among: the heathen." " But when writ-
in the second psalm the anointed one him- ing to the Corinthians he does not say we
" Yet was I set as
self says king by Him preach "the Son" but "Christ crucified,"
upon the holy herein doing no violence to his commission,
hill of Sion, I will declare the
decree of the Lord. The Lord hath said but recognising the same to be Jesus, Christ,
unto me ' Thou art my Son this day Iiave T Lord, only begotten, and God the Word,
begotten Thee ask of me and I shall give
;
For the same reason too at the beginning of
Thee the heathen for thine inheritance and his letter to the Romans he calls himself
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy pos- "servant of Jesus Christ" and describes
session.'
"" This He said as man, forasman himself as " separated unto the gospel of
He receives what as God He possesses. And God, which He had promised afore by His
at the very beginning of the psalm the gift prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning
of prophecy ranks Him with God the Father His vSon Jesus Christ our Lord, which was
in the words " Why do the hcatlien rage and made of the seed of David according to the
the people imagine a vain thing. The kings flesh and declared to be the Son of God ;
of the earth set themselves and the rulers

take counsel together against the Lord and Matt. xvi. 16. 1
2 It will he observed that our author omits the verse con-,
against His anointed.""* tainini;;- the famous paronomasia, and tliat what he resjards the
Saviour as contirminij is not any supposed authority on the
1 Romans xvi. 4. ^Hebrews vii. 21. • Psalm xlv. 7. part of the speaker but the identification of Himself with tlie
2 Matt. i. 21. «Hebrews iv. 14. I'salm ii. 6, 7, 8. Ixx. Christ and of tlic Christ with the Son of the livintj (Jod.
i» Psalm ^ \. Cor, iii. « Phil. i. 21. ' 1. Cor. i.
» lî-ut. viii.
15. M'salm xlv.6. ii. i, 2. 10, 11. 2^, 24.
*
Psalm cxii. 4.
* Gal. ii.
19.
« I. Cor. ii. 3. •Gal.i. IS, 16.
LETTERS. 319
with power," and so on. He calls the

'
thismanner,
"
For as many as are led by the
same both Jesus Christ, and Son of David, Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
and Son of God, as God and Lord of all, and For ye have not received the spirit of bond-
yet in the middle of his epistle, after making age again to fear but ye have received the
;
mention of the Jews, he adds, " whose ai'e of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
spirit
the fathers, and of whom as concerning the Father. For the Spirit itself beareth witness
flesh Christ came, who is over all God with our spirit, that we are the children of
blessed for ever, amen."^ Here he says God. And if children, then heirs heirs of ;
that He who according to the flesh derived God and joint-heirs with Christ if so be that :
His descent from the Jews is eternal God we suffer with Him that we may be also
" '
and is praised by the right minded as Lord cflorified together and to the Gaiatians he ;
of all created things. The same teaching is writes " And because ye are sons God hath
given us in the Apostle's words to the ex- sent forth the spirit of His Son into your
cellent Titus " Looking for that blessed hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou
hope, and the glorious appearing of the^ art no more a servant but a son and if a son^ ;
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." then an heir of God through Jesus Christ."
Here he calls the same both Saviour, and The lesson he gives to the Ephesians is " in
great God, and Jesus Christ. And in love having predestinated us into the adoption
another place he writes, " In the kingdom of children by Jesus Christ to Himself."
''
of Christ and of God."* Moreover the If then, because the name of the Christ is
chorus of the angels announced to the shep- common, we ought not to glorify the Christ
herds " Unto you is born this day in the city as God, we shall equally shrink from wor-
shipping Him as Son, since this also is a name
'
of David . . Christ the Lord."
.
But to men who meditate on God's law which has been bestowed upon many. And
day and night, it is indeed needless to write why do I say the Son The very name of .?
all the proofs of this kind the above are God itself has been given by God to many.
;
sufficient to persuade even the most obsti- " The Lord the God of gods hath spoken and
nate opponents not to divide the divine titles. called the earth."
"
And ' I have said Ye are '
One point, however, I cannot endure to gods," ^ and " Thou shalt not revile the
omit. He is alleged to have said that gods." " Many too have appropriated this
there are many Christs but one Son. Into name to themselves. The daemons who have
this error I suppose he fell through ignorance. deceived mankind have given this title to idols ;
For if he had read the divine Scripture, he whence Jeremiah exclaims, "The gods that
would have known that the title of the Son have not made the heavens and the earth
has also been bestowed by our bountiful even they shall perish from the earth and
Lord on many. The lawgiver Moses, the from under these heavens " ' and again ;
writer of the ancient history, says "And the " They made to themselves gods of silver and
sons of God saw the daughters of men that gods of gold;"** and the prophet Isaiah
they were fair and they took them wives of when he had mocked the making of the idols,
them," and the God of all Himself said to this and said " He burneth part thereof in the fire
'^
" Israel with part thereof he eateth flesh he warmeth

Prophet Thou shalt say unto Pharaoh,
In the great himself and saith Aha I am warm I have
'
is my son even first-born."
"
my
song he says Rejoice O
ye nations with His seen the fire,"® went on "and the residue
people and let all the sons of God be strong thereof he maketh a god and falleth down
" ^
in Him ;
and by the mouth of the prophet unto it and saith ' Deliver me for thou art my
Isaiah He says " I have nourished and god " '° and so the prophet laments over them
'
"
brought up sons (children) and they have re- and says " Know that their heart is ashes."
" ^
belled against me and through the thrice And the Psalmist David has taught us to sing
;
blessed David " I have said ye are gods and "For all the gods of the nations are idols,
^^
all of you are children of the Most High,"^" but the Lord made the heavens."
and to the Romans the wise Paul wrote in But this common use of titles gives no
offence to men who are instructed in true
1 Romans i.
^
1-4.
* Romans ix.
Ephes. V. 5. Here the A. V. rather

5.
3 Titus ii.
13.
obbcures the force of
relicrion. We
are aware that the daemons
the original. The R. V. alters to " in the kingdom of Christ have falsely bestowed upon themselves and
and God," but even this hardly brings out Theodoret's views ot
''
if T;~i /3a<riAeia tou XpKTTOu Kal ©eoO, in the kingdom of the
^
Christ and God.'' The MSS. do not vary. At the same time it I Rnmans viii. 14-17. Gal. iv. 6. 7.
will be borne in mind that the anarthrous use of' ®to?" is not 3
Ephes. i. 4. S- Observe the position of "in love" which
of R. V.
infrequent, and that some commentators (cf. Alford ad loc.) agrees with the margin
would hesitate to ground on this passage the argument of the « Psalm 1.I Ixx.
.
^ Exodus ii. 28.
" 6 Psalm Ixxxii. 6. '
Jeremiah x. 11.
text. The reading of X and B in John i. 18 "6 ôi'oyei'r;? 0e6s
is significant. 8 This seems to be an inaccurate quotation of Baruch vi. 11.
Luke Exodus » Is. i, 2. " Isaiah xliv. 16. w Isaiah xliv. 17.
* ii. n. ^ iv. 22. cf. p. 165 n. " Psalm xcvi. \.
« Gen. vi. 2. * Deut. xxxii. 43. Ixx. i" Psalm Ixxxii. 6. II Isaiah xliv. 20. Ixx.
320 THEODORET.
on idols the divine name, while the saints again "Husbands love your wives as Christ
have leceived tiiis honour of free grace. also loved the Church,'" and again "For '
In reality and by nature it is the God of all, this cause shall a man leave his father and
and His only-begotten Son and the Holy mother, and shall be joined unto his wife,
Spirit which are God. This is distinctly and they two shall be one flesh. This is a
taught us by the athnirable Paul in the words great mystery but I^ speak concerning Christ
;
*'
For though there be that are called gods and the Church." Listen to him as he
wliether in heaven or in earth, as there are " Christ hath redeemed us from the
says ^
gods many and lords many, but to us there is curse of the law, being made a curse for us,"
but one God, the Father, of whom are all and elsewhere " Know ye not that so many
things, and we in Him and one Lord by ;
of us as were baptized unto Jesus Christ were
whom are all things and we by Him." And '
baptized into His death,"* and in another

God " For as
the Holy Spirit called the Spirit of
is place, many of you as have been bap-
and so also is the soul of man, for, it is tized into Christ have put on Christ,"'^ and
His breath goeth forth," and " O " Put
^
ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
'^
written, again
ye spirits and souls of the righteous bless ye make not provision for the flesh, to fullil the
^ "
the Lord," and the Psalmist David called lust thereof."
the angels spirits. '* Who makcth His angels They who are blessed by the boons of God
*
spirits and His ministers a flame

of Are." and have learnt to know these passages and
Why indeed do 1 mention the angels and others like them, kindled with warm love
the souls of men Even the daemons are so
.? for their bountiful Master, constantly carry on
called by the Lord " He shall take imto him their lips this His dearest name and cry in the
seven other spirits more wicked than himself words of the Song of Songs " My beloved is
" "
and they shall enter in, and the last state of mine and I am his I sat down under his
;
^
that man shall be worse than the first." But shadow with great delight, and his fruit was
even this application of the name does not sweet to my taste."
^
And besides all this that
otlend the pious reader, for the Father and name of ours which we love so well we
His only begotten Son and His Holy Spirit name of Christ.
have derived from the We
are one God by nature and the divine Word are called Christians.**
;
made man, our Lord Jesus Christ, is by Of this name the Lord of all says, " The
nature one Son, only begotten of the Father; Lord God shall call His servants by another
"
and the Comforter who completes the number name which shall be blessed on the earth '
of the Trinity is one Holy Ghost. Thus and the following is thereason why the Church
though many are named fathers, we worship specially clings to this name. When the
one Father, the Father before the ages, who only-begotten Son of God was made man,
Himself gave this title to men, as the Apostle 1 • Rom. vi. s Rom. xiii.
" For this cause I bow Ephes. V. 25. 3. 14.
says, my knees unto 23 Ephes. V. 31. 32.
Gal. iii. 13.
^ Gal. iii.
27.
' Canticles ii. 16.
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom 8 Acts xi. 26. •'
The word seems to have been in the first
every fatherhood in heaven and earth is instance a nickname fastened by the heathen populace of An-
tioch on the followers of who still continued to style
named." ^ Let us not then, because others themselves the disciples Christ, or the saints or the brethren or
' ' ' ' ' '
the and the like. The biting gibes of the An-

'
are called christs, rob ourselves of the worship believers,'

tiochene populace which stung to the quick successive emper-
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Forjustas though ors — Hadrian, M. Aurclius.Severus, Julian — would be little
disposed to spare the helpless adherents of this new 'super-
many are called gods and fathers, there is one stition.' Objection indeed has been taken to the Antiocheiie
God and Father over all and before the ages ; origin oflike the name on the ground that the termination is
Roman, Pompeianus, Caesarianus, and the like. Hut this
and though many are called sons, there is termination, if it was Latin, was certainly Asiatic likewise, as
from such words as 'Aaiaros, â/crpiai'ds, âpSiard?,
one real and natural Son ; and though many appears
TpaAAiai'd?, 'Apeiard?, Merai'Sptai'ri?, Sa/ScAAtai'd?. The next oc-
are styled spirits there is one Hoi}' Ghost currence of the word in a Christian document is on the
;
occasion of St. Paul's apearance before Festus (A. D.
just so though many are called christs there 60). It is not however put in the mouth of be- a.
is one Lord Jesus Christ by Whom

are all liever, but occurs in the scornful jest of Agrippa, With
but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a
'
things. And very properly docs the Church Christian' (Acts xxvi. 2S). The third and last example
occurs a few years later. In the first Epistle of St.
cling to this name for she has heard Paul, ;
Peter, presumably about A. D. 66or 67, the Apostle writes Let
'
escorter of the Bride, exclaiming " I have not .any of you suffer as a murderer or a thief . . . but if (he
suffers) as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but glorify God
*
espoused you to one husband that I ' may (iv. 15). Here again the term is not the Apostles own, but
present you as a chaste virgin to Christ," and represents the charge brought against the believers by their
heathen accusers. In tiie New Testament tlierc is no indication
that the name was yet adopted by the disciples of Christ as
1
I. Cor. viii.j. 6. 3
Song- of the three holy children 63. their own. Thus Christian documents again confirm the
2 I'saliii cxlvi.4.
< Psalm civ. 4. statement of Tacitus that as early as the Neronian persecution
f'
Matt. xii. 43. Luke xi. 26. Observe difl'erence of tense and this name prevailed, and the same origin also is indirectly sug-
variiition. gested by those notices, which he directly states
— not i/iii sfse
'
af'jî-lltibtitit C/in'sli<t>ios' but' gitos villous appellabat

•>
ICphcs. R. V. inari;. It will he seen that the arjjjuincnt
iii. 14.
Chris-
ofriieoUoret does not admit of the translation " whole family" It was a gibe of the common people against
'
liaiiiis.' the
"
as in A. y. brethren.' I5p. Lightfoot Ap. Fathers, II. i. 417.
' » Isaiah Ixv.
II. Cor. xi. a. 15. 16. Ixx.
LETTERS. 321
then He was named Christ, then human chisedec." And when writing to the blessed
'
nature received the beams of intellectual Titus about the second advent he says," Look-
light then the heralds of the truth shed
; ing for that blessed hope, and the glorious
their beams upon the world. Teachers of appearing of the great God and our Saviour
the Church, however, constantly used the Jesus Christ."
^
And to the Thessalonians
names of the only begotten without dis- he wrote in similar terms " For they them-
tinction at one time they glorify the Father,
;
selves show of us what manner of entering in
the Son and the Holy Ghost at another the
; we had unto you, and how we turned to God
Father with Christ and the Holy Ghost yet ;
from idols to serve the living and true God ;
as far as the sense is concerned there is here and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom
no difference. Wherefore after the Lord had He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which
commanded to baptize name of the delivered us from the wrath to come." ^ And
in the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost again "And the Lord make you to increase
them who received
the blessed Peter said to and abound in love one toward another, and
his preaching and asked what they must do, toward all men, even as we do toward you :
" Believe and be

baptized every one of you ^
to the end he may stablish your hearts un-
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," as blamable in holiness before God, even our
though this name contained in itself all Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus
the potency of the divine command. The Christ with all his saints."* And again when
same teaching is clearly given us by the great writing to the same a second time he says,
" Now we beseech
Basil, luminary of the Cappadocians,^ or you, brethren, by the
rather of the world. His words are " the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by
name of Christ is the confession of the whole." our gathering together unto him."^ And a
It indicates at once the Father, who anointed, little further on when predicting the destruc-
the Son, who was anointed, and the Holy tion of antichrist he adds, " Whom the Lord
Ghost whereby He was anointed. Further- shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,
more the thrice blessed Fathers assembled in and shall destroy with the brightness of his
council at Nictea, after saying that we must coming."^ And when exhorting the Romany
believe in one God, the Father, added " and to concord he says, " But why dost thou
in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten j'udge thy brother } or why dost thou set at
Son of God." Thereby they teach that the naught thy brother.'' for we shall all stand
Lord Jesus Christ is Himself the only begot- before the judgment seat of Chi-ist. For it is
ten Son of God. written, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee
To what has been said it must also be shall bow to me, and every tongue shall con-
added that we must not affirm that after the fess to God."
^
And the Lord Himself when
ascension the Lord Christ is not Christ but announcing His second advent besides other
" Then if
only begotten Son. The divine Gospels and things says too this any man shall
the history of the Acts and the Epistles of unto Lo, here is Christ, or there
say you, ;
the Apostle himself were, as we know, writ- believe it not. For as the lightning cometh
ten after the ascension. It is after the ascen- out of the east, and shineth even unto the
" Son of
sion that the divine Paul exclaims Seeing west, so shall also the coming of the
then that we have a great High Priest that is Man be."**
passed into the heavens, Jesus the ^Son of And after the immortality and incorrupti-
God, let us hold fast our profession." And bility ofHis body He called Himself Son of
again, "For Christ is not entered into the Man, naming Himself from the nature which
holy places made with hands, which are the was seen, inasmuch as the divine nature is in-
figures of the true but into Heaven itself,
; deed invisible to angels, as the Lord Himself
now to appear in the presence of God for us."* had said " No one hath seen God at any
And again after speaking of our hope in God time."
*
And to the great Moses He said
he adds " which hope we have as an anchor " There shall no man see me and live." '°
both sure and stedfast, and which entereth
> Heb. vi, 19, 30.
into that within the veil whither the fore-
; Titus ii, 13. Cf. note on page 319 on the passage Ephes. v,
2
runner is for us entered, even Jesus made an Here, however, the position of the article is in favour of
5.
the interpretation " Jesus Christ, the great God and our Sav-
High Priest for ever after the order of Mel- iour " which was generally adopted by the Greek, orthodox
Fathers in their controversy with the Arians and by the majority
1
Acts ii. 3S. " Believe " substituted for " repent." of ancient and modern commentators. But see Alford ad loc.
* i.e. of Caesarea. The Cappadocian Cassarea originally for such arguments as may be adduced in favour of taking
called Mazaca is still Kasaria. (TioTTJp as anarthrous like ®ed?.
6 II Thess.ii. 8.
3 Heb. iv.
14. On the opinion of the Pauline authorship of 3 I Thess.
1.9, 10.
' Romans xiv. 10. 16.
the Epistle to the Hebrews cf. note on page 37. The Alexan- 1 I Thess. iii.
12, 13.
23 and 27.
' Matt. xxiv.
drian view is shewn to have affected the Eastern Church. For " II Thess. ii. I.
" " no man " of A. V. does not admit of
the reading " Jesus Christ instead of Jesus the Son of God John i. iS. The
on which Theodoret's argument depends there is no manu- Theodoret's argument.
* 1" Ex. xxxiii 20. Ixx. ovSeij o\f«rai.
script authority, Heb, ix, 24.
VOL. HI. 1
322 THEODORET.
The words "Henceforth know we no] made known to all nations for the obedience
man after the flesh yea, though we have of faith to God only will be glory through
; ;
known Christ after the flesh yet now hence- Jesus Christ forever. Amen."' Writing to
forth know we Him no more,"
;
were not the Ephesians he thus gives praise

' " Now —
written l^y the divine Apostle in order to unto Him able to do exceeding abun-
that is
annul the assumed nature, but for the con- dantly above all that we ask or think, ac-
firmation of our own future incorruption, cording to the power that worketh in us,
immortality, and spiritual life. unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ
The Apostle therefore continues " There- Jesus throughout all ages, world without
fore if any man be in Christ he is a new end. Amen." ^ And a little before he says,
" For this cause I bow
creature old things arc passed away
;
be- ; my knee unto the
hold all things are become new."^ He Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom
speaks of what is to be in the future as the whole family in heaven and earth is
though it had already come to pass. We named." And considerably farther on he
^
"
have not yet been gifted with immor- says Giving thanks always for all things unto
tality, but we shall be and when so gifted God and the Father in the name of our Lord
;
we shall not become bodiless, but we shall Jesus Christ."

*
And when he requites with
" "
put on immortality. For says the divine benediction the liberality of the Philip-
" we would not be unclothed, but " But
Apostle, pians he says my God shall supply
clothed upon, that mortality might be swal- all your need according to His riches in
lowed up of life."' And again "For this glory by Christ Jesus."
*
And for the He-
on and brews he " Now the God of peace,
corruptible must put incorruption, "
prayed,
this mortal must put on immortality." that brought again from the dead our Lord
Thus he did not speak of the Lord as bodi- Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep,
less, but taught us to believe that even the through the blood of the everlasting cove-
visible nature is incorruptible, and glorified nant, make you perfect in every good work,
with the divine glory. This instruction he to do His will, working in you that which
has given us yet more clearly in the Epistle is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus
" For our conversation " Christ to whom be
to the Philippians ; glory for ever and ever.
;
he writes " is in heaven from whence also Amen."® And not only when glorifying,
;
we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus but also when exhorting and protesting, the
Christ; who shall change our vile body, that Apostle conjoins the Christ with God the
it
may *be fashioned like unto his glorious Father. " To the blessed Timothy he ex-
body." By these words he teaches us disclaims I charge thee therefore before God
tinctly that the body of the Lord is a body, and the Lord Jesus Christ."' And again
but a divine body, and glorified with the " I give thee charge in the sight of God who
divine glory. quickeneth all things, and before Jesus
Let us, then, not shun the name whereby Christ, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed
we enjoy salvation, and whereby all things a good confession that thou keep this com- ;
are made new, as says our teacher himself mandment without spot, unrebukable, until
in his Epistle to the Ephesians, " Accord- the —
appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ ;
ing to His good pleasure which He hath which in His times He shall shew, who is
purposed in Himself; that in the dispensa- the blessed and only Potentate, the King
tion of the fulness of time He might gather of kings and Lord of lords who only hath ;
in one all in Christ, both immortality, dwelling in the light which no

together things
which are in heaven, and which are on man can approach unto whom no man hath ;
earth, even in Him."

®
Let us rather learn seen, nor can see to whom be honour and ;
from this blessed language how we are bound power everlasting. Amen."^
to glorify our benefactor, by connecting the These are the lessons we have learnt from
name of Christ with our God and Father. the divine Apostles this is the teaching ;
In his Epistle to the Romans the Apostle given us by John and Matthew, those mighty
"
says my gospel, and the preaching of rivers" of the gospel message. The latter
Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of says The book of the generation of Jesus
the mystery, which was kept secret since the Christthesonof David, the son of Abraham ;"'
world began, but now is made manifest, and and the former when he shewed the things
" In the
by the scriptures of the prophets, according which were before the ages wrote,
to the commandment of the everlasting God,
1
Rom. xvi. 25, 26, 27. ''
Heb. xiii. 20, 21.
*
Eph. 20, 21.
iii, ' II.Tim. iv. I.
» II. Cor. V. 16 * I. Cor. XV. S3- s
Eph. iii. 14. A. V. » I. Tim. vi. 13. 14. 15. 16.
« * V. 20. »Matt.i.
«II.Cor. V. 17. Phil iii. 20, 21. Eph. I.
» II. * Phil. iv. 19.
Cor. V. 4. Eph. 1.9, 10.
LETTERS. 323
beginning was the Word and the Word was What has happened proves plainly enough
with God and the Word was God. The that they supposed the Saviour to have laid
same was in the beginning with God. All down the law of practical virtue rather for
things were made by Him." Hamaxobians' than for them. When some
men had given in charges against Candidi-
CXLVII^ To John Bishop of Germanicia. anus, the Pisidian,^ accusing him of several
^
acts of adultery and other iniquities, it is said

Immediately on receipt of your holiness's
former letter I replied. About the present that the president of the council remarked, " If
state of aftairs, it is impossible to entertain you are bringing accusation on points of doc-
any good hope. I apprehend that this is the trine, we

receive your charges we have not ;
beginning of the general apostasy. For when come here

to decide about adulteries." Ac-
we see that those who lament what was cordingly Athenius and Athanasius^ who had
done as they say, by violence, at Ephesus, been expelled by the Eastern Synod were
show no signs of repentance, but abide by bidden to return to their own churches just ;
their unlawful deeds and are building up a as though our Saviour had laid down no
superstructure at once of injustice and of laws
about conduct, and had only ordered us
impiety when we see that the rest take no
;
to observe doctrines which those most —
concerted action to deny their deeds and sapient persons have been foremost in cor-
do not refuse to hold communion with men rupting. Let them then cease to mock let ;
who abide by their unlawful action, what them no longer attempt to conceal the im-
hope of good is it possible for us to entei*- piety which they have confirmed by blows
tain ? Had they been expressing their ad- as well as by words. If this is not the case,
miration of what has happened as though let them tell us the reasons of the massacres ;
all had been well and let them own in writing the distinction be-
rightly done, it would
only have been proper for them to abide by tween the natures of our Saviour, and that
what they themselves commend. But if, the union is without confusion let them de- ;
as they say, they are lamenting what has clare that after the union both Godhead and
been done and stating it to have been done manhood remained unimpaired. " God is
*
by force and violence, why in the world do not mocked." Let the chapters be denied
they not repudiate what has been unlaw- which they have often repudiated, and now at
fully done? Why is the present, which lasts Ephesus
have sanctioned. Do not let them
for such a little time, preferred before what trick your holiness by their lies. They used to
is sure to come to utterances at Antioch, being breth-
pass ? Why in the world praise my
do they openly lie and deny that any innova- ren, and when made readers, and ordained
tion has been introduced into doctrine? On deacons, presbyters and bishops and at the ;
account of what murders and witchcrafts have end of my discourse they used to embrace me
I been expelled? What adulteries did the and kiss me, on head, on breast, on hands and ;
man commit? What tombs did the man some of them would cling to my knees, calling
violate? It is perfectly clear even to out- my doctrine apostolic, the very doctrine —
siders that it was for doctrine that I and the that they have now condemned, and anath-
rest were expelled. Why the Lord Dom- the outrageous violence of Barsumas and his band of brutal
nus too, because he would not accept "the monks he consented to revoke his former condemnation of
" ^ "This cowardly act of submission was followed by
Chapters was deposed by these excellent Eutyches."
a still baser proof of weakness, the condemnation of the ven-
persons who called them admirable and con- obtained his ends revenged himself
erable Flavian. Dioscorus having thus by sheer intimidation
for their former opposition
fessed that they abided by them. I had read to his wislies upon those whose cowardice had made them
the instruments nefarious designs, and proceeded to
of his
their propositions, and they
rejected me as mete out to them the same measure they had dealt to Flavian.
the head and front of the heresy and ex- Domnus was the last to be deposed. The charges alleged
against him were his reported approval of a Nestorian sermon
pelled others for the same reason." preached before him at Antioch by Theodoret, on the death of
Cyril, and some expressions in letters written by him to Dios-
*Johni. 1.2. 3. Here this document abruptly terminates. corus condemning the obscure character of Cyril's anathema-
2 The
following letters omitted in the volume of Sirmondus tisms."
have been published in the Auctarium of Garnerius and else- Canon Venables in Die. Chris, biog. vol i. p. 879.
where. The following; letter number CXLVII is the CXXVth 1 i.e. wild nomad tribes who live in
waggons (a/ua^d/3ioi).
in all the manuscripts. Schuize remarks that he would have These Horace (Car. iii. 24, :o) takes as a better type of charac
replaced it in its own rank but for the confusion which would ter than wealthy villa-builders; —
thus have been introduced in quotation. John, bishop of Ger- "
Campestres melius ScythcE
manicia is also the recipient of Letter CXXXIII. This is written plaustra vagas rite trahunt domos
a few days after the former, late in 449 or at the beginning of f'uorum
ivunt."
450- 2
Bishop of Antioch in Pisidia. He was of the orthodox
s i.e. the twelve articles or chapters couched in the form of party and stated himself to have been bred from childhood in
anathema against the heads of Nestorian doctrine, appended the Catholic faith. (Cone. iv. 304.) His name is also written
to Cyril's third letter to Nestorius. Calendio (Tillem. xv. 579, Die. Chris. Biog. i, 395).
* It has been 2 Athanasius of
pointed out before (Page 293) that at the Latro- Perrha, the delator of earlier letters (vide
cinium Domnus was compelled to yield his presidential note on page 264) had been deposed from his bishopric at .1
seat as Patriarch of Antioch, Dioscorus presiding, the Ro synod of uncertain date held between 444 and 449 at Antioch
man legate sitting second, and Juvenal of Jerusalem third. under Domnus, and replaced by Sabinianus.
"Cowed by the dictatorial spirit ot Dioscorus and unnerved by ^ Gal. vi. 7.
Y 2
324 THEODORET.
ematized. They used to call me luminary, anathematisms which you have sent to re-
not only of the East, but of the whole woild, quest me to refute in writing, and to make
and now I forsooth have been proscribed and, plain to all their heretical sense. I have
so far as lies in their power, I have not even been distressed at the thought that one ap-
bread They have anathematized even
to eat. pointed to the shepherd's office, entrusted
all converse with me. But the man whom
who with the charge of so great a flock and ap-
but a little while ago they deposed and called pointed to heal the sick among his sheep, is
Valentinian and Apollinarian they have hon- both himself unsound, and that to a terrible
oured as a martyr of the faith, rolling at his degree, and is endeavouring to infect his lambs
feet, asking his pardon and calling him spirit- with his disease and treats the sheep of his folds
ual father. Do even woodlice change their wîth greater cruelty than that of wild beasts.
colour to match the stones or chameleons their They, indeed, tear and rend the sheep that are
skin to suit the leaves, as these men do their dispersed and separated from the flock but ;
mind to match the times? I give up to them he in its very midst, and while thought to be
see, dignity, rank, and all the luxury of this its saviour and its guardian introduces secret
life. On the side of the apostolic doctrines I error among the victims of their confidence
await the evils which they deem terrible, find- in him. Against an open assault it is pos-
ing sufficient consolation in the thought of the sible to take precautions, but when an attack
judgment of the Lord. Fori hope that for is made in the guise of friendship, its victim
the sake of this injustice the Lord will remit is found off^ his guard and hurt is easily done
me many of my sins. him. Hence foes who make war from
Now I implore your holiness to beware of within are far more dangerous than those
the fellowship of iniquity and to insist on who attack from without.
their repudiation of what has been done. If I am yet more grieved that it should be
refuse shun thein as traitors to the faith. in the name of true religion and with the
they
That your reverence should wait awhile to dignity of a shepherd that he should give
see if the tempest will pass, we have not utterance to his heretical and blasphemous
thought subject for blame. But after the or- words, and renew that vain and impious
dination of the primate of the East every teaching of Apollinarius which was long
'
man's mind will be made manifest. Deign, ago stamped out. Besides all this there is
Sir, to pray for me. At this time I am sorely the fact that he not only supports these
in want of that help that I may hold out views but even dares to anathematize those
against all that is being devised against me. who decline to participate in his blasphe-
mies —
if he is really the author of these
;
CXLVIII in the Edition of Garnerius productions and they have not proceeded
is
" the minute of the most from some enemy of the truth who has
holy bishop Cyril,
delivered to Posidonius, when sent by him composed them in his name and, as the old '
to Rome, in the matter of Nestorius." story has it, flung the apple of discord in
XL tom. Ixxvii. the midst, and so fanned the flame on high.

(Cyrill. Ep. 85.)
But whether this composition comes from
CXLIX is
" the Letter written by himself or from some other in his name, I,
Copy of
for my part, by the aid of the light of the
John, bishop of Antioch, to Nestoiius.^^
This letter has sometimes been supposed Holy Ghost, in the investigation of this
heretical and corrupt opinion, according to
to have been really composed by Theodoret.^
the measure of the power given me, have
refuted them as best I could. I have con-
CL. Letter of Theodoretus, bishop of Cyrus, fronted them with the
teaching of evange-
to Joannes, bishop of Antioch^
lists and
apostles. I have exposed the
I have been much distressed at reading the
monstrosity of the doctrine, and proved how
i.e. Maximus, who was appointed by the Latrocinium to
' vast is its divergence from divine truth.
succeed Domnus in the see of Antioch, and consecrated by This I have done
Anatolius in defiance of right and usajje. Or possibly the by comparing it with the
irregularity of the nomination ofMaxi^nus may lead Theodoret
words of the Holy Spirit, and pointing out
to regard the see as vacant. Garnerius understands the refer-
ence to be to an interval between the appointment and conse-
what strange and jarring discord there is
cration of Maximus. between it and the divine.
* Vide Migne Pat. Ixxvii. 1449.
" A letter so admirable in tone and feeling, so happy in its Against the hardihood of this anathema-
expression, that it has been attributed to the practised pen of
Theodoret." (Canon Venables, Diet. Christ. I?iog. iii. 350.) and hence additional probability is given to the theory that he
Tillemont describes it .as " trls belle, ires bien Jaite et trts wrote the reply referred to in the preceding note. Then came
digne de la reputation qu' avail ce prelat." the publication of Cyril's chapter or anathemas which Theod-
":'
This letter may be dated in February 4;ji. Celestine and oret undertook to refute. Letter CL. is prefixed to his re-
Cyril had written to John of Antioch in relation to the condem- marks on them.
nation of Nestorius by the western bishops at Rome in August 1
The " old story " is a comparatively late addition to the
430. Theodoret was at Antioch on the arrival of these letters myth of the marriage of Peleus.
LETTERS. 325
tizing, thus much I will say, that Paul, the happens in a night-engagement, we cannot
clear-voiced herald of truth, anathematized recognise one another, we leave our enemies
those who had corrupted the evangelic and alone, and waste our weapons against our
apostolic teaching and boldly did so against own side we wound our comrades for foes,
;
the angels, not against those who abided by while all the while the bystanders laugh at
the laws laid down by theologians these he ;
our drunken folly, enjoy our disasters, and
strengthened with blessings, saying, "And are delighted to see us engaged in mutual de-
as many as walk according to this rule, struction. The responsibility for all this lies
peace be on them and mercy and on the with those who have striven to corrupt the
apostolic faith, and have dared to add a mon-
'
Israel of God." Let then the author of
these writings reap from the Apostle's cursestrous doctrine to the teaching of the Gospels ;
the due rewards of his labours and the har- with them that have accepted the impious
"We
vest of his seeds of heresy. will abide Chapters" which they have sent forth with
in the teaching of the holy Fathers. anathematisms to the imperial city, and have
To this letter I have appended my counter confirmed them, as they have imagined, by
" "
arguments, that on reading them you may their own signatures. But these Chapters
judge whether I have effectively destroyed have sprouted without doubt from the sour
the heretical propositions. Setting down root of Apollinarius they are tainted with ;
each of the anathematisms by itself, I have Arian and Eunomian error look into them ;
annexed the counter statement that readers carefully, and you will find that they are not
may easily understand, and that the refuta- clear of the impiety of Manes and Valentinus.'
tion of the dogmas may be clear.* In his very first chapter he rejects the
dispensation which has been made on our
"
CLl. Letter or address of Theodore t to behalf, teaching that God the Word did not
the monks of the Etiphratensiaji^ the Os- assume human nature, but was Himself
rhoene, Syria^ Phoenicia^ and Cilicia.^ changed into flesh, thus laying down that
the incarnation took place not in reality but in
When contemplate the condition of the
I
Church at the present crisis of affairs, the — semblance and seeming. This is the out-
come of the impiety of Marcion, Manes, and
tempest which has recently beset the holy Valentinus.
ship, the furious blasts, the beating of the In his second and third chapters, as
waves, the deep darkness of the night, and,
besides all this, the strife of the mariners, the though quite oblivious of what he had stated
in his preface, he brings in the hypostatic
struggle going on between oarsmen, the
drunkenness of the pilots, and, lastly, the un- union, and a meeting by natural union, and
timely action of the bad,

—
I bethink me of by these terms he represents that a kind of
mixture and confusion was effected of the
the laments of Jeremiah and cry with him,
" divine nature and of the form of the servant.
my bowels, my bowels I am pained ! at
This comes of the innovation of the Apol-
my very heart, my heart maketh a noise
*
in
linarian
me," and to put away despondency's great heresy.
In his fourth chapter he denies the dis-
cloud by the drops from my eyes, I have
recourse to founts of tears. Amid a storm tinction of the terms of evangelists and
and refuses to allow, as the teach-
so wild it is fitting that the pilots be awake, apostles,
ing of the orthodox Fathers has allowed,
to battle with the tempest, and take heed for
the terms of divine dignity to be understood
the safety of the ship the sailors ought to
:
of the divine nature, while the terms of

cease from their strife, and strive to undo the
danger alike by prayer and skill the mari- humility,to the
:
spoken in human sense, are
nature assumed whence the
ners ought to keep the peace, and quarrel applied ;
neither with one another nor with the pilots, rightminded can easily detect the kinship
but the Lord of the sea to banish the
with impiety. For Arius and Eunomius,
implore
darkness by His rod. No one now is asserting the only begotten Son of God to be
will-
a creature, and made out of the non-existent,
ing to do anything of the kind ; and, just as
and a servant, have ventured to apply to
1 Gal. vi. 16. His godhead what is said in lowly and
* The Refutation of the anathematisms of
found in Pat.
Cyril is to be human sense
Ixxvi.Col 393. Vide also the prolegomena. establishing by such means
;
Migne
3 This document did not
appear in the original edition of the the difference of substance and the unlike-
Letters. A fragmentin Latin was published
in the Aucta-
rium of Garnerius. The complete composition is given by 1 "
Nihil contumeliosius" remarks Garnerius, " in Cyrilli
Schulze from a MS. in the Imperial Library at Vienna. The personam et doctrinam did potest.'" Some have even thought
date may be assigned as early in 431. As Cyril had weaned the expressions too bitter for Theodoret. But the mild man
the monks of Eg^pt and even of Constantinople from the could hit hard sometimes. He felt warmly for Nestorius and
cause of Nestorius, so Theodoret attempts to win over the against Cyril, and (accepting Tillemont's date) he was now
solitaries of the East from Cyril. about 38.
*
o\.KQV0\i,La., Vide p. 72.
2
Jer. iv. 19.
326 THEODORET.
ness. Besides this, to be brief, he argues raised what was being destroyed. Further-
that the very impassible and immutable more it is in obedience to the divine Scrip-
Godhead of the Christ suflcred, and was tures that we acknowledge the Christ to be
crucified, dead, and buried. This goes God and man. That our Lord Jesus Christ
beyond even the madness of Arius and is God is asserted by the blessed
" In the
evangelist
Eunomius, for this pitch of impiety has John beginning was the Word and
not been reached even by them that dare the Word was with God and the Word was
to call the maker and creator of the universe God. He was in the beginning with God.
a creature. Furthermore he blasphemes All things were made by Him and without
against the Holy Ghost, denying that It Him was not anything made that was
from the in accordance made." And " That was the true
'
proceeds Father, again,

with the word of the Lord, but maintaining light which lighteth every man that cometh
that It has Its origin of the Son. Here into the world." And the Lord Himself '"
we have the fruit of the Apollinarian seed distinctly teaches us, " He that hath seen
;
here we come near the evil husbandry of me hath seen the Father."^ And "I and
Macedonius. Such are the offspring of the my Father are one"'* and '•'I am in the
"
Egyptian, viler children of a vile father. Father and the Father in me," and the
This growth, which men, entrusted with blessed Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews
the healing of souls, ought to make abortive says
" Who
being the brightness of His glory
while yet in the womb, or destroy as soon as and the express image of His person, and
it is born, as dangerous and deadly to man- upholding all things by the word of His
" ^
kind, is cherished by these excellent persons, power and in the epistle to the Philippians
and promoted with great energy, alike to you, which was also in
their own ruin and to that of all who will Christ Jesus who being in the form of God
;
listen to them. We, on the contrary, thought it not robbery to be equal with God
earnestly desire to keep our heritage un- but made Himself of no reputation and took
touched and the faith which we have re-
; upon Him the form of a servant."^ And in
ceived, and in which we have been ourselves the Epistle to the Romans, " Whose are the
baptized, and baptize others, we strive to pre- fathers and of whom as concerning the
serve uninjured and undefiled. We confess flesh Christ came who is over all God
that our Lord Jesus Christ, perfect God and blessed for ever. Amen." And in the **
"
perfect man, of a reasonable soul and body, epistle to Titus Looking for that blessed
was begotten of the Father before the ages, hope and the glorious appearing of the great
as touching the Godhead and in the last
;
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." " And
days for us men and our salvation (was born) Isaiah exclaims "Unto us a child is born,
of the Virgin Mary that the same Lord is
;
unto us a son is given and the government :
of one substance with the Father as touching shall be upon His shoulder and His name ;
the Godhead, and of one substance with us as shall be called, Angel of great counsel.
touchinsf the manhood. For there was an Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
union of two natures. Wherefore we acknowl- powerful, the Prince of Peace, the Father of
edge one Christ, one Son, one Lord but we ; the Age to come."'° And again " In chains
do not destroy the union we believe it to have
;
they shall come over and they shall
been made without confusion, in obedience fall unto thee. They shall make sup-
to the word of the Lord to the Jews, plication unto thee saying, surely God
" none
Destroy this temple and in three days I is in thee and there is else, there
will raise it up."
'
If on the contrary there is no God. Verily thou art a God that
had been mixture and confusion, and one hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the
"
nature was made out of both, He ought to Saviour." The name Emmanuel, however,
have said " Destroy me and in three days indicates both God and man, for it is inter-
" God with
I shall be raised." But now, to show that preted in the Gospel to mean
there is a distinction between God according us,"'" that is to say "God in man," God
to His nature, and the temple, and that both in our nature. And the divine Jeremiah too
are one Christ, His words are
" " This is our God and
Destroy this utters the prediction
temple and in three days I will raise it

up," tliereshall none other be accounted of in
clearly teaching that it was not God

who comparison with him. He hath found out all
was undergoing destruction, but the temple.
-
The nature of this latter was susceptible of '
John i. !. Phil.ii. S. 6, 7.
-
John i.
» Romans ix. 5.
destruction, while the power of the former
9.
' i'Tit.
JoliM xiv. o. ii. 13.
1" Is. ix.6.
•
lohii X. 30. (LXX. Alex.)
^1 Isaiah xlv.
f'
John X. 3'' transposed. 14, 15.
1 <=
"Hebrews i. 3. " Matl. i.
23.
John ii. 19.
LETTERS. 327
the way of knowledge and hath given it culty to refute even the manifold blasphemy
unto Jacob His servant and to Israel His of the heretics for many and various are the :
beloved and afterward did He show Him- errors of those who have rebelled against the
truth, as we shall proceed to point out.
'
self upon earth and conversed with men."

And countless other passages might be Marcion and Manes deny that God the Word
found as well in the holy gospels and in assumed human nature and do not believe
the writings of the apostles as in the predic- that our Lord Jesus Christ was born of a
tions of the prophets, setting forth that our Virgin. They say that God the Word Him-
Lord Jesus Christ is very God. self was fashioned in human form and ap-
That after the Incarnation He is spoken of peared as man rather in semblance than in
as Man our Lord Himself teaches in His reality.
words to the Jews " Why go ye about to Valentinus and Bardesanes admit the birth,
" " A man that hath told
kill me? you the but they deny the assumption of our nature
truth."
^
And in the first Epistle to the Co- and affirm that the Son of God employed the
" For since
rinthians the blessed Paul writes Virgin as it were as a mere conduit.
by man came death, by man came also the Sabellius the Libyan, Photinus, Marcel-
'
resurrection of the dead," and to show of lus the Galatian, and Paul of Samosata say
whom he is speaking he explains his words that a mere man was born of the Virgin, but
and says, " For as in Adam all die even so openly deny that the eternal Christ was
in Christ shall all be made alive,"
"
And God.
to he " For there is Arius and Eunomius maintain that God
writing Timothy says,
one God and one mediator between God and the Word assumed only a body of the
*
men, the man Christ Jesus." In the Acts Virgin.
" The
in his speech at Athens times of this Apollinarius adds to the body an unrea-
igfnorance God winked at but now com- sonable soul, as though the incarnation of
;
mandeth all men everywhere to repent be- God the Word had taken place not for the ;
cause He hath appointed a day in the which sake of reasonable beings but of unreasona-
He will judge the world
in righteousness by ble, while the teaching of the Apostles is
that man whom He
hath ordained, whereof that perfect man was assumed by perfect
He hath given assurance vmto all men, in " Who
God, as is proved by the words be-
that He hath raised him from the dead."
^
ing in the form of God took the form of
And the blessed Peter preaching to the Jews for "form" is put instead of
'
a servant ;"
says, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; "nature" and "substance" and indicates
that having the nature of God He took the
Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God
among you by miracles and wonders and nature of a servant.
signs which God did by Him in the midst When therefore we are disputing with
Marcion, Manes and Valentinus, the earliest
'
of you," and the prophet Isaiah when pre-
dicting the sufferings of the Lord Christ, inventors of impiety, we endeavour to prove
whom but just before he had called God, calls from the divine Scriptures that the Lord
man in the passage " man of sorrows andA Christ is not only God but also man.
" When, however, we are proving to the
acquainted with grief." Surely he hath
ignorant that the doctrine of Arius, Euno-
**
borne our griefs and carried our sorrows."
I might have collected other consentient mius and Apollinarius about the oeconomy
passages of holy Scripture and inserted them is
incomplete, we show from the divine
in my letter had I not known you to be prac- oracles of the Spirit that the assumed nature
tised in the divine oracles as befits the man was perfect.
called blessed in the Psalms.^ I now leave The impiety of Sabellius, Photinus, Mar-
the collection of evidence to your own dili- cellus, and Paulus, we
refute by proving by
gence and proceed with my subject. the evidence of divine Scripture that the
We confess then that our Lord Jesus Christ Lord Christ was not only man but also
is
very God and very man. We do not divide eternal God, of one substance with the
the one Christ into two persons, but we be- Father. That He assumed a reasonable soul
lieve two natures to be united without con- is stated by our Lord Himself in the words
fusion. We shall thus be able without diffi- "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall
I say ? Father save me from this hour but ;
1
Baruch iii. 35, 36, 37. From the time of Irennsus the
book of Baruch, friend and companion of Jeremiah, was
for this cause came I unto this hour."
"
And
" is exceeding sorrowful even
commonly quoted as the work of the great prophet, e.g. Iren. again My soul
adv. Haer. v. 35,
1
i. cf. note on p. 165.
John vii. 19 and viii. 40. ^ Acts xvii.
30, 31.
unto death."
^
And in another place " I
s I. Cor. XV. 21. ' Acts ii. 22.
I. Cor. XV. 32. • Isaiah liii. 3 and 4.

1 Phil. ii. 6 and 7. 8 Matt. xxvi. 38.
» I. Tim. ii. v. •'
Psalra i. 2.
'John xii. 27.
328 THEODORET.
have power to lay down my soul (life A. V.) well of life the former of His human weak- ;
and I have power to take it again. No man ness, the latter of His divine power. He fell
taketh it from me." And the angel said to
'
asleep in the boat, but he put the tempest of

" Take the the former of His human
Joseph, young child and His the sea to sleep ;
mother and go into the land of Israel for nature, the latter of His efficient and creative
;
they arc dead which souglit the young child's

power which has gifted all things with their
soul (life A. V.)"* And the Evangelist says
being. He was weary as he walked but He ;
"Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and healed the halt and raised dead men from
in favour with God and man." Now wliattheir tombs the former of human weakness, ;
increases in stature and wisdom is not the the latter of a power passing that of this
Godhead which is ever perfect, but the world. He feared death and He destroyed
human nature v^diich comes into being in death the former shows that He was mortal, ;
time, grows, and is made perfect. the latter that He was immortal or rather
Wherefore all tlie human qualities of the giver of life. " He was crucified," as the
Lord Christ, hunger, I mean, and thirst and blessed Paul says "through weakness."'
weariness, sleep, fear, sweat, prayer, and But as the same Paul says " Yet He liveth
^
ignorance, and the like, we affirm to belong by the power of God." Let that word
to our nature which God the Word assumed " weakness" teach us that He was not nailed
and united to Himself in eflbcting our to the tree as the Almighty, the Uncircum-
salvation. But the restitution of motion to the scribed, the Immutable and Invariable, but
maimed, the resurrection of the dead, the that the nature quickened by the power of
supply of loaves, and all the other miracles God, was according to the Apostle's teaching
we believe to be works of the divine power. dead and buried, both death and burial being
In this sense I say that the same Lord Christ " He
proper to the form of the servant.
both surtcrs and destroys suffering suffers, ;
broke the gates of brass and cut the bars of
" ^
that is, as touching the visible, and desti'oys iron in sunder and destroyed the power of
suffering as touching the ineffably indwelling death and in three days raised His own temple.
Godhead. This is proved beyond question These are proofs of the form of God in
by the narrative of the holy evangelists, accordance with the Lord's words "Destroy
from whom we learn that when lying in a this temple and in three days I will raise it
"
manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes, up." Thus in the one Christ through the
He was announced by a star, worshipped by sufferings we contemplate the manhood and
magi and hymned by angels. Thus we rev- through the miracles we apprehend the
erently discern that the swaddling bands Godhead. We do not divide the two natures
and the want of a bed and all the poverty into two Christs, and we know that of the
belonged to the manhood while the journey ; Father God the Word was begotten and that
of the magi and the guiding of the star and of the seed of Abraham and David our nature
the company of the angels proclaim the God- was assumed. Wherefore also the blessed
head of the unseen. In like manner He Paul says when discoursing of Abraham "He
makes His escape into Egypt and avoids the saith not and to seeds as of many but as ;
for He was man

'
fury of Herod by flight, of one, and to thy seed which is Christ," *
;
but as the Prophet says " He shakes the idols and writing to Timothy he says "Remember
for He was by nature God. that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was
*
of Egypt,"
He is circumcised He keeps the law and raised from the dead according to my
; ;
offers offerings of purification, because He gospel."

®
And to the Romans he writes
from "
sprang the root of Jesse. And, as man, Concerning His son Jesus Christ .
He was under the law and afterwards did which was made of the seed of David
;
away with the law and gave the new covenant, according to the flesh." And again
'
because He was a lawgiver and had promised " Whose are the fathers and of whom as
by the prophets that He Himself would give concerning the flesh Christ came."
*
And
it. He was baptized by John and this the Evangelist writes "The book of the
;
shews His sharing what is ours. He is generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David,
testified to by the Father from on high and is the Son of Abraham," ' and the blessed Peter
pointed out by the Spirit this proclaims in the Acts says David "
;
being a prophet
Him eternal. He hungered but He fed and knowing that God had sworn with an
;
many thousands with five loaves the latter oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, He
;
is divine, the former human. He thirsted would raise up Christ to sit on his throne, he
and He asked for water but He was the ;
'
Tl.Cor. xiii. 4. *
Jolin ii. 19.
' Romans i. 3.
2
1
John X. 1 8 varied. ' Vide note on Page 203. 1 1. Ctir. xiii.
4.
">
G;U. iii. 16. ' llomans ix. J.
'Matt. ii. 30. * Isaiah xix. 1. 3 i'salni cvii. 16. • XI . Tim. ii. 8. »
Matt. i. I.
LETTERS. 329
'
seeing this before spake of his resurrection," name Emmanuel proclaims the union of the
and God says to Abraham "In thy seed two natures. we acknowledge
If the Christ
shall all tlie nations of the earth be blessed,"" to be both God and Man and so call Him,
and Isaiah " There shall come forth a rod out who
so insensate as to shrink from using
is
of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow the term " Mother of man " with that of
out of His roots and there shall rest upon " Mother of God".? For we use both terms
;
Him ^ the spirit of wisdom and understanding of the Lord Christ. For this reason the Vir-
the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of gin is honoured and called "full of grace."'
knowledge and of piety and the spirit of the What sensible man then would object to
fear of the Lord shall fill Him."
"
And a name the Virgin in accordance with the
" And in that
little further on day thei-e shall titles of the Saviour, when on His account
be a root of Jesse which shall stand for an she is honoured by the faithful.? For He
ensign of the people to it shall the Gen-
;
who was born of her is not worshipped on
tiles seek; and His rest shall be glorious."* her account, but she is honoured with the
From these quotations it is made plain that highest titles on account of Him was Who
according to the flesh, the Christ was de- boi'n from her.
scended from Abraham and David and was Suppose the Christ to be God only, and to
of the same nature as theirs while accord- have taken the origin of His existence from
;
ing to the Godhead He is Everlasting Son and the Vii-gin, then let the Virgin be styled and
Word of God, ineffably and in superhuman named only " Mother of God" as having
manner begotten of the Father, and co-eter- given birth to a being divine by nature.
nal with Him as brightness and express But if the Christ is both God and man and
image and Word. For as the word in re- was God from everlasting (inasmuch as He
lation to intelligence and brightness in re- did not begin to exist, being co-eternal with
lation to light are inseparably connected, so the Father that begat Him) and in these
is the only begotten Son in relation to His last days was born man of His human nature,
own Father. We
assert therefore that our then let him who wishes to define doctrine
Lord Jesus Christ is only begotten, and first in both directions devise appellations for the
born Son of God only begotten both before Virgin with the explanation which of them
;
the incarnation and after the incarnation, befits the nature and which the union. But
but first-born after being born of the Virgin. if any one should wish to deliver a panegyric
For the name first-boi"n seems to be in a and to compose hymns, and
to repeat praises,
sense contrary to that of only begotten, be- and naturally anxious to use the most
is
cause the only Son begotten of any one is august names; then, not laying down doc-
called only begotten, while the eldest of sev- trine as in the former case, but with rhetori-
eral brothers is called first-born. The divine cal laudation, and expressing all possible ad-
Scriptures state God the Word alone to have miration at the mightiness of the mystery, let
been begotten of the Father but the only ;
him gratify his heart's desire, let him em-
begotten becomes also first-born, by taking ploy high names, let him praise and let him
our nature of the Virgin, and deigning to wonder. Many instances of this kind are
call brothers those who have trusted in Him found in the writings of orthodox teachers.
;
so that the same is only begotten in that He But on all occasions let moderation be re-
is God, first born in that He is Man. Thus spected. All praise to him who said that
" moderation is
acknowledging the two natures we adore best," although he is not of
the one Christ and offer Him one adoration, our herd.
^
for we believe that the luiion took place from This is the confession of the faith of the
the moment of the conception in the Virgin's Church this is the doctrine taught by ;
holy womb. Wherefore also we call the holy evangelists and apostles. For this faith, by
*
Virgin both Mother of God and Mother of God's grace I will not refuse to undergo
man, since the Lord Christ Himself is called deaths. This faith we have striven to
many
God and man in the divine Scriptui-e. The convey to them that now err and stray, again
> Acts. ii. 30. 2 Gen. xxii. iS. and again challenging them to discussion,
3 Here in the LXX comes in "The spirit of God." It is and eager to show them the truth, but with-
unlikely that Theodoret should have intended to omit this, and
the omission is probably due as in similar cases to the care-
lessness of a copyist in the case of a repetition of a word. 1 Luke i. 28.
* Isaiah xi. I. 3.
3. 7.
6 Isaiah xi. :o. Cleobulus of Lindos is credited with the maxim apiarrov
2
6 On the word ©eotokos cf. note on
Page 213. ueVpoi'. Theognis, (335) transmits the famous nr;6«i' ayai- attrib-
Jeremy Taylor 637 ed. :S6i) defends it on the bare uted by Aristotle (Rhet. ii. 12, 14) to" Chilon of Sparta. Ovid
Medio tutissitnus ibis "
(ix.
ground of logic which no doubt originally recommended it. makes Phoebus say to Phaethon
from many other writers may be
"Though' the blessed virgin Mary be not in Scripture called (Met. ii. 137) and quotations
;
©eoToKO? the mother of God.' yet that she was the mother of found all
" .,,.,..
Jesus and that Jesus Christ is God, that we can prove from Turning to scorn with lips divine
"
Scripture, and that is sufficient for the appellation." The
ftlsehood of extremes I
330 THEODORET.
out success. With a suspicion of their prob- voice of rejoicing and salvation in the taber-
phiin confutation, they have shirked nacles of the righteous." Then shall we '
ably
"
cry unto Him we have been
the encounter for verily falsehood is rotten
;
glad accord-
and yokefellow of obscurity. " Every one," to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted
" ing
it is written that doeth evil cometh not to us and the
*
years wherein we have seen
the light lest his deeds should be and you when you have been granted
'
reproved" evil,"
by the light. your prayer shall praise Him in the words
Since, therefore, after many efforts, I have " Blessed be God which hath not turned
failed in persuading them to
recognise the away my prayer nor His from me."^ mercy
have returned to my own churches,
truth, I
once with sorrow and with joy with
filled at
;
Proof that after the Incarnation our Lord
joy on account of my own freedom from
error and with sorrow at the unsoundness of Jesus Christ, was one Son.
;
my members. I therefore implore to The authors of slanders against me allege

you
pray with all to our loving Lord, that I divide the one Lord Jesus Christ into
your might
and to cry unto Him, " 'Spare Thy people, two sons. But so far am I from holding
O Lord and give not Thy heritage to re- opinion that I charge with impiety all this
proach.'* Feed us O Lord that we be- dare to say so. For I have been taught who
come not as we were in the beginning when by the divine Scripture to worship one Son,
Thou didst not rule over us nor was Thy our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son
name invoked to help us. We are become a
' of God, God the Word incarnate. For we
reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and deris- confess the same to be both God eternal, and
ion to them that are round about us,' ^ be- made man in the last days for the sake of
cause wicked doctrines have come into Thy man's salvation but made man not by the ;
inheritance. They have polluted Thy holy change of the Godhead but by the assump.
tion of the manhood. For the nature of this
temj^le in that the daughters of strangers
have rejoiced over our troubles. A
little godhead is immutable and invariable, as is
while ago we were of one mind and one that of the Father who begat Him before the
tongue and now are divided into many ages. And whatever would be understood
tongues. But, O
Lord our God, give us of the substance of the Father will also
Thy peace which we have lost by setting be wholly found in the substance of the
Thy commandments at naught. O Lord we only begotten for of that substance He ;
know none other than Thee. call Thee is begotten. We

This our Lord taught when
" He that hath seen
by Thy name. Make both one and break He
'
said to Philip
down the middle wall of the partition,' " me hath seen the Father " * and again
" All
namely the iniquity that has sprung up. in another place things that the
Gatlicr us one by one, Thy new Israel, Father hath are mine,"
*
and elsewhere " I
®
building up Jerusalem and gathering together and the Father are one," and very many
the outcasts of Israel. * Let us be made other passages may be quoted setting forth
once more one flock ® and all be fed by the identity of substance.
Thee for Thou art the good
;
'
Who It follows that He did not become God
" In the Shepherd :
Awake, He was God. beginning was the

'
giveth His life for the sheep.' '
why sleepest^ Thou O Lord, arise cast us not Word, and the Word was with God and ;
off forever.' Rebuke the winds and the the Word was God."' He was not man:
sea give Thy
; Church calm and safety from He became man, and He so became by tak-
the waves." ing onHim our nature So says the blessed
These words and words like these I im- form of God Paul; — "Who being
:
in the
])lore you to utter to the God of all for He ;

be equal with thought it not robbery to
is good and full of
loving-kindness and ever God, but made Himself of no reputation,
fulfils the will of them that fear Him. He and took upon Him the form of a ser-
will therefore listen to your prayer, and will vant." And again " For verily He took "^
scatter this darkness deeper than the plague not on Him the nature of angels but He ;
of Egypt. He will give you His own calm took on Him the seed of Abraham."® And
of love, and will gather them that are scat- again Forasmuch then as the children are ;
tered abroad and welcome them that have partai<ers of flesh and blood. He also Him-
been cast out. Then shall be heard " the self likewise took part of the same." '° Thus
'
Psalm cxviii. 15. «
John x. 30.
1
John iii. 20. Psalm cxlvii. a ' Psalm xc. 15. 'John i. 1.
*
j"e' ''•
17- •John X. ID. ' Psalm lxvi.20. • Phil. ii. 6. 7.
' Psalm Ixxix. 4. 'John X. 11. *
John xiv. g. • Heb. ii. 16.
« Cf. Ephes. '
ii. 14. Psiilm xliv. 13. John xvi. 15. i» lieb. ii. 14.
LETTERS. 331
He was both passible and impassible mortal ; quainted with grief. .

Surely He hath
. .
and immortal passible, on the one hand,

; borne our griefs and carried our sorrows,"
'
and mortal, as man impassible, on the;

and shortly afterwards he says " Who shall
"
other, and immortal, as God. As God He declare His generation
*
This is spoken
raised His own flesh, which was dead ;
— not of man but of God.
.''
Thus through
as His own words declare: " Destroy this Micah God says " Thou Bethlehem in the
temple, and in three days I will raise it land of Judah art not the least among the
up." And as man, He was passible and
'
princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come

mortal up to the time of the passion. For, a governor that shall rule my people Israel,
after the resurrection, even as man He is whose goings forth have been as of old from
impassible, immortal, and incorruptible ; everlasting."^ "
Now
by saying "From thee
and He discharges divine lightnings not that ;
shall come he exhibits the
forth a ruler
according to the flesh He has been changed (Economy of the incarnation and by adding ;
" whose
into the nature of Godhead, but still preserv- goings "forth have been as of old
ing the distinctive marks of humanity. Nor from everlasting he declares the Godhead
yet is His body uncircumscribed, for this is begotten of the Father before the ages.
peculiar to the divine nature alone, but it Since we have been thus taught by the
abides in its former circumscription. This divine scripture, and have further found that
He teaches in the words He spake to the the teachers who have been at different periods
" Be- illustrious in the Church, are of the same
disciples even after His resurrection
hold my hands and feet that it is I myself; opinion, we do our best to keep our heritage
handle me and see for a spirit hath not
; inviolate; worshipping one Son of God, one
flesh and bones as ye see me have."
^
While God the Father, and one Holy Ghost but ;
He was thus beheld He went up into heaven ;

at the same time recognising the distinction
thus has He promised to come again, thus between flesh and Godhead. And as we
shall He be seen both by them that have assert them that divide our one Lord Jesus
believed and them that have crucified, for it Christ into two sons to trangress from the
is written "
They shall look on Him whom road trodden by the holy apostles, so do we
they pierced."^ We
therefore worship the declare the maintainers of the doctrine that
Son, but contemplate in Him either
we theGodhead of the only begotten and the
nature in its perfection, both that which manhood have been made one nature to fall
took, and that which was taken the one of ; headlong into the opposite ravine. These
God and the other of David. For this reason doctrines we hold these we preach
;
for ;
also He is styled both Son of the living God these we do battle.

and Son of David ;
either nature receiving The slander of the libellers that represent
its proper Accordingly the divine
title. me as worshipping two sons is refuted by
scripture calls him both God and man, and the plain facts of the case. I teach all per-
the blessed Paul exclaims " There is one sons who come to holy Baptism the faith
God, and one mediator between God and put forth at Nicsea and, when I celebrate
;
men, the man Christ Jesus who gave Him- ;

the sacrament of regeneration I baptize them
self a ransom for all."
*
But Him whom here that make profession of their faith in the
he calls man in another place he describes as name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
God for he says " Looking for that blessed the Holy Ghost, pronouncing each name by
hope and the glorious appearing of the great itself. And when I am performing divine
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." * And service in the churches it is my wont to give
yet in another place he uses both names at glory to the Father and to the Son and to the
once saying " Of whom as concerning the Holy Ghost not sons, but Son. If then I
;
flesh Christ came who is over all God uphold two sons, whether of the two is
blessed for ever. Amen." * glorified by me, and whether remains un-
Thus he has stated the same Christ to honoured } For I have not quite come to
be of the Jews according to the flesh, and such a pitch of stupidity as to acknowledge
God over all as God. Similarly the prophet two sons and leave one of them without any
Isaiah writes " A
man of sorrows and ac- tribute of respect. It follows then even from
1
John ii.
29. I.Tim, ii. 5.6.
«
this fact that the slander
is proved slander, —
*
3
Lukexxiv. 39.
xix. Cf. Zee.
B Tit. ii.
13. for I worship one only begotten Son, God the
John 37. xii. 10.
*Rom.ix. 5. The first implicit denial of the sense here Word incarnate. And I call the holy Virgin
given by Theodoret to this remarkable passage is said to be
found in an assertion of the Emperor Julian that neither Paul
"Mother of God " because she has given
"^
nor Matthew nor Mark ever ventured to call Jesus God. In birth to the which means " God
Emmanuel,
the early church it was commonly rendered in its plain and
grammatical sense, as by Irenaeus, Tertullian, Athanasius, 1 Is. liii. 3. 4. 3 Matt. ii. 6 and Mic. v. a.
and Chrysostom. Cf. Alford in loc. ' Isaiah liii. S. * ©(OToKOf . cf. p. ajj.
332 THEODORET.
with us." But the prophet who predicted
'
driven into exile.' This doctrine was

the Emmanuel a little further on has written preached by the illustrious Meletius, at the
of him that "Unto us a child is born, unto cost of no less pains, for thrice was he driven
us a son is given and the government shall
; from his flock in the cause of the apostles'
be upon his shoulders and his name is doctrines ^ by Flavianus,^ g\oYy of the im-
; ;
called Angel of great counsel, wonderful, perial see and by the admirable Ephraim, ;
counsellor, mighty God, powerful, Prince of instrument of divine grace, who has left us in
peace, Father of the age to come."
*
Now the Syriac tongue a written heritage of good
*
if the babe born of the Virgin is styled things by Cyprian, the illustrious ruler of ;
"
Mighty God," then it is only with reason Carthage and of all Libya, who for Christ's
that the mother is called " Mother of God." sake found a death in the fire
"
by Damasus, ;
For the mother shares the honour of her bishop of great Rome,* and by Ambrose,
offspring, and the Virgin is both mother of glory of Milan, who preached and wrote it
the Lord Christ as man, and again is His in the language of Rome.'
servant as Lord and Creator and God. The same was taught by the great lumina-
On account of this difference of term He ries of Alexandria, Alexander and Athana-
" without
is said
by the divine Paul to be sius, men of one mind, who underwent
father, without mother, without descent, sufferings celebrated throughout the world.
having neither beginning of days nor end of This was the pasture given to their flocks by
life."
^
He is without father as touching His the great teachers of the imperial city, by
humanity; for as man He was born of a Gregory, shining friend and supporter of the
mother alone. And He is without mother as truth b}' John, teacher of the world, by ;
God, for He was begotten from everlasting Atticus, their successor alike in see and in
of the Father alone. And again He is with- sentiment.** By these doctrines Basil, great
out descent as God while as man He has light of the truth, and Gregory sprung from
descent. For it is written " The book of the same parents,® and Amphilochius,"' who
the generation of Jesus Christ the son of from him received the gift of the high-priest-
*
David, the son of Abraham." His descent hood, taught their contemporaries, and have
is also given by the divine Luke.^ So again, left the same to us in their writings for a
as God, He has no beginning of days for He goodly heritage. Time would fail me to
was begotten before the ages neither has ;
tell of Polycarp," and Irenjeus,'^ of Metho-
He an end of life, fo His nature is immor- "
dius'^ and Hippolytus,'^ and the rest of the
tal and impassible. But as man He had both teachers of the Church. In a word I assert
a beginning of days, for He was born in the that I follow the divine oracles and at the
reign of Augustus Caesar, and an end of life, same time all these saints. By the grace of
for He was crucified in the reign of Tiberius the spirit they dived into the depths of God-
Ctesar. But now, as I have already said, inspired scripture and both themselves per-
even His human nature is immortal and, as ;
ceived its mind, and made it plain to all thut
He ascended, so again shall He come accord- are willing to learn. Diflerence in tongue
ing to the words of the Angel
" This same — has wrought no difference in doctrine, for
Jesus which up from youis taken into they were channels of the grace of the divine
Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye spirit, using the stream from one and the
have seen Him go into Heaven." " same fount.
This the doctrine delivered to us by the
is
i.e. Eustathius of Beroea and Antiocli, who, according to
'
divine prophets this is the doctrine of the Tlicodorct (II. E. i.6,

;
p. 43.), sat at Nicxa on Constantine's
company of the holy apostles this is the right hand. (Contra. I. Soz. i. 19.) He was exiled on account
;
of the accusation got up against him by Euscbius of Nico-
doctrine of the great saints of the East and media.
2 Meletius of Antioch. lie presided at Con-
of the West of the far-famed Ignatius, who cf. pp. g2, 93.
;
stantinople in 3S1, and died while the Council was sitting.
received his archpriesthood by the right hand Of Constantinople, murdered at the Latrocinium. •'
* Vide
p. 129.
of the great Peter, and for the sake of his cf. Ep. Ll'l. St. Cyprian was beheaded at Carthage, Aug.
f^
to the reading
confession of Christ was devoured by savage 13, 25S, his last recorded utterance being his reply
of the sentence "That Thascius Cyprianus be bclicaded with
beasts
'
and of the great Eustathius, who the sword," " Thanks be to God."" Theodorct's " lire " is
;
either an error, or means the fiery trial of martyrdom.

presided over the assembled council, and on " Vide
p. $2.
7 cf.
pp. 110, 174.
account of his fiery zeal for true religion was i.e. Gregory of Nazianzus, put in possession of St. Sophia
*'
by Thcodosius 1. Nov. 24, 3S0, Chrysostom, consecrated by The.

ophilus of Alexandria, Feb. 26,398; and Atticus, who succeeded
Arsacius tlie usurper in 406.
I Matt. * Matt. " ol cf. p. 129. *'
i. 3.V i. i. Gregory Nyssa. f 155.
' Is. ix. 6. LXX. Alex. ' I.uke iii. 23.
1"Of Iconiuin. cf. p. 114.
12
t c. 202.
' Heb. vii. 3.
" Acts i. it. " Commonly known as bishop of Patara, thougli Jerome
' The martyrdom of Ignatius may he placed within a few speaks of him as of Tyre. The place and time of his death are
years of no, — before or after. In the 4th c. Oct. 17 was doubtful. Eusebius calls him a contemporarj'. (cf. Jcr. Cat..
named as the day both of his birth and death. Bp. Lightfoot. S3i and .Socr. vi. 13.)
Ap. Fathers II. i. 30 and 46. 1*
According to Dijllinger the first anti-pope. cf. reff. p. 177.
LETTERS. 333
CLII. Report of the (bishops^ of the East to was our route, —

I have come very quickly,
the Efnperor, giving information of their pj-o- I have travelled forty stages without pausing
ceedings, and exphnning the cause of the to rest on the way so your Christian majesty ;
delay in the arrival of the bishop of Antiocli} may learn from the inhabitants of the towns
on the route. Besides this I was detained
In obedience to the order of your pious
letter we have journeyed to the Ephesian me-
many days in Antioch by the famine there ;
the daily tumults of the people and by

tropolis. There we have found the affairs of by ;
the unusual severity of the rainy season,

the Church in confusion, and disturbed by
which caused the torrents to swell, and
internecine war. The cause of this is that threatened
danger to the town.
Cyril of Alexandria and Memnon of Ephe-
sus have banded together and mustered a
CLIII. Report of the same to the empresses
great mob of rustics, and have forbidden Pulcheria and Eudoxia.
both the celebration of the great feast of Pen-
tecost, and the evening and morning offices.^ We
had expected to be able to report to
They have shut the sacred churches and your pious majesties in different terms, but
martyrs' shrines they have
; assembled we are now compelled to make known to
apart with the victims of their deceit ; they you the following facts, forced as we
have wrought innumerable iniquities, tramp- are by the irregular exercise of despotic
ling under foot alike the canons of the holy power by Cyril of Alexandria and Memnon
Fathers, and your own decrees. And the of Ephesus. The proper course to have
action has been taken in face of the order been pursued, in accordance with the laws
given both in writing and by word of mouth of the Church, and the command of your
by the most excellent count Candidianus,^ pious majesties, would have been to wait
envoy of your Christ-loving majesty, that for the arrival of the godly bishops on the
the council must await the arrival of the road, and in common with them to examine
very holy bishops, coming from all quarters into the questions at issue concerning the
of the Empire, and then and not till then true faith, and investigate the point offered
formally assemble in obedience to your for discussion, and, after exact enquiry, to
piety's commands. Moreover Cyril of Alex- confirm the doctrines of the apostles. They
andria had written to me, the bishop of An- had written to me that they would wait for
tioch, two days before the meeting of their our arrival. They heard that we were only
synod, that the whole council was awaiting three stages off". Then they assembled an un-
my arrival. We
have therefore deposed constitutional council by themselves, and
both the aforenamed, Cyril and Memnon, have ventured on proceedings iniquitous, ir-
and have excluded them from all the services regular, and bristling with absurdities. And
of the church. The rest, who have partici- this they have done though the most honour-
pated in their iniquity, we have excommuni- able count Candidianus, sent by your pious
cated, until they shall reject and anathema- and Christian majesties for good order's
*
tize the Chapters issued by Cyril, which sake, expressly charged them, alike in writ-
are full of the Eunomian and Arian heresies, ing and by word of mouth, to wait for the
and shall, in obedience to your piety's com- arrival of the godly bishops who had been
mand, assemble together with us, and shall convened, and to attempt no innovation on
in an orderly manner and with all exactitude, the true faith, but to take their stand on the
together with ourselves, examine into the directions of our godly-minded sovereigns.
questions at issue, and confirm the pious Now in spite of their having heard the im-
doctrine of the holy Fathers. perial letter and the advice of the most hon-
As to the delay in my own arrival be it ourable count Candidianus, they have
known to your piety that, in consideration of nevertheless made naught of due order.
the distance of the way by land,
— and this As the pi'ophet says " They hatch cockatrice'
eggs, and weave the spider's web and he ;
'
Cyril's party
met on June 22, 431 — numbering- 19S, in the
, that would eat of their eggs when he breaks
Church of the Virgin. John of Antioch with liis fourteen sup-
porters did not arrive till the 27th. Unable to start from their them findeth rottenness, and therein is a vi-
diocese before April 26, the octave of Easter, they did not as-
semble at Antioch till May 10, and -then were delayed by a per,"
'
Wherefore we confidently cry "Their
famine. Immediately on tlieir arrival the " Conciliabuluni " webs become garments, neither shall
shall not
of the 43 anti-Cyrillians met with indecent precipitancy. " "
- Both
parties, regarding their opponents as excommuni- they cover themselves with their works.
cate, forbade them to perform their sacred functions.
2 " Comes domesticorum " commander of the
guards, -^vas
They have shut the churches and the mar-
representative of Theodosius II. and Valentinian III. at tyi"s'
shrines they have forbidden the celebra-
;
Candidianus was at first disposed to demur to the

I-^phesus.
condemnation of Nestorius as disorderly and irregular, and to tion of the holy feast of Pentecost ; besides this
si le with the Oiientals.
^
cf. p. 292. 1 Is. lix. 5. Ixx. » Is. lix. 6.
334 THEODORET.
they have sent the minions of their disorderly ordered an investigation and careful testing
to be made concerning the faith, and that
despotism into bishops' private houses, utter-
witli the consent and concord of all.
ing shoclving threats, and forcing them to Cyril,
affix tlieir signatures to illegal acts. We challenged, or rather himself convicting
therefore considering all their preposterous himself, on the count of the Apollinarian
conduct, have deposed the aforenamed Cyril doctrines, by means of the letter which he
and Memnon, and deprived them of their lately sent to the imperial city, with anathe-
episcopate. Their associates in irregularity, matisms, wherebv he is convicted of sharinw;
wliether influenced by sycophancy or by the views of the impious and heretic
fear, we have excommunicated, until, coming Apollinarius, pays no heed to this condition
to a knowledge of their own wounds, they of things, and, as though we were living
shall heartily repent, shall anathematize the with no emperor to go\ern us, is proceeding
heretical Chapters of Cyril, which are to every kind of lawlessness. He ouglit
tainted witli the heresy of Apollinarius, himself to be called to account for liis un-
Arius, and Eunomius, shall recover the faith sound opinion about our Lord Jesus Christ ;
of the Fathers in Council at Nicâ, and, in but, usurping an authority given him neither
obedience to the pious commands of our by the canons, nor bj- your edicts, he is
Christian sovereigns, shall, peacefully and hurrying headlong into every kind of dis-
without any tumult, assemble in synod, order and illegality.
be willing to examine with care the ques- Moved by these things the holy Synod,
tions submitted to them, and honestly protect which has refused to accept his devices for
the purity of the faith of the Gospel. damage of the faith, for the aforesaid
the
reasons deposes him. It deposes Memnon
CLIV. Report of the same to the Se?iate of also, who has been his counsellor and abettor
through all, who has kept up constant agita-
'
Constantinople.
tion against the very holy bishops for refus-
CLV. Letter of John, bishop of Antioch and ing to assent to his pernicious heterodoxy ;
his supporters, to the clergy of Constan- who has shut the churches and every place
tinople^
of prayer, as if we were living among the
heathen and the enemies of God who has
;
CLVI. Letter of the same of brought in the Ephesian mob, so that every
to the people
Constantinople? day we are in supreme danger, while we
look not to defence, but heed the right doc-
CL VIL Report of the Coimcil of (the bishops trines of true religion. For the destruction
of) the East to the victoriotis Emperor, of these men is identical with the establish-
announcing a second time the deposition of ment of orthodoxy.
and of Memnon*
Cyril
From his own Chapters your majesty can
have no difficulty in perceiving his impious
Your piety, which shines forth for the mind. He
is convicted of trying, so to say,
good of the empire and of the churches of to raise from Hades the impious Apollina-
God, has commanded us to assemble at rius, who died in his
heresy, and of attack-
Ephesus, in order to bring about peace and ing the churches and the orthodox faith. He
Grain for the Church, rather than to confuse
is shewn in his publications to anathematize
and disturb it. And the commands of your at once evangelists and apostles and them
majesty plainly and distinctly indicate your that succeeded them as forefathers of the
pious and peaceful intentions for the churches Church, who, moved not by their own im-
of Christ. But Cyril of Alexandria, a man,
aginations, but by the holy Spirit, have
it would seem, born and bred for the bane
of the churches, after taking into partner-
preached the true faith, and proclaimed the
gospel a faith and gospel indeed opposed to
ship the audacity of Memnon of Ephesus,
;
what this man holds and teaches and by in-

has first of all transgressed against your
culcating which he wishes to give his own
quieting and pious decree, and has so shewed the of the world.
his Your majesty had private iniquity mastery
general depravity. Since this is intolerable to us we have fol-
* This Report, couched in almost identical terms with the lowed the proper course, relying at once on the
preceding, I omit, although commonly accepted as the compo-
sition of Theodorct. divine grace and on your majesty's good will.
2 This is also
3 Omitted as
merely a short summary of CLII. and CLIII.
being a repetition of the preceding.
We know that vou give to nothing higher
i Tlic Latin version of
tlie title begins
" Rf/atio orientalis honour than to the sacred faith in which both
ronriliabu/i." So the rival and hurried gathering of the East-
erns was styled. The following letter is a further justi- vou and your thrice blessed forefathers have
ficaticm of their action, and illustrates the readiness and ability, \ been brought up. From them you have e- i
if not the temper and prudence, of the bishop of Cyrus, its
jirobable author.
' j
,
ceived the perpetual sceptre of empire, ever
LETTERS. 33S
putting down the opponents of the apostolic God would be driven away. But we have
doctrines. Such an opponent is the aforesaid been disappointed. Those men have been
Cyril, who, with the aid of Memnon, has made even yet more daring by their mad-
captured Ephesus as he might some fortress, ness ;they have given no heed to the
and justly shares with his ally the sentence sentence of deposition justly and in due
of deposition. Justly for, besides all that
: form passed upon them, nor have become
has been said, they have boldly tried every an}' more moderate in consequence of the
means of assault and every violence against rebuke of your majesty. They have trampled
us, who, to come together in council in rati- down alike the laws of your piety, and the
fication of your edict, have disregarded canons of the holy Fathers, and, some of them
every claim of home and country and self. being deposed and some excommunicated,
We are now the prey of tyranny, unless keep festivals, and celebrate communion, in
your piety intervene and order us to assemble Houses of Prayer. And we, as we have
in some other place, near at hand, where we already informed your Christ-loving majesty,
shall be able, from the scriptures, and from on the receipt of your clemency's kindly letter,
the writings of the Fathers, to refute beyond though our only desire was to pray in the
contradiction both Cyril and the victims of church of the Apostles, have not only been
his ingenuity. Wehave mercifully expelled prevented, but actually stoned, and chased
these men from communion with the sugf- for a considerable distance, so that we were
gested hope of salvation in case they should compelled to eflect our safety by flight at
repent although, as if on some campaign of
;
full speed. Our opponents on the contrary
uncivilized soldiery, they have up to this think that they may act just as they please.
moment furnished him with the means of They have declined to make investigation of
his illegality. Some were deposed long the questions at issue, and to undertake the
ago, and h:ive been restored by Cyril. Some defence of Cyril's heretical Chapters, rejecting
have been excommunicated by their own the plain j^roofs of the impiety which they
metropolitans, and admitted by him again contain. They are impudent from mere
into communion. Others have been im- impudence, while the examination of the
paled on various accusations, and have been questions before us requires not impudence,
promoted by him to honour. All through, but calmness, knowledge, and skill in mat-
the main motive of his action has been the ters of doctrine.
endeavour to achieve his heretical purpose Under these circumstances we have been
by the force of numbers, for he does not under the necessity of sending forward the
reckon as he ought that in what relates to most honourable Count Ireuceus, to approach
true religion, it is not numbers that are your piety, and to explain the position of
required, but rather correctness of doctrine, affairs. . He has
accurate information con-
and the truth of the doctrine of the apostles. cerning all that has occurred, and has
Men are needed who are competent to learned from us many modes of cure, whereby
establish these points not by audacity and it
may be possible to bring about the
masterful self-assertion but by pious use of I'estoration of tranquillity to the holy churches
apostolic testimony and example. of God. Webeseech your clemency to
For these reasons we beseech and im-
all grant him patient audience, and to give
plore your majesty to bear prompt aid to orders for the prompt carrying out of what-
assaulted truth, and to remedy without ever measures may seem good to your piety,
delay these men's masterful madness for, ;
that we be not here crushed beyond all
like a hurricane, it is
sweeping the less endui'ance.
moderate among us into pernicious heresy.
Your piety has had care for the churches in CLIX. Letter of the same to the Prccfect and
Persia and among the barbarians to the Master}
it is
onl}'
;
right that you should not neglect those which CLX. Letter of the same to the Gover7ior
are tossed by the storm within the boundaries
atid Scholasticus."
of the Roman empire.
CL VIII. CLXI. Report presejited to the Emperor by

Report of (the bishops of) the East
John, archbishop of Antioch and his sup-
to the very pio2is emperor, which they
delivered with the preceding Report to the porteis through Palladius Magistrianus.^
right honourable count Irenceus. •

Written at the same time and under the same circum-
On stances as the former, of which it is an abbreviation^ and is
receiving the letter of your piety we consequently omitted.
entertained hopes that the Egyptian storm - Omitted as
merely repeating the representation of CT.VII.
''This document defends tlie action of the couciliabulum,
which has lately struck the churches of speaking of Cyril, in consequence of their deposition, as
336 THEODORET.
CLXII. Letter of Theodoretus mitted to enter Constantinople, on account
to Andreas,
of the seditions of the excellent monks, we
bishop of Sainosata, written from Ephesus.^
heard that eight days before we had ap-
Writing from Ephesus I salute your holi-
I on peared (behold the glory of the most pious
ness, congratulate you your infirmity, the lord Nestorius was dismissed
and deem you dear to God, in that you have prince)
from Ephesus, free to go where he would
known what deeds have been afoinsT on
evil ;
whereat we are much distressed, since verily

here by report, and not by personal expe-
deeds done illegally and informally now
rience. Evil indeed They transcend all seem to have some force. Let
!
your holiness
imagination and all incidents of history
however be assured that we shall eagerly join
;
they compel a continual downpour of tears. the battle for the Faith, and are willing to
The body of the Church is in peril of dis-
memberment —
nay, rather I may say it
fighteven unto death. To-day, the nth of the
;
has received the first incision; unless the — month Gorpiieum,' we are expecting our
wise Healer restore and re-connect the un- very pious Emperor to cross over to
the Rufinianum,^ and there to hear the
sound and severed limbs. Once again the
trial.
Egyptian is raging against God, and warring We
therefore beg your holiness to pray
with Moses and Aaron I lis servants, and the
the Lord Christ to help us to be able to con-
more part of Israel are on the side of the
firm the faith of the holy Fathers, and to
foe for all too few are the sound who will-
;
pluck up by the roots these Chapters which

ingly suffer for true religion's sake. Ancient have sprouted to the damage of the Church.
principles are trodden under foot. Deposed We
men perform priestly functions, and they implore your holiness to think and act
with us, and to abide in your ready devotion
who have deposed them sit sighing at home.
Men excommunicated by the same sentence to the orthodox faith. When this letter was
^
written the lord Himerius
had not yet met
as the deposed have relieved the deposed of
us, being peradventure hindered on the road.
their deposition of their own free will. Such
But do not let this trouble you. Only let
is the
mockery of a synod held by Egyptians,
your strenuously support us, and we
by Palestinians, by men from the Pontic trust piety that gloom will disappear, and the
and Asian dioceses, and by the West in their
'^ truth shine forth.
company.
What players in a pantomime, in the days
of paganism, even in any farce so held up
CLXLV. Second Epistle of the same to the
Indeed what farce- same, expressing pretnature triumph in victory.^
religion to ridicule?
writer ever performed such a play? What Through the prayers of your holiness our
dramatist ever wrote so sad a tragedy ? Such most pious prince has granted us an audience,
and so great are the troubles that have beset and by God's grace we have got the better
God's Church, whereof I have narrated but of our opponents, as all our views have been
a very small part. accepted by the most Christ-loving emperor.
The reports of others were read, and what
CLXIII. First Letter of the Co7nmissioners of seemed unfit to be received, and had no
the East, sent to Chalcedon, among whom further importance, he rejected. They were
was Theodoretus.^ full of Cyril, and petitioned that he might
On our arrival at Chalcedon, for neither be summoned to give an account of himself.

we ourselves nor our opponents were per- So far they have not prevailed, but have
heard discourses on true religion, that is on
" "
lately bishop of Alexandria, and demanding the exile of the system of the Faith, and that the faith of
Mcmnon.
'
'rhis letter may be dated " towards the end of July or in the blessed Fathers was confirmed.
*
fur- We
the bcfînnins of August 431, after the restitution of Cyril and ther refuted Acacius who had laid down in
Mc-ninon on July 16, and before the departure of Thcodoret
from Hphcsus on August 20." Gariierius. Andrew ofSamo- his Coinmentaiies that the Godhead is
sata wrote objections to Cyril's Chapters in the name of the
passible. At this our pious emperor was
bishops of the East. He was prevented by illness from being
present at Ephesus in 431, as he was also from the synod as- so shocked at the enormity of the blasphemy
sembled at Antioch in 444 to hear the cause of Athaiiasius of
Perrha. He was a warm supporter of Nestorius. that he flung oft' his mantle, and stepped
This letter exists only in the Latin Version, and is to be
found also in Mansi Collect. Cone. ix. 293. gius, Theodoretus, greeting." The letter may be dated in
2 III
Ep. CI^XI. the numbers are specified; —" Of
Egyp- Sept. 431. Paul, bishop of Emesa, was ultimately an active
tians fifty; of Asiani under Memnon, leader of the tyranny, peacemaker in the dispute. Apringius was bishop of Chalcis.
fort^;
of the heretics in Pamphylia called Messalianitx, twelve; It only exists in the Eatin.
besides those attached to the same metropolitan " (i.e. Amphi- '
The Macedonian name for September.
lochius of Side) " and others deposed and excommunicated in -A villa in the vicinity of Chalcedon.
divers places by synods or bishops, who constitute nothing but "
Metropolitan of Nicomedia one of the Conciliabulum."
2
;
a mere turbulent and disorderly mob,

entirely ignorant of the
* Also
only in Iâtin.
divine decrees." ''
Bishop of Melitene in Armenia Secunda, an ardent anti-
' Another
version of the title runs "To the very holy and Ncstorian, who remonstrated with Cyril for consenting to
wise synod assembled at Ephesus, Joannes, Faulus, Aprin. make peace with the Orientals.
LETTERS. 337
back. We know
that the whole assembly may offer, and of the goodwill of the
welcomed us champions of true religion.
as audience, to carry out this purpose, God
It has seemed good to our most pious helping us. But that your holiness may not
emperor that anyone should explain his own be ignorant of this too, know that we, seeing
views, and report them to his piety. We that the partisans of Cyril have deceived
have replied that it is impossible for us everyone by domineering, cheating, flatter-
to make any other exposition than that made ing, and bribing, have more than once
by the blessed Fathers at Nicaea, and so it besought the very pious emperor and most
has pleased his majesty. We
therefore noble princes both to send us back to the
offered the form subscribed by your holiness. East, and let your holiness go home. For
Moreover, the whole population of Con- we are beginning to learn that we are
stantinople is continually coming out to us wasting time in vain, without nearing our
to implore us to fight manfully for the Faith. end, because Cyril everywhere shirks dis-
We do our best to restrain them, to avoid cussion, in his conviction that the blas-
giving offence to our opponents. We
have phemies published in his Twelve Chapters
sent a copy of the expositing, that two copies can be openly refuted. The very pious
may be made, and you may subscribe them emperor has determined, after many exhort-
both. ations, that we all go every one to his own
home, and that, further, both the Egyptian
CLXV. Letter of the same to the same} and Memnon of Ephesus are to remain in
To the very pious bishops now in Ephesus their own places. So the Egyptian will be
:
able to go on blindfolding by bribery. The

Johannes, Himerius, Faulus, Apringius,
one, after crimes too many to tell, is to
Theodoretus, greeting. For the fifth time
an audience has been granted us. return to his diocese.
We The other, an inno-
cent man, is barely permitted to go home.
entered largely into the question of the
heretical Chapters, and swore again and
We
and all here salute you and all the
brotherhood with you.
again to the very pious emperor that it was
impossible for us to hold communion with
our opponents unless they rejected the CLXVI. First
petition of the commissioners,
Chapters. We
pointed out moreover that addressed from Chalcedon, to the JSm-
even if Cyril did abjure his Chapters he
peror.
could not be received by us, because he had
become the heresiarch of so impious a It had been much to be desired that the
Nevertheless we no word of true religion should not be adulter-

heresy. gained ground,
because our adversaries were urgent, and ated by ridiculous explanations, and least of
their hearers could neither restrain them in all by men who have obtained the priesthood
their insolent endeavour, nor compel them to and high office in the churches, and who
come to enquiiy and argument. They thus have been induced, we know not how, by
evade the investigation of the Chapters, and ambition, by lust of authority, and by certain
to despise all the command-
allow no discussion concerning them. We, poor promises,
as are to ments of Christ. Their only motive has
however, you entreat, ready insist
to the death. We refuse to been the desire to pay court to a man who
receive Cyril
has the presumption to hope that he and his
and his Chapters we will not admit these
;
men to Communion till the improper ad-abettors will be able to manage the whole
ditions to the Faith be rejected. We business with success I mean Cyril of Alex- ;
therefore implore your holiness to continue andria. Of his own frivolity he has intruded
to show at once our mind and our efforts. into the holy churches of God heretical doc-
The battle is for true for the trines which he believes himself able to sup-
hope we have, — on religion ;

only
port by argument.
account of which we He expects to escape
look forward to the chastisement of sinners by the sole help
world
enjoying, in the to
come, the loving-kindness of our Saviour. of Memnon and the bishops
of the aforesaid
As to the very pious and holy bishop conspiracy.
Nestorius, be it known to your piety that we
are lovers of silenceWe in general we ;
have tried to introduce a word about him, but advise a philosophic course of action. Now,
have hitherto failed, because all are ill- however, sensible that to be silent and to
affected toward him. We will notwith- cultivate philosophy would be to throw away
the Faith, we turn in supplication to you
standing do our best, though this is so, to
take advantage of any opportunity that who, next to the Goodness on high, are the
sole preserver of the world. We know that
1
Only in Latin. it
specially belongs to you to be anxious for
VOL. in.
338 THEODORKT.
true religion, as having, up to this present have devised certain other ineans. This will
day, continually protected it, and being in become still more clear and your piety will
;
turn protected by it. soon see that they will distribute the rewards
We beg you therefore to receive this trea- of their treachery, as though they were the
tise, as though our defence were to be spoils of the faith of Christ.
pleaded in the presence of the most holy But we, of whom some were long ago or-
God not because we are less active in the
; dained by the very pious Juvenal, bishop of
sacred cause, but because we are devoted to Jerusalem, have kept silence, although it was
true religion, and are speaking in its behalf. our duty to contend for the canon, that we
For in Christian times the clergy have no might not seem to be troubled for our own
more boundea duty than to bear testimony reputation's sake. We are now perfectly
before so faithful a prince, however ready we well aware of his active trickery through
might have been to yield our bodies and to Phoenicia Secunda and Arabia.
really We
lay down our lives a thousand times in the have not time to attend to such things. We
battle for the faith. We therefore beseech are men who have preferred rather to be de-
you by God who secth all things, by our Lord prived of the very places of which the min-
Jesus Christ who will judge all men in istry has been entrusted to us, and so of our
righteousness, by the Holy Ghost by whose life, than of our ready zeal for the faith.
grace you hold your empire, and by the To the attempts of those men we will oppose
elect angels who are your guardians and the sentence of God and of
your piety.
whom one day you shall see standing by the Now also we beg that true religion may
awful throne, and ceaselessly offering unto be your one and primary care, and that the
God that dread doxology which it is now brightness of orthodoxy, which at length
sought to corrupt ;
we beseech your piety, with difficulty blazed forth in the days of
besieged as you now are by the craftiness of Constantine of holy name, was maintained
certain men who are forbidding access to by your blessed grandfather and father, and
you, and are supporting the introduction into was extended by your majesty among the
the faith of heretical Chapters, utterly at Persians and other barbarians, be not allowed
variance with sound doctrme, and tainted to grow dim in the very innermost courts of
with heresy, to order all who subscribe your imperial palace, or, in your
serenity's
them, or assent to them, and wish, after your days, to be dispersed.
promised pardon, to dispute further, to come You will not send, sir, a divided Chris-
forth and submit to the discipline of the tianity into Persia nor here at home will
;
Church. Nothing, sir, is more worthy of there be anything great, while we are dis-
an emperor than to fight for the truth, for tressed by disputes, and while there is no
which you hurried to join battle with Per- one existing on their side to settle them no ;
sians and other barbarians, when Christ one will take part in a divided Word and
granted you to win f;dr victories in acknowl- Sacraments no one without loss of faith
;
edgment of your zeal towards Him. We will cut himself off from such famous fathers
beseech you that the questions at issue may and saints who have never been condemned.
be put before your piety in writing, for thus No imperial successes will be
permitted to a
their purport will be more
easily perceived, people at variance among themselves ; a
and the transgressors will be convicted for burst of derision will be roused from the
all future time. If however
anyone, heedless enemies of true religion and all the other;
of the utterances for which he shall be at noxious consequences of their

malignant con-
fault, shall wish by his teaching to prevail troversy are too numerous to reckon.
over the right faith, it will be the part of If there is anyone who thinks little of the
your justice and judgment to consider whether science of theology, let that one be any one
the very name of teachers has not been in the world rather than he to whom the Lord
thrown away by men who are reluctant to has given the supreme government of the
run any risks concerning the doctrines which world. Our petition is that your piety will
they introduce, refusing to be obedient to give judgment, for God will guide your in-
your orders, that they may escape conviction telligence into exact comprehension. Finally,
for having done wrong nor
; reckoning them should this be impracticable (and all the
worth refutation, that their mutual conspiracy engagements of your piety we cannot know)
be not proved fruitless. For now it is clear, we beseech your
serenity to give us leave to
from those that have been ordained by them travel safely home. We
are aware that to
that some of them, in return for this impiety, the dioceses entrusted to us cause of offence
have bethought them of obliging certain is given by so protracted a delay, on account
persons by the concession of dignities and of those men who even in sacred matters
LETTERS. 339
look out for of dissension

opportunities For after hearing the letter they did not
whence no advantage can be derived. change their mode of action they held com- ;
munion with the deposed spoke of them as ;
CLXVII. Second petition of the same, sent bishojos, and refused to allow the
Chapters,
from Chalcedon to Thcodosins Artgustus. which had been propounded to the loss and
Your piety has been informed on several corruption of the pious faith to be rejected ;
occasions, both by ourselves in person and notwithstanding their having been frequently
by our emissaries, that the doctrine of the summoned by us to discussion. For we had
true faith seems to stand in dans:er of beinsr ready to hand a plain refutation of the heret-
corrupted, and that the body of the Church is
ical Chapters.
rent asunder men who In evidence of these statements we have
apparently being by
are turning everything upside down, tramp- the right honourable Master, who when both
sides had been summoned a third and a
ling upon all church order, and all imperial
law, and throwing everything into confusion, fourth time, not venturing to make this con-
that they may confirm the heresy propounded duct an excuse on account of their disobedi-
by Cyril of Alexandria. For when we were ence, thought it worth while to summon us
first summoned by your piety to Ephesus, to hither.
enquire into the question which had arisen, We came at once on our arrival we al-
;
and to confirm the evangelic and apostolic lowed ourselves no rest making our petition,
faith laid down by the holy Fathers, before both before your piety and before the illus-
the arrival of all the bishops who had been trious assembly, that they would take
up the
convened, the holders of their own private quarrel for the Chapters and enter into dis-
Council confirmed in writing the heretical cussion concerning them, or on the other
Chapters, which are at one with the impiety hand reject them as contrary to the right
of Arius, Eunomius and Apollinarius. faith, abiding by the faith as laid down by
Some they deceived some they terrified
; ;
the blessed fathers in council at Nictea.
others already charged with heresy, they re- They refused to do anything of the kind ;
ceived into communion and others who had

; they pei-sisted in their heretical procedure ;
not communicated with them were bribed yet they were allowed to attend the churclies,
into so doing others again were fired with
;
and to perform their priestly functions. We,
the hope of dignities for which they were however, alike at Ephesus and here, have
unfit so these men gathered round them
;
been for a long time deprived of communion ;
a great crowd of adherents, as though they alike there and here we have undergone in-
had no idea that true religion is shewn not numerable perils ; and while we were being
by numbers, but by truth. stoned and but slain by slaves dressed up
all
The dispatch of your piety was read a as monks, we took it all for the best, as will-
second time by the niost honourable Count ingly enduring such treatment in the cause
Candidianus, ordering that the questions re- of the truth.
cently raised be examined in a quiet and Afterwards it seemed good to your majesty
brotherly manner. When however all the that we and the opposite party should assem-
pious bishops were assembling, the reading ble once agam that the recalcitrant miaht be
had no effect. compelled to examine the doctrines. While
Then came the noble Palladius Magistri- we were waiting for this to come to pass your
anus, bringing another dispatch from your piety set out for the city, and ordered the
majesty, to the effect that all enactments very men who were being accused of heresv
passed privately and apart must be rescinded and had been therefore some of them de-
;
that the Council must be assembled afresh, posed by us, and others excommunicated and
and the true doctrine ratified but, as usual, thereafter to be subjected to the discipline of
;
this your pious mandate was treated with the Church, to come to the city and perform
contempt by these unscrupulous persons. priestly functions, and ordain.' however We
Then again arrived the right honourable who in the cause of true religion have un-
Master John, at that time " Comes Largi- dertaken a struggle so tremendous we who ;
tionum," bringing another pious letter to the have shrunk from no peril in our battle for
effect that the depositions of the three had right doctrine, have neither been bidden to
been decreed, that the oflences which had enter the city to serve the cause of the im-
sprung up were to be removed, and the faith perilled Faith and strive for orthodoxy nor* ;
laid down at Nictea by the holy and blessed have we been permitted to return home ;
Fathers was to be ratified by all. As usual i.e. Maximianus, in succession to Nestorius, Oct. 25,
1
these universal mockers transgressed this 431-

- Nestorius was
permitted to return to his old monastery at
law too. Antioch.
340 THEODORET.
but here we are in distressed and nowr we are told that we may go home.
Chalcedon
and groaning oppressed by They however who have thrown everything
for the Cliurch
schism. into confusion, who have filled the world
Wherefore since we are in receipt of no with tumult, who are striving to rend
reply we have thought it necessary to inform churches in twain, and who are the open
your piety by this present letter, before God assailants of true religion, perform priestly
and Christ and the Holy Ghost, that if any functions, crowd the churches, and as they
one shall have been ordained (before the imagine have authority to ordain, though in
settlement of right doctrines) by these men truth it is illegally claimed by them, stir up
of heretical opinions, he must necessarily be seditions in the church, and what ought to
cut off from the whole church, as well from be spent upon the poor they throw away
the clergy as the dissentient laity. For none upon their bullies.
of the pious will endure that communion be But you are not only their emperor you ;
granted to heretics, and their own salvation arc ours too. For no small portion of your
be nullified. empire is the East, wherein the right faith
And when this shall have come to pass, has ever shone, and, besides, the other prov-
then your piety shall be comjDclled to act inces and dioceses from which we have been
against your will. For the schism will grow convened.
beyond all expectation, and thereby the Let not your majesty despise the faith
champions of true religion will be saddened, which is being corrupted, in which you and
unable to endure the loss of their own souls, your forefathers have been baptized on ;
and the establishment of those impious doc- which the Church's foundations are laid for ;
trines of Cyril which the contentious are de- which most holy martyrs have rejoiced to
sirous of defending. sufter countless kinds of death ; by aid of
Many indeed of the supporters of true which you have vanquished barbarians and
religion will never allow the acceptance of destroyed tyrants which you are needing
;
Cyril's doctrines; we shall never allow it, now in your war for the subjugation of
who all are of the diocese of the East of your Africa. For on your side will fight the God
province, of the diocese of Pontus, of Asia, of all if you struggle on behalf of His holy
of Thrace, of Illyricum and of the Italics, doctrines and forbid the dismemberment of
and who also sent to your piety the treatise the body of the church for dismembered it
:
of the most blessed Ambrose, written against will be if the opinion prevail which Cyril
this nascent superstition. has introduced into the Church and other
To avoid all this, and the further troubling heretics have confirmed.
of yom- piety, we beg, beseech, and implore To these truths we have often already
you to issue an edict that no ordination take borne testimony before God both in Ephesus
place before the settlement of the orthodox and in this place. I have furnished infor-
faith, on account of which we have been mation to your holiness, giving an account
convened by your Christ-loving highness. as before the God of all. For this is required
of us, as is taught in the divine Scripture
CLXVIII. Third demand of the same, ad- both by prophets and apostles ;
as says
the blessed Paul " I give thee charge in the
dressed from Chalcedon to the sovereigns.
sight of God, who quickeneth the dead, and
We never expected the summons of your of Lord Jesus Chx-ist, who before Pontius
"
piety to meet with this result. We
were Pilate witnessed a good confession and
;
'
honourably convoked, as priests by prince as

;
God charged Ezekiel to announce to the
we were convoked to ratify the faith of the people, adding threats and saying, " when
holy Fathers and therefore, in due obedi- thou givest him not warning,
;
. .. his
ence to a pious prince, we came. On our blood will I require at thine hand." ^
arrival we were no less faithful to the Church, In awe of this sentence, once again we in-
nor less respectful to your edict. From the form your majesty that they who have been
day of our arrival at Ephesus till the present permitted to hold churches, and who teach
moment we have without intermission fol- the doctrines of Apollinarius, Arius, and Eu-
lowed your behests. nomius, perform all sacred functions irregu-
As it seems, however, our moderation, in larly and in violation of the canons, and
these times, has not been of the slightest use destroy the souls of all who approach them ;
to us ; nay, rather, so far as we can see, it if, indeed, any shall be found willing to
has stood very much in our way. We
in- listen to them. For by the grace of God
deed who have thus behaved have been up
to the present time detained in Chalcedon ; I. Tim. vi. '3-
' * Ez. iii. i8.
LETTERS. 341
whose Providence is over all, and w^ho The object of men who " seek their own not
"
wishes men to be saved, the more part of the things which are Jesus Christ's
all is to
'
the people is sound, and warmly attached to be reconciled with them against our will.
pious doctrines. It is on their account that But this is no business of mine, for God
we grieve. weighs our motives and tries our character,
And in our anguish and alarm lest the nor does He inflict chastisement for what is
plague creeping on by little and little should done against our will. Be it known to your
attack more, and the evil become general, holiness that if ever I said a word about our
we thus instruct your serenity, and continue friend^ either before the very pious emperor
to give you exhortation we implore your or the illustrious assembly, I was at once
;
majesty to yield to our prayers and to pro- branded as a rebel. So intensely is l)e hated
hibit any addition to be made to the Faith by the court party. This is most annoy-
of the holy Fathers assembled in council at ing. The most pious emperor, especially,
Nicaea. cannot bear to hear his name mentioned and
And if after this our entreaty your piety says publicly " Let no one speak to me of
reject this doctrine, which was given in the this man." On one occasion he gave an in-
presence of God, we will shake off the dust stance of this to me. Nevertheless as long
of our feet against you, and cry with the as I am here I shall not cease to serve the
blessed Paul, "We
are pure from your interests of this our father, knowing that the
blood." For we cease not night and day impious have done him wrong.
'
from the moment of our arrival at this dis- My desire is that both your piety and I
tinguished council to bear witness to prince, myself get quit of this. No good is to be
nobles, soldiers, priests and people, that we hoped from it, in as much as all the judges
hold fast the Faith delivered to us by the trust in gold, and contend that the nature of
Fathers. Godhead and manhood is one.
the
however by God's grace
All the people
CLXIX. Letter written by Theodoretus, bishop are in good case, and constantly come out
I have begun to discourse to them
of CyrtiSy from Chalcedon to Alexander of to us.
Hierapolis^
and have celebrated very large commun-
ions.
We have left no means untried, of courtesy, On the fourth occasion I spoke at length
of sternness, of entreaty, of eloquence be- about the faith and they listened with such
fore the most pious emperor, and the illus-
delight that they did not go away till the
trious assembly, testifying before God who
seventh hour but held out even till the mid-
sees all things and our Lord Jesus Christ
day heat. An enormous crowd was gathered
who shall judge the world in justice,^ and the in a great court, with four verandahs, and I
Holy Spirit and his elect angels, lest the preached from above from a platform near
Faith be despised which is now being coi"-
the roof.
rupted by the maintainers and bold sub-
All the clergy with the excellent monks
scribers of heretical doctrines and that
are on the contrary utterly opposed to me, so
;
chai'ge be given for it to be laid down in the that when we came back from the Rufini-
same terms as at Nicaea and for the rejec-
anum, after the visit of the very pious em-
tion of the heresy introduced to the loss and
stone throwing began and many of
ruin of true religion. to this time peror,
Up my companions were wounded, by the people
however we have produced not the slightest and false monks.
effect, our hearers being carried now in one
The very pious emperor knew that the
direction and now in another.
mob was gathered against me and coming up
Nevertheless all these difficulties have not
tome alone he said, *' I know that you are
been able to deter me from urging my point,
assembling improperly." Then, said I,
but by God's grace I have pressed on. I " As
have even stated to our pious emperor with you have allowed me to speak hear me
with favour. Is it fair for excommunicated
an oath that it is perfectly impossible for
heretics to be doing duty in churches, while
Cyril and Memnon to be reconciled with I, who am fighting for the Faith and am
me, and that we can never communicate with therefore excluded by others from commun-
any one who has not previously repudiated the ion, am not allowed to enter a church.-*"
heretical Chapters. This then is our mind.
He replied "What am I to do.?" I said,
" What comes laroitionum did at
1 Acts. XX. 26. your
' Dated
by Garnerius at the end of September or begin- Ephesus. When he found that some were
ning ol October 431, before the order had been given for the
withdrawal of the Easterns and the entry of the other party to
consecrate a bishop.
1 » i.e. Nestorius.
»cf, II. Tiro. iv. 1. Phil, ii. zi.
342 THEODORET.
assembling, but that we were not asscin- for that letter as is right charged the aliove
bling, lie stopped them saying,
'
If you are named very godly bishop to fight for the
not peaceful 1 will allow neither party to Faith laid down by the blessed fathers as-
assemble.' It would have become your sembled in council at Niccea, and not to
piety also to have given directions to the allow any corruption to be introduced into
bishop here both the opposite party those invincible definitions which are suffi-
to forbid
and ourselves assemble before our meeting cient at once to exhibit the truth and to
to
together to make known your righteous sen- refute falsehood. So your holiness rightly,
tence to all." To this he replied '* It is not justly, and piously advised, and the recipient
"
for me to order the bishop and I answered of the letter followed your counsel. But
;
" Neither shall

you command us, and we many of the members of the council, to use
will take a church, and asseml)le. Your the word of the prophet, " have gone aside,"
piety will find that there are many more on and have "altogether become filthy,"' for
our side than on theirs." In addition to this they have abandoned the Faith which they
I pointed out that we had neither reading of received from the holy Fathers, and have
the holy Scripture, nor oblation but only subscril)ed the twelve Chapters of Cyril of
;
"
prayer for the Faith and for your majesty, Alexandria, which teem with Apollinarian
and pious conversation." So he approved, error, are in agreement with the impiety of
and made no further prohibition. The re- Arius and Eunomius, and anathematize all
sult is that increased crowds ilock to us, and who do not accept their unconcealed unor-
gladly listen to our teaching. I therefore thodoxy. To this plague smiting the Church
beg your piety to pray that our case may vigorous resistance has been offered by us
have an issue pleasing to God. I am in who have assembled from the East, and
daily danger, suspecting the wiles of both others from difierent dioceses, with
the
monks and clergy, as I witness alike their object of securing the ratification of the Faith
influence and their negligence. delivered by the blessed Fathers at Niciea.
For in it, as your holiness knows, there is
for the teaching of

CLXX. Letter of certain. Easterns, 7vho had nothing lacking whether
evangelic doctrines, or for the refutation of
been sent to Constantinople^ to Bishop
every heresy.
Riifiis.
For the sake of this Faith we continue to
To our most godly and holy fellow- struggle, despising alike all the joys and
minister Rufus, Joannes, Himcrius, Theo- sorrows of mortal life, if only we may
doretus, and the rest, send greeting in the preserve untouched this heritage of oin-
Lord.' fathers. For this reason we have dejDosed
True religion and the peace of the Church Cyril and Memnon the former as prime ;
sufler, we think, in no small degree, from mover in the heresy, and the latter as his
the absence of your holiness. Had you been aider and abettor in all that has been done
on the spot you might have put a stop to the to ratify and uphold the Chapters published
disturbances which have arisen, and the to the destruction of the Church. have We
violence that has been ventured on, and also excommunicated all that have dared to
mi<rht have fought on our side for the sub- subscribe and support these impious doc-
jection of the heresies introducctl into the trines till they shall have anathematized them,
orthodox Faith, and that doctrine of apostles and returned to the Faith of the Fathers at
and evangelists which, handed down from Nicrca.
time to time from father to son, has at length But our long-sulTering has done them no
been transmitted to ourselves. good. To this day they continue to do
And we do not assert this without ground, battle for those pernicious doctrines and
for we have learnt the mind of your holiness have impaled themselves on the law of the
from the letter written to the very godly canon which distinctly enacts " If any
and holy Julianus, bishop of Sardica, bishop deposed by a synod, or presbyter or
deacon deposed by his own bishop, shall
'After pointing out tliat snpcrsciiplion, style, expression,
sentiments, and circuinstanccs all indicate Thcodoret as the perform his sacred office, without waiting
writer of this letter, Garncriiis proceeds "The objection of for the judgment of a synod, he is to have no
Baronius that mention is made of Martinus, bishop of Milan,
when there never was a Martinus bishop of Milan, is not of opportunity for defending himself, not even
great importance. Thcodoret at a distance niifjht easily write in anotlier synod but also all who communi-
:
Martinus for Martinianus, or a copyist might abbreviate the

name to this form." The date of the letter is marked as after cate with him are to be expelled from the
the order to the bishops to remain at Constantinople, and be- church." Now this law has been broken
fore permission was given them to return home. The Letters
were also written to Martinianus of Milan, to T"hn of
Ravenna, and to John of Aquileia, but only that to Rufus is 1
extant. Rufus is probably <hc bishop of Tliessalonica. PLJ.xiv.j.
LETTERS. 343
both by the deposed and the excommunicate. death," and all similar passages belonging
For immediately after the deposition and to the manhood of the Christ. Any one
the excommunication becoming known to may perceive how these statements corre-
tliem, they performed sacred functions, and spond with the impiety of Alius and Euno-
they continue to do so, in plain disbelief of mius for they, finding themselves unable to
;
Him who said " Whatsoever ye shall bind on establish the diilerence of substance, connect,
earth shall be bound in heaven." as has been said, the suHei iiigs, and the terms
'
With this we have thought well to acquaint of humiliation, with tlie Godhead of the
your holiness at once, but in expectation of Christ.
some favourable change, we have waited up And be your reverence well assured that
to the present time. But we have been dis- now in their churches the Arian teachers
appointed. They have continued to fight for preach no other doctrine than that the sup-
" homousion " at
this impious heresy, and
pay no attention to porters of the present hold
the counsels of the very pious emperor. On the same views as Arius, and that, after long
five separate occasions he has met us, and time, the truth has now at last been brought
ordered them either to reject the Chapters of to light.
Cyril as contrary to the Faith, or to be will- We
on the contrary abide in the teaching,
ing to do battle in their behalf, and to shew and follow in the pious footprints, of the
in what way they are in agreement with the blessed Fathers assembled at Nicaea, and of
confession of the Fathers, We
have our their illustrious successors, Eustathius of
proofs at hand, whereby we should have Antioch, Basil of Ctesarea, Gregory, John,
shewn that they are totally opposed to the Athanasius, Theophilus, Damasus of Rome,
teaching of orthodoxy, and for the most part and Ambrose of Milan. For all these, fol-
in agreement with heresy. lowing the words of the apostles, have left
For in these very Chapters the author of the us an exact rule of orthodoxy, which all we
noxious productions teaches that the God- of the East earnestly desire to preserve im-
head of the only begotten Son suffered, instead moved. The same is the wish of the Bithyn-
of the manhood which He assumed for the ians, the Paphlagonians, of Cappadocia
sake of our salvation, the indwelling God- Secunda, Pisidia, Mysia, Thessaly, and
head manifestly appropriating the sufferings Rhodope, and very many moi'e of the dif-
as of Its own body, though suffering nothing ferent provinces. The Italians too, it is
in Its own nature and further that there is evident, will not endure this new-fangled
;
made one nature of both Godhead and man- doctrine for the very godly and holy Marti-
hood, —
for so he explains " The Word was nus," bishop of Milan, has written a letter to
;
made flesh," " as though the Godhead had us, and has sent to the very pious emperor a
undergone some change, and been turned work by the blessed Ambrose on the incarna-
into flesh. tion of the Lord, of which the teaching is
And, further, he anathematizes those who opposed to these heretical Chapters.
make a distinction between the terms used And be it known to your holiness that
by apostles and evangelists about the Lord Cyril and Memnon have not been satisfied
Christ, referring those of humiliation to the with corrupting the orthodox Faith, but have
manhood, and those of divine glory to the trampled all the canons under foot. For they
Godhead, of the Lord Christ. It is with have received into communion men excom-
these views that Arians and Eunomians, at- municated in various provinces and dioceses.
tributing the terms of humiliation to the Others lying under charges of heresy, and of
Godhead, have not shrunk from declaring the same mind as Celestius and Pelagius,
God the Word to be made and created, of (for they are Euchitse, or Enthusiasts"^) and
another substance, and unlike the Father. therefore excommunicated by their diocesans
What blasphemy follows on these state- and metropolitans, they have, in defiance of
ments it is not difficult to perceive. There all ecclesiastical discipline received into com-
is introduced a confusion of the natures, and munion, so swelling their following from all
to the Word are applied the words
God possible quarters, and shewing their eager-
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken ness to enforce their teaching less by piety
me ;" ^ and " Father, if it be possible let this than by violence. For when they had been
*
cup pass from me," the hunger, the thirst, stripped bare of piety they devised, in their
and the strengthening by an angel His ;
2 Vide note on
1 Matt. xxvi. 3S.
saying "Now is my soul troubled,"* and
superscription.
3cf. note on p. 114. Celestius, an Irishman of good fam-
" ily, was associated with Pelagius at Rome. Both were con-
my
soul is even unto
exceeding sorrowful, demned at Ephesus in 431. The connexion of Pelagius with
the Euchitse may be suggested by the denial of the former of
J Matt, xviii. i8. 3 Ps. xxii. 1. 6
John xii. 27. original sin and the depreciation by the latter of baptism as
2 *
John i.
14. Matt. xxvi. 39. producing no results.
344 THEODORET.
extremity, another sort of force, walls of — have carefully examined its purport, and we
flesh, with the idea that by their showers of have discovered that its contents arc quite in
bribery tliey might vanquisli the faitli of the accordance witii oiu" own statements, and en-
Fathers. But so long as yoin- lioliness puts tirely opposed to the Twelve Chapters,
forth yom* strength, and you continue to light, against which up to the joresent time we have
as you arc wont, in defence of true religion, continued to wage war, as being contrary to
none of these devices will be of the least true religion. Their teaching was that God
avail. We
exhort you therefore, most holy the Word was carnally made flesh that ;
sir, to communion of the un- there was an union of hypostasis, and that
l)e\vare of the
scrupulous introducers of this heresy; and to the combination in union was of nature, and
make kntnvn to all, both far and near, that God the Word was the first-born from
that these are the points for which the thrice the dead. They forbade all distinction in
blessed Damasus deposed the heretics Apol- the terms used of our I.,ord, and further con-
linarius, Vitalius, and Timothcus and that tained other doctrines at variance with the
;
the Epistle in which the writer has con- seeds sown liy the apostles, and outcome of
cealed his heresy and coloured it with a heretical tares. 'J'he present script, however,
coating of truth, must not in simplicity be is beautified by apostolic nobility of origin.

received. For in the Chapters he has boldly For in it our Lord Jesus Christ is exhibited as
laid bare his impiety, and dared to anathema- pei'fect God and perfect man it shews tv\'o ;
tize all who disagree with him, while in the natures, and the distinction between them ;
letter he has vilely endeavoured to harm the an unconfounded union, made not by mixture
simpler readers. and compounding, but in a manner ineflable

Your holiness must therefore beware of and divine, and distinctly preserving the
neglecting this matter, lest when, too late, properties of the natures; the impassibility
you see this heresy confirmed, you grieve in and immortality of God the Word the pas- ;
vain, and sutler affliction at being no longer sibility and temporary surrender to death of
able to defend the cause of truth. the temple, and its resurrection by the power
We have also sent you a copy of the me- of the united God that the holy Spirit is not
;
morial which we have given to the most of the Son, nor derives existence from the
pious and Christ-loving emperor, containing Son, but proceeds from the Father, and is
the faith of the holy Fathers at Nictca, properly stated to be of the Son, as being of
wherein we have rejected the newly-invented one substance.' Beholding this orthodoxy in
heresies of Cyril, and adjudged them to be the letter, we have hymned Him who heals
opposed to the orthodox faith. our stammering tongues, and changes our
vSince in accordance witli the orders of the discordant noises into the harmony of sweet
^
very pious emperor only eight of us travelled music.
to Constantinople, we have subjoined the
copy of the order given us by the holy synod, CLXXII. Letter of Theodorctus to Ncstorius?
that you may be acquainted with the prov-
inces contained in it. Your holiness will To the very reverend and religious lord
and very holy Fatlier, Nestorius, the bishop
learn them from the signatures of the metro-
Theodorctus sends greeting in the Lord,
politans. We
salute the brotherhood which
Your holiness is, I think, well aware that I
is with you.
take no pleasure in cultivated society, nor in
the interests of this life, nor in reputation,
CLXXI. T,cttcr of Thcoiiorct to John, bishop nor am I attracted
by other sees. Had I
of Aiifioch, after the reconciliation} learnt this lesson from no other source, the
God, who goverHS all things in wisdom, very .solitude of the city'' over which I am
who provides for our unanimity, and cares called to preside would sufhce to teach me
for the salvation of Ilis people, has caused us this philosophy. It is not indeed dis-
to be assembled together, and has shewn us attaiiied if the Orientals would
give up Nestorius. It exists in
that the views of all of us are in agreement Latin. Synod. Mansi, V. S31.
Vide p. 279. Note. '
with one another. We

have assembled to-
"
- The
following paragraph,
found only in the Vatican MS.,
gether, and read the Egyptian Letter we and described by Schulze as " inept," is omitted. It has no
;
significance.
•'
Of this letter the Greek copies have perished. Three Latin
1 Tliis Letter nppcars to be that of the Euphratcnsian synod. versions e\-i.st.
(" prohat primiim lure vox o' kou(u, in conventu : deindc (i) In Synod c. 120. Mans. v. S9S.
plnralis numcriis itb/i/ttf posit/is." Garneriu'^.) (ii) In sytiodi

qHiiil(e collafione. Man«:. IX. 204.
Cjainciiiis wcnikl (late it (liirin<; the negotiations for reconcil- (iii) Aversion of Marius Mercator from the Recension of
iation, wlicii of Antioc)i visitcil Acacius at Bercra, after Garneriiis. 'riic two latter arc both i,'iveii in .Mignc, Theod.
John
the Orientals had accepted Cyril's formula of faith. Schiil/,e I\'. 48(^1. The translation given follows the former of these
would rather place it after the negotiations were over. two. 'rho date appears to be iioi long after the receipt by
'I'hiodoret of the Chapters of Cyril.
»
Presumably the letter written by Cyril to Acacius, seltini;
forth his own view, and representing that peace niijiht be 4 cl.
p. J07.
LETTERS. 345
also by very to the Godhead, and the lowly to the man-

tinguished only tor solitude, but
hood. Such are the writings now brought
many disturbances which may check the ac-
even of those who most delight in from Egypt.
tivity
them.
Let no one therefore persuade your holi- CLXXIV. To Bimerius, bishop of Nico media}
ness that I have accepted the Egyptian writ- We wish to acquaint your holiness that on
because
ings as orthodox, with my eyes shut, reading and frequently discussing the letter
I covet any see. For really, to speak the
brought from Egypt we find it in harmony
truth, after" frequently reading and carefully with the doctrine of the Church. Of the
examining them, I have discovered that they twelve Chapters we have proved the con-
are free from all heretical taint, and I have time we con-
trary, and up to the present
hesitated to put any stress upon them, though tinue to oppose them. We have therefore
I certainly have no love for their author, determined, if your holiness has recovered
who was the originator of the disturbances the churches divinely entrusted to you, that
which have agitated the world. For this I
you ought to communicate with the Egyp-
hope to escape punishment in the day of tians and Constantinopolitans and others who
Judgment, since the just Judge examines have fought with them against us, because
niotives. But to what has been done un- have professed to hold our faith, or I
and illegally against your holiness,
not they
justly should rather say the faith of the apostles ;
even if one were to cut off both my hands but not to
give your consent to the alleged
would I ever assent, God's grace helping me condemnation of the
very holy and venerable
and supporting my infirmity. This I have Nestorius. For we hold it
impious and un-
stated in writing to those who require it. I
in the case of charges in which both
just
have sent to your holiness reply to what my favour on
appeared as defendants to lavish
you wrote to me, that you may know that, the one and shut the door of repentance on
by God's grace, no time has changed me like the other. Far more unjust and impious is
the centipedes and chameleons who imitate it to condemn an innocent man to death.
by their colour the stones and leaves among Your holiness should be assured that you
which they live. I and all with me salute all
ought not to communicate with them
before
the Brotherhood who are with you in the churches. For this
Lord.
you have recovered your
not only I but all the holy bishops of our dis-
trict decreed in the recent Council.
CLXXIII. Letter to Andreas, Monk of Con-
stantinople} CLXXV. To Alexander of HierapoUs}
God
*'
is faithful who will
not suffer you to 1 have already informed your holiness that
be tempted above that ye are able but ; if the doctrine of the very holy and venerable
will with the temptation also make a way bishop, my lord Nestorius, is condemned,
I
*
to escape that ye may be able to bear it," will not communicate with those who do so.
and convicts falsehood, although now re-
— If it shall please your holiness to insert this
futed assertion of the falsehood is approved, in the letter which is being sent to Antioch
— and the power of truth has been shewn. so be it. Let there then, I beseech you, be
For, lo, they, who by their impious reason- no delay !
ing had confused the natures of our Saviour

Christ, and dared to preach one nature, and CLXXVL
Letter to the same Alexander after
therefore insulted the most holy and venera- he had learnt that John, bishop of Antioch,
ble Nestorius, high priest of God, their had anathematized the doctrine of Nes-
mouths held, as the prophet says, with bit torius^
^
and bridle and turned from wrong to right, Be it known to your holiness that when I
have once again learnt the truth, adopting read the letter addressed to the
emperor I
the statement of him who in the cause of
was much distressed, because I know per-
truth has borne the brunt of the battle. For writer of the letter, being
fectly well that the
instead of one nature they now confess two,
of the same opinions, has unwisely and
anathematizing all who preach mixture and
Himerius was of the "Conciliabulum." and a staunch
They adore the impassible God- Nestorian.
J
confusion.
LeQuien points out tliat he, as well as Theodoret,
head of Christ they attribute passion to the became ultimately reconciled to the victorious party.
;
2 This
according to Marius Mercator is the conclusion of
flesh they distinguish between the terms of a letter to Alexander of Ilierapolis. Garnerius hadedited it as
;
of the preceding letter to Himerius. Vide

the ascribing the lofty and divine the
Gospels,
conclusion
Mans.V.SSo.
3 This loiter was also edited by Garnerius as addressed to
> cF. Epp. CXLIII and CLXXVII.

' Ps. x^::i. 9. Himerius but is inscilbtil by Scliul/.i: to Alexander of Hierajj-
» I Cor. X. olis. It is lo be found coiDplete in Mans. 927.
13.
346 THRODORET.
impiously condemned one who has never for God is without doubt on my side and
held or tauj^ht anything contrary to sound strengthening me.
doctrine, liut the form of anathema,
though
it be more likely than his assent to the con- CLXXLX. Letter of Cyril to John, bishop of
demnation, to grieve a reader, nevertheless Antioch, against Theodoret?
has given me some ground of comfort, in
that it is laid down not in wide general CLXXX. Letter of Theodoretus, as some
terms, but with some qualification. For suppose, to Domnus, bishop of Antioch,
he has not saitl " We
anathematize his doc- written on the death of Cyril, bishop of
"
trine but ''whatever he has either said Alexandrian^
or held other than is warranted by the doc-
trine of the apostles."
At last and with difficulty the villain has
gone. The good and the gentle pass away
all too soon the bad prolong their life for
CLXXVII. Letter to Andreas^ bishop of Sa- ;
mosata} years.
The Giver of all good, methinks, removes
The illustrious Aristolaus has sent
Magis- the former l)efore their time from the troubles
terianus from Egypt with a letter of Cyril in of humanity; He frees them like victors
which he anathematizes Arius, Eunomius, from their contests and transports them to the
ApoUinarius and all who assert Christ's God- better life, that life which, free from death,
head to be passible and maintain the confus- sorrow and care, is the prize of them that con-
ion and commixture of the two natures. tend for virtue. They, on the other hand,
Hereat we rejoice, altiiough he did withhold who love and practise wickedness are allowed
his consent from our statement. He requires
further subscription to the condemnation 'Vide Migne LXXVII. 327. Cyril. Ep. Ixiii.
2This letter is inserted in the Act. Synod, (vide Mans. ix.
which has been passed, and that the doctrine 295) as addressed to John, but Garncrius, with general accept-
has substituted Domnus. Its genuineness was contested
of the holy l)ishop Nestorius be anathema- ance,Baronius vi. 23) not on the ground of its ascrip-
by (an. only
tized. Your holiness well knows that if any lion to lohn who predeceased Cyril four years but also
;
because expressions are at once too Nestorian in doctrine

its
one anathematizes, without distinction, the and too extreme in bitterness to have been penned by Thcod-
doctrine of that most holy and venerable oret. Garneriusis of opinion that the extrenie Nestorianisin
and bitterness of feeling arc no arguments against the author,
bishop, it is just the same as though he ship of Theodoret; and, as we have already had occasion
to notice, our author can on occasion use very strong language,
seemed to anathematize true religion. as for instance in Letter CE. p. 324, where he alludes to Cyril
We must then if we are compelled anath- as a shepherd not only plague smitten himself but doing his
best to inflict more damage on his Hock than that caused by
ematize those who call Christ mere man, or beast of prey, by infecting his charge with his disease.
" It must lie needless to add that Cyril's character is not to
who divide our one Lord Jesus Christ into be estimated aright by ascribing any serious -ralue to a coarse
two sons and deny His divinity, etc. and ferocious invective against his memory, which was (pioted
as Theodoret's in the fifth General Council (Theodor. Ep. iSo;
see Tillemont, xiv. 784). If it were indeed the production of
the pen of Theodoret, the reputation which would sutler from
CLXXVIII. Letter to Alexander of Hiera- it would assuredly be his own." Canon Bright. Diet. Christ.
Biog. I.
polis^ " The
long and bitter controversy in which both parties did
and said many things they must "liave had cause deeply to
I think that more than all the very holy regret, was closed by the death of Cyril, Jmie 9, or 27, 444.
and venerable bishop, my lord John, must With Baronius, the cautious' Tillemont, Cardinal Newman
'
and Dr. IJriglit, we

should be glad to utterly scout' the idea,
'
have been gratified at my refusing either that the atrocious letter' on Cyril's death ascribed to Tluod.
'
oret by the Fifth Qicumenical Council (Theod. ed. Schulze,

to give my consent to the condemnation of
Ep. iSo; Labbc, V. 507) which he was said to have delivered
the very holy and venerable bishop Nestorius by way of p;tan (Bright u. s. 176) and 'the scarcely less
scandalous ' sermon (ib.) can have been written by him. 'To
or to violate the pledges made at Tarsus, treat it as genuine would be to vilify Theodoret.' 'The
Fathers of the Council' writes Dr. Newman are no authority
'
Chalcedon and Ephesus.' A

on such a matter' (Hist. Sketches p. 35^). painful sus-
He remembers also what was frequently picion of their genuineness,however, still lingers and troubles
our conception of Theodoret. The documents may have been
received from us at Antioch after our de-
garbled, but the general tone too much rescndiles that of im-
parture. disinitcd polemical writings of Theodoret's to allow us entirely
to repudiate them. We wish we could. Neander (vol. iv.
Let no one therefore deceive your holiness p. 13, note, Clark's tr.) is inclined to accept
the genuineness
into the belief that I should ever do this, of the letter, the arguments against which he does not regard
as carrving conviction, and to a large extent deriving their
weight 'from Tilleinont's Catholic standpoint.' That
' Theod-
This letter is to be found complete in Lntin in Mans.
' oret should speak in this manner of Cyril's character and
death cannot, he thinks, appear surprising to those who,
Synod. S40, Siliulze's Index in.scriiiiii}^- it to Andreas tlic
Const;intinopolil;in monk. cf. Kp. CLXII. and note.
without prejudice, contemplate Cyril and his relations to
^Thecomplete letter is }>;iven in another Iâtin version Balu7,. Theodoret. The playful description, after the manner of
to be
Synod. LXVl. (jarnerius makes it the conclusion of the letter I>ucian, of a voyage to the Shades below, is not
to Andrew of oaniosata. reckoned a very sharp thing even in Theodoret. The advice
' The order of events is reversed. to nut a heavy stone over his to down is
John and his friends went grave keep Cyril
from Ephesus to Chalcedon, from Chalcedon via Ancyra to sufiicient proof^that the whole is a bitter jest. The world felt
freer now Cyril was gone; and he does not shrink from
Tarsus, where he was in his own patriarchate, and held a telling
council, confirming: Cyril's deposition, and pledjiing its mem- a friend that he could well spare him. 'The exaggeration of
bers never to abandon Nestorius. Again at Antioch the same rhetorical polemics requires many grains of allowance.
course was repeated. Canon N'euablcs. Diet. Christ. Uiog. iv.
LETTERS. 347
a little longer to enjoy this present life, either more grievous ones till he died. His idea
that sated with evil they may afterwards learn was, so it is said, to throw the imperial city
virtue's lessons, or else even in this life may into confusion by attacking true doctrines a
pay the penalty for the wickedness of their second time, and to charge your holiness
own ways by being tossed to and fro through with supporting them. But God saw and did
" He
many years of this life's sad and wicked not overlook it. put his hook into his
waves. nose and his bridle into his lij^s," ' and turned
This wretch, however, has not been dis- him to the earth whence he was taken. Be it
missed l)y the ruler of our souls like other then granted to your holiness's prayers that
men, that he may possess for longer time the he may obtain mercy and pity and that
things which seem to be full of joy. Know^- God's boundless clemency may surpass his
ing that the fellow's malice has been daily wickedness. I beg your holiness to drive
growing and doing harm to the body of the away the agitations of my soul. Many dif-
Church, the Lord has lopped him off like a ferent reports are being bruited abroad to
" taken
plague and away the reproach from my alarm announcing general misfortunes.
Israel." His survivors are indeed delighted It is even said by some that your reverence
'
at his departure. The dead, maybe, are is setting out against your will for the court,
There is some ground of alarm lest but so far I have despised these reports
sorry.
they should be so much annoyed at his com- as untrue. But finding every one repeating
pany as to send him back to us, or that he one and the same story I have thought it
should run away from his conductors like the right to try and learn the truth from your
tyrant of Cyniscus in Lucian." holiness that I may laugh at these tales if
Great care must then be taken, and it is es- false, or sorrow not without reason if they
pecially your holiness's business to undertake are true.
this duty, to tell the guild of undertakers to
his CLXXXI. Letter to
lay a very big and heavy stone upon Abundlus, bishop of
grave, for fear he should come back again,
and show his changeable mind once more.
To my dear lord and very holy brother
Let him take his new doctrines to the shades
Abundius Theodoretus sends greeting in the
below, and preach to them all day and all Lord. I have discovered that
We are not at all afraid of his divid- your pietv
night.
them addresses religiously preserves the true and a]:)ostolic
ing by making public against faith and I have thanked Almighty God
true religion and by investing an immortal
;
that the truth which was in peril has been re-

nature with death. He will be stoned not
newed and brought to light by your holiness.
only by ghosts learned in divine law, but also Of old, after the flood, it came to pass
by Nimrod, Pharaoh and Sennacherib, or any that Noah and his sons were left for seed of
other of God's enemies.
But I am wasting words. The poor fellow
the human race. Just so in our own day are
" reserved the ftithers of the West, that by
is silent whether he will or no, his breath
them the holy churches of the East may be
goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that able to
^ He preserve that true religion which has
very day his thoughts perish." is
been threatened with devastation and destruc-
doomed too to silence of another kind. His Well
tion by a new and impious heresy.
deeds, detected, tie his tongue, gag his we those words of the prophet
mouth, curb his passion, strike him dumb " may quote
and make him bow down to the ground. Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us
a very small remnant we should have been
1 really am sorry for the poor fellow.
as Sodom and we should have been like
Truly the news of his death has not caused unto Gomorrah.
"^
So upon us from
me unmixed delight, but it is
tempered by this the wrath of God has
sadness. On seeing the Church freed from fallenimpious heresy
like a flood and invasion.
a plague of this kind I am glad and rejoice
but I am sorry and do mourn when I think
Now we acknowledge the presence of our
;
that the wretch knew no rest from his 1 Isaiah xxxvii. 29.
2 This letter
may be dated from Niccrtc in the autumn of
crimes, but went on attempting greater and 4C0 when Abundius was at Constantinople on a mission from
to the sum-
Leo, after the failure to get Thoodosius to agree
died a few
1 1. Sam. xvii. 26. mary of the Council in the AVest. Theodosius
" days after the arrival of the envoys at Constantinople.
2 Lucian. Cataplus sive Tyrannus."
Theodoret is anxious to encourage the Ronuin Legates to
Cyniscus ami Megapenthes come to the shore of Styx in the to repair the
same batch of ghosts. support the orthodox cause in the Imperial city,
mischief caused bv the Latrocinium, and to show the court
Megapenthes be^s hard of Clotho to let him go back again, that he and his friends [has and Aquilinus had the support of
but Cyniscus the philosopher, who professes great delightat
Leo. Abundius, fourth bishop of Como (450-469) represented
having died at last, refuses to get into the boat. "No; by Leo at Chalcedon. Manzoni, in the Promessi Sposi, reminds
Zeus, not till we have bound this fellow here, and set him on
board, for I am afraid tie will get over you by his entreaties." us of llie local survival of the name.
8 Isaiah i.
» Ps, cxlvi, 9.
4.
348 THEODORET.
Saviour in a human body, and one Son of Assent has also been given by my lord Ibas
God, His perfect Godlicad and His perfect and my lord Aquilinus against wliom the
manhood. Wedo not divide our one Lord inventors of the new heresy have armed the
Jesus Christ into two sons for He is one ; imperial power.
but we recognise the distinction between It remains for you with your very holy
God and man ; we know that one is of the colleagues to bring aid to the sacred Church,
Father, the other of tlie seed of David andand to drive away the war that threatens it.
Banish the impious party which has lêen
Abraham, according to the divine Scriptures,
and that the divine nature is free from pas-
roused against the truth give back the
;
sion, the body which was before subject to churches their ancient peace so will you ;
passion being now itself too free from pas-receive fi'om the Lord, Who
has promised to
grant this boon, the fruits of your apostolic
sion ; for after the resurrection it is plainly
delivered from all passion. labours.
This we have learnt from the letter of the All the very religious and godly presbyters
very holy and religious Archbishop our lordand reverend deacons and brethren by your
Leo. For we have read what he wrote to holiness I greet and I and all who are with
;
Flavianus, of holy and blessed memory, and me salute your reverence.'

have thanked the loving-kindness of the
After all the storms of controversy and quarrel which we
1
Lord because we have found an advocate and have followed in the course of the dialogues and letters of the
defender of the truth. To this letter I have Blessed Bishop of Cyrus; after the lurid leap of qriiii pleiisnn-
indicates a tem-
try which, if not actually penned by Theodorct,
given my adhesion, and have subjoined a per that must have often shewn itself in these troubled times;
there is something pathetic and encouraging in the concilatory
copy of it to my present epistle, which I conclusion of this last letter. Cyril has been dead for years,
have also subscribed and have thereby proved and his weaknesses are forgotten in a confession which his
more moderate opponents could accept. The subscription of
that I obey the apostolic rules, that is true Theodoret to the tome of Leo is an earnest of harmony and
doctrines that I abide in them to this day, concord. The calmer wisdom of the West asserts the truth
;
which underlay the furious disputes of the subtler East. The
and am suffering in their cause. last word of the drama is Peace.
JEROME AND GENNADIUS.
LIVES OF ILLUSTRIOUS MEN.
Translated, with Introduction and Notes, by
ERNEST GUSHING RICHARDSON, Ph.D.,
LIBRARIAN OF PRINCETON COLLEGE.

CONTENTS.
PAGE
I. Introduction 353
1. Time and place of composition and character of the work 353
(1) The work of Jerome .... 3 153
(2) The work of Gennadius 353
2. Literature ,
354
(i) Literature on Jerome and Gennadius 3154
(2) Literature on the authors mentioned by Jerome and Gennadius. 354
3. Manuscripts 354
4. Editions 354
5. Translations 355
6. The Present Translation 356
(i) Text 356
(2) The translation itself 357
II, Jerome. Lives of Illustrious Men *
359
III. Gennadius. Lives of Illustrious Men 385
IV. Index 5S2
JEROME AND GENNADIUS,
I. INTRODUCTION.
This combined work of Jerome and Gennadius is unique and indispensable in the his-
of Christian as it does a chronological

tory early literature, giving history in biographies of
ecclesiastical literatui'e to about the end of the fifth century.
For the period after the end of Eusebius' Church History it is of prime value,
I. Time and Place of Composition, and Character.

1. The work of Jerome was written at Bethlehem in 492. It contains 135 writers from
Peter up to that date. In his preface Jerome limits the scope of his work to those who
have written on Holy Scriptures, but in carrying out his plans he includes all who have
written on theological topics whether Orthodox or Heretic, Greek, Latin, Syriac, and
;
even Jews and Heathen (Josephus, Philo, Seneca). The Syriac writers mentioned are
however few. Gennadius apologizes for the scanty representation which they have in
Jerome on the ground that the latter did not understand Syriac, and only knew of such as
had been translated.
The motive of the work was, as the preface declares, to show the heretics how many
and how excellent writers there were among the Christians. The direct occasion of the
undertaking was the urgency of his friend Dexter, and his models were, first of all Sueto-
nius, and then various Greek and Latin biographical works including the Brutus of
Cicero.
Jerome expressly states in his preface that he had no predecessor in his work, but very
properly acknowledges his indebtedness to the Church History of Eusebius, from whom
he takes much verbatim. The first part of the work is taken almost entirely from
Eusebius.
The whole work gives evidence of hasty construction (e.g., in failure to enumerate the
works of well-known writers or in giving only selections from the list of their writings)
but too much has been made of this, for in such work absolute exhaustiveness is all but
impossible, and in the circumstances of those days, such a list of writers and their works
is really remarkable. He apologizes in the preface for omitting such as are not known to
him in his " out of the way corner of the earth." He has been accused of too great cre-
dulity, in accepting e.g., the letters of Paul to Seneca as genuine, but on the other hand
he often shows himself both cautious (Hilary, Song of S.) and critical (Minutius Felix
£>e Fato^.
The work was composed with a practical purpose rather than a scientific one and kept
in general well within that purpose
—giving brief information about writers not generally
known. This is perhaps why in writing of the better known writers like
Cyprian he does
not enumerate their works.
2. The work of Geiinadius was written about
4S0 according to some, or 493 to 495
according to others. Ebert with the Benedictins and others before him, makes an almost
conclusive argument in favor of the earlier date on the ground that Gennadius speaks of
VOL. III. Aa
354 JEROME AND GENNADIUS.
Timotheus Aelurus who died in 477 as still living. This compels the rejection of the par-
agraph on Gennadius himself as by a later hand, but this should probably be done at any
rate, on other grounds. The mss. suggest that Gennadius ended with John of Antioch,
although an hypothesis of three editions before the year 500, of which perhaps two were
by Gennadius, has grounds. The bulk of the work at least was composed about 480
(probably cliaptcrs 1-90) and the remainder added perhaps within a few years by Genna-
dius or more probably two other hands.
Gennadius' style is as bare and more irregular than Jerome's but he more frequently
expresses a critical judgment and gives more interesting glimpses of his own the semi- —
Pelagian
— point of view. The work appears more original tlian Jerome's and as a
whole hardly less valuable, though the period he covers is so much shorter.
2. Literature.
1. The on ye^-ome is immense. The oftenest quoted general works are
llfej-afHi-e
Zockler, Hierony7mis. Gotha, 1S65 and Thierry, St. ycj-ome Par. 1867. On Jerome in
the article by Freemantle in Smith and Wace Did. of Christian
general Biography is
the first for the English reader to turn to. Ceillier and other patrologies, while sufficiently
full for their purpose, give very little special treatment to this work, Ebert ( Gesch. chr.-
Lat.-Lit. Lpz. 1874) being a partial exception to this statement. The best literary
sources arc the prolegomena and notes to the various editions of the woi'k itself. Much
tlie same may be said of Gennadius though the relative importance of his catalogue among
his writings gives that a larger proportionate attention. In English the article by Cazenove
in Smith and Wace and in French the account in the Histoire litteraire de la France are
the best generally accessible references.
2. Literature on the -writers mentioned by Jerome a7id Gennadius. Any one who
cares to follow up in English the study of any of the writers mentioned in the Livês of
illustrious men will find tools therefor: i. For the earlier writers to the time of Eusebius,
Eusebius Church History tr. M'Giflert (N. Y. Chr. Lit. Co.) notes. 2. For the whole
period Smith and Wace Diet, of Christian Biography, 4 vols, and more accessible to
:
most (though a cheap reprint of Smith and Wace is now threatened) SchaiT. Church Ilist.
(N. Y. Scribners) where at the end of each volume an account is given of the chief writers
of the period including admirable bibliographical reference.
Of course the best source is the works themselves The Ante-Nicene Fathers^ ed. Coxe,
:
The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers ed. Schaft' and Wace. (N. Y. Christian Literature
Co.) For further research the student is referred to the list of Patrologies and Bibliog-
raphies in the supplementary volume of the Ante-Niccne Fathers, to the liibliography of
Ante-Nicene FathcMs in the same volume, to Clicvalier. Diet, des sources hist, and the
memoranda by Sittl, in the Jahresbcrichte \\. d. fortschr. d. class. Alterthwiss. 1887 sq.
3. Manuscripts.
The manuscripts of Jerome and Gennadius are numerous. The translator has seen
84 mss. of Jerome and 57 of Gennadius and has certain memoranda of at least 35 more
and hints of still another score. It is certainly within bounds to say that there are more
than 150 mss. of Jerome extant and not less than 100 of Gennadius.
The oldest of those examined (and all the oldest of which he could learn were seen)
are at Rome, Verona, Vercelli, Montpellier, Paris, Munich and Vienna.
4. Editions.
The editions of Jerome are relatively as numerous as the mss. The Illustrious ?nen
is included in almost all the editions of his collected works, in his collected " minor writ-
INTRODUCTION. 355
ings" and in many of the editions of his epistles (most of the editions in fact from 146S to
about 1530.)
It is several times printed separately or with Gennadius or other catalogues. The
editions of Gennadius are less numerous but he is often united with Jerome in the
editions of Jerome's collected works, and generally in the separate editions.
Thefollowing list of editions is It does not

printed as illustrative. pretend to be com-
plete, but is simply a list of such as have been personally examined by the translator up to
date ;
s. 1.
390 ff, 62, 11. s. 1. et a (1468?) 323ff, 2 col. 50 11. Rome 1468.
et a (6) -}- ; ;
P. de Max; (Compluti?) 1470; Rome 1470; Mogunt 1470; s. 1. et a. (Augsb. Zainer

1470); s. Let a. 1470,4° 23 11: s. a. "JA. RV" 1471 ? Rome 1479; Parma 1480; ;
Ven. 1488; Basil 1489; Ven. 1490; Basil 1492 Norimb. 1495; s. 1. 1496?; Basil 1497;
Lyons, 1508; Paris 1512; Lyons 1513; Lyons 1518 Basil 1525 Lyons 1526 (Erasmus) ;
Basil 1526 (Erasm) Basil 1529 Lyons 1530 Paris 1534; Frankfort 1549; Bas. 1553; Bas.
1565; Rome 1565- Rome 1576 Colon 1580; Paris 1609; Helmst 1611-12 Cologne
;
1616; Frf. [1622]; Antw. 1639 Frf. 1684; Paris 1706 (Martianay tSi Pouget) Helmst. ;
1700; Hamb. 1718; Veron. 1734-42 (Vallarsi) repr. 1766-72; Florence 1791
; Paris ;
1S65 (Migne) Lpz. 1879 (Herding) Turin 1875, 1877, 1S85 (Jerome only)
;
.
Andreas, Erasmus, Victorinus, Graevius, Martianay, Miraeus, Fabricius, Cyprian are

among the earlier editors but Erasmus is facile frinceps in popularity of reprint. The
edition of Vallarsi in 1734-42 was a decided advance toward a critical text. Various
the " Corbeiensis
"
editors before him had made use of various mss. especially or " San-
"
germanensis but secondarily mss. at Wulfenbiittel, Munich, the Bodleian, Niirnberg,
" " Gemblacensis,"
" Marcianus" and others. Vallarsi founded his edition
Sigbergensis,"
" Corbeiensis" so much used and
largely on a Verona ms. there) on the
(still praised before
" St Crucis" one at Lucca of the and more or less
(now Paris Lat. 12161) 9th century
on mss. employed by previous editors. This edition has remained the standard and is
the one adopted for the Migne edition.
The most recent edition which pretends to a critical character is that of Herding (Lpz.
1879). The editions by Tamietti are simply school editions of Jerome only, and make no
pretensions to a critical text. The edition of Herding is founded on a transcript of Vat.
Reg. 2077,7th century; Bamberg 677, nth century; Bern, 11 cent, and a much
mutilated Niirnberg ms. of the 14th century. But it appears that the transcript of Vaticanus
only covered the Jerome and a few scanty readings from Gennadius and the same is true
of the collation made for this editor later from the Paris ms. (Corbeiensis).
Sittl, (Jahresber; u. class. Alterthumsw. 1888. 2 p. 243) says that the edition "with-
out the preface which contains a collation of Codex Corbeiensis would be woilhless."
This is a little strong, for the readings he gives from Vaticanus have a decided value in
default of other sources for its readings and his strict following of this often produces a
correct reading against Vallarsi who was naturally inclined to follow Veronensis and
Corbeiensis both of which were probably a good deal manipulated after they left the hand
of Gennadius. The collation of Corbeiensis besides excluding Gennadius is not over exact
and some of the most effaced pages seem to have been given up entirely by the collator.
5. Translations.
An early translation of Jerome's work into Greek
was made by Sophronius and used
by Photius. A
translation purporting to be his is given by Erasmus. There has been a
o-ood deal of conti'oversy over this, some even accusing Erasmus of having forged it entire.
It is an question with a general tendency to give Erasmus the benefit of the doubt.
open
his judgment ready to be corrected by the finding of
The present translator while holding
a ms, or other evidence, inclines to reject in toto, regarding it as for the most part trans-
Aa 2
lated by Erasmus from some South German or Swiss ms., or, if that be not certain, at least
that the translationis too little established to be of any use for textual purposes. There is a
modern translation of select works of Jerome in French by Matougucs. The chief sources
for comparison used by the translator liiivc been Sophronius (or Erasmus) Matougucs,
M'Giflert's Eusebius for the first part of Jerome where he takes so liberally from Eusebius,
and scattered selections here and there in Ceillier, Smith and Wace, Diet, and other liter-
ary-historical works.
6. The Present Translation.

1. Text. It was proposed at first to make the translation from the text of Herding.
This, and all editions, gave so little basis for scientific certainty in regard to various
readings that a cursory examination of mss. was made. At the suggestion of Professor
O. von Gebhardt of Berlin the examination was made as thorough and systematic as possible
with definite reference to a edition. The translator hoped to finish and publish the
new
new was needed for this series, but classification of the mss.
text before the translation
proved unexpectedly intricate and the question of the Greek translation so difficult that
publication has been delayed. The material has however been gathered, analyzed, sifted
and arranged sufiiciently to give reasonable certainty as to the body of the work and a toler-
ably reliable judgment on most of the important variations.
While anxious not to claim too much for his material and unwilling to give a final
expression of judgment on disputed readings, until his table of mss. is perfected, he vent-
ures to think that for substantial purposes of translation, if not for the nicer ones of a new
text, the material and method which he has made use of will be substantially con-
clusive.
The following translation has been made first from the text of Herding and then
corrected from the manuscripts in all places where the evidence was clearly against the
edition. In places where the evidence is fairly conclusive the change has been made and
a brief statement of evidence given in the notes. When the evidence is
really doubtful
the reading has been allowed to stand with evidence generally given.
The materials of evidence used are i. eight mss. collated entire by the translator A.
Parisinus (Corbeiensis or Sangermanensis, 7 cent.) T. Vaticanus Reg., 7 cent. 25 Vero- ;
nensis, 8 cent. 30 Vercellcnsis 8 cent. 31 Monspessalanensis, 8 or 9 cent. a Monacen-

; ; ;
sis 8 cent. e Vindobonensis 8 or 9 H. Parisinus 10 or 9.

; ;
2. Occasional support from readings gathered by him from other mss., chiefly 10
Cassenatensis 9 cent. 21 Florentinus, 11 cent.; 32 Toletanus 13 cent. 40 Guelferbyrti-

; ;
nus, 10? cent.

3. Readings from mss. mentioned by other editors.
4. The various editions, but mainly confined to Vallarsi and Herding in Jerome,
Fabrlcius and Herding in Gennadius.
The translator has examined nearly 90 mss. and secured more or less readings from
nearly all with reference to an exact table. The readings of several are extensive enough to
have pretty nearly the value of full collations. Quotations are occasionally made from these
(e.g. from 10, 21, 29, 32, 40, etc.) but practically quotations from the eight mentioned
mss. cover the evidence and without a table more would rather obscure than otherwise.
There is no opportunity here to discuss the relative value of these used. It maybe said
however that they are the oldest mss., and include pretty much all the oldest. Though age
itself is by no means conclusive, the fact that they certainly represent several independent
groups makes it safe to say that a consensus of seven against one or even six against any
two (with certain reservations) or in the case of Gennadius of ^ against 2 is conclusive for
a reading. As a matter of fact against many readings of Herding and even oi Vallarsi,
INTRODUCTION. o:)/
are arranged all these mss., and against some nearly all or even every ms. seen, e.g. Her.
p. 73 d. 13 reads morti dari with Migne-Fabricius but all these mss. have
mutandam and so
91. 22 "seven" for "eight." On p. 161. 7. Her. omits. Asyncritus against mss. and
all
"
modern eds., so 44. 3. " Ponti," 51. 7 " ut quidem putant;" 77. 25. " firmare and a
score of other places.
Of course this not enough evidence or discussion for a critical scholastic text but for
is
the practical illustrative purpose in hand will sei-ve. Any evidence which does not give a
well digested genealogy of mss. and the evidence for their classification must be reckoned as
incomplete,
— all above evidence can claim to do,
that the is to give the translator's judgment
is not probable that the com-
respecting the readings and illustrative evidence, but it
pleted table will alter many (if any) of these readings which are given in view of a tenta-
tive table which will likely prove final.
2. TJie Tra7islation itself. The plan of this work includes (a) a translation, in which
the translator has tried to give a fair representation of the text in a not too ragged form but
has failed to improve on the original. The works were written as science rather than litera-
ture and have many facts but no style. The translator has therefore aimed rather at repre-
senting these facts than at producing piece of polite literature.
a (b) Notes are subjoined
first the brief data which one wants first to orient himself
including, biographical every
by, secondly textual notes, and thirdly, occasional explanatory notes.
11. JEROME.
PREFACE.
You have urged me, Dexter,' to follow the example of Tranquillus " in giving a syste-
matic account of ecclesiastical writers, and to do for our writers what he did for the illus-
triousmen of letters among the Gentiles, namely, to briefly set before you all those who
have published^ any memorable writing on the Holy Scriptures, from the time of our
Lord's passion until the fourteenth year of the Emperor Theodosius/ similar work has A
been done by Hermippus* the peripatetic, Antigonus Carystius," the learned Satyrus,' and
most learned of all, Aristoxenus the Musician,** among the Greeks, and among the Latins
by Varro,^ Santra,'" Nepos," Hyginus,'" and by him through whose example you seek to
stimulate
'^
us,
—
Tranquillus.
But their situation and mine
is not the same, for they, opening the old histories and
'*
chronicles could as gathering from some great meadow, weave some
if small crown at
least for their work. As for me, what shall I do, who, having no predecessor, have, as
the saying is, the worst possible master, namely myself, and yet I must acknowledge that
Eusebius Pamphilus in the ten books of his Church History has been of the utmost assist-
ance, and the works of various among those of whom we are to write, often testify to the
'^
dates of their authors. >^ And so I pray the Lord Jesus, that what your Cicero, who stood
at the summit of Roman eloquence, did not scorn to do, compiling in his Brutus^ a cata-
logue of Latin orators, this I too may accomplish in the enumeration of ecclesiastical
writers, and accomplish in a fashion worthy of the exhortation which you made. But if,
perchance any of those who are yet writing have been overlooked by me in this volume,
they ought to ascribe it to themselves, rather than to me, for among those whom I have not
read, I could not, in the first place, know those who concealed their own writings, and, in
the second place, what is perhaps well known to others, would be quite unknown to me in
'^
this out of the way corner of the earth. But surely when they are distinguished by their
writings, they will not very greatly grieve over any loss in our non-mention of them. Let
Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian learn, rabid as they are against Christ, let their followers,
they who think the church has had no philosophers or orators or men of learning, learn
how many and what sort of men founded, built and adorned it, and cease to accuse our
faith of such rustic simplicity, and recognize rather their own ignorance.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, farewell."
1 Dexter. Compare chapters 133 and 106.
Tranquillus. C. Suetonius Tranquillus (about A. D. 100). De illustribus grammatlcls ; De darts rheloribus.
-
^ Picblished or lianded down " Prodidertint." Some mss. read " tradiderunt" and Jerome usually employs ^' Edo"
for publish.
^ Fourteenth year of the Emperor Tlieodosius. A. 0.492.
6
Hermippiis of Smyrna. (3rd century B. C.) Lives of distinguished men.
'•Antigonus. Antigonus of Carystus (Reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus?).
'
Satyrus. A
Peripatetic (Reign of Ptolemy Philopator) "wrote a collection of biographies."
8 Aristoxenus the musician. A Peripatetic, pupil of Aristotle, wrote lives of various Philosophers.
9 Varro. M. Terentius Varro the " most learned of the Romans " (died B. C. 28) published among other things a series of
"portraits of seven hundred remarkable personages" (Ramsay in Smith's Dictionary).
"^^
Santra. Santra the Grammarian?
n Nepos. Cornelius Nepos friend of Cicero wrote Lives of Illtistrious men.
^-
Hygitius. Caius Julius Hyginus, freedman of Augustus and friend of Ovid.
13 Seek to stimulate
30 31 a [H e 21 ] and the mass of mss. also Fabricius ; stimulate. A. T. Migne. Her.
1* Some AH 25 31 e 21. Fabricius; No T a? Migne Her.
15 The Lord
yes us A H T 25 31 e; The Lord yesus Christ a; Our Lord Jesus Christ Bamb. Bern; My Lord "jfesus
Christ Norimb.
16 Out of the way corner of the earth i.e., Bethlehem.
^"f
Zn the name of the Lord yesus Christ farewell T 2^ ^1 aai; do. omitting Christ A.; omitallHe.
x6o JEROME AND GENNADIUS.
LIST OF WRITERS. 59- Gains.
60. Berillus the bishop.
I. Simon Peter. 61. Hippolytus the bishop.
2. James, the brother of our Lord. 62. Alexander the bishop.
3- Matthew, surnamed Levi. 63- Julius the African.
4- Jiulc, the brother
of James. 64. Gemimus the presbyter.
5- Paul, formerly called Saul. 65. Theodorus, surnamed Gregory the
6. Barnabas, surnamed Joseph. bishop.
7- Luke, the evangelist. 66. Cornelius the bishop.
8. Mark, the evangelist. 67. Cyprian the bishop.
9- John, the apostle and evangelist. 68. Pontius the deacon.
lO. Ilermas. 69. Dionysius the bishop.
1 1. Philo Judaius. 70. Novatianus the heresiarch.
13. Lucius Annieus Seneca. 71- Malchion the presbyter.
Josephus, son of Matthias. 73. Archelaus the bishop.
14. Justus of Tiberias. 73. Anatolius the bishop.
15- Clemens the bishop. 74- Victorinus the bishop.
16. Ignatius the bishop. 75- Pamphilus the presbyter.
17- Polycarp the bishoi^. 76. Pierius the presbyter.
18. Papias the bishop. 77- Lucianus the presbyter.
19. Qiiadratus the bishop. 78. Phileas the bishop.
20. Aristides the philosopher, 79- Arnobius the rhetorician.
21. Agrippa Castor. 80. Firmianus the rhetorician, surnamed
22. Hegesippus the historian. Lactantius.
23- Justin the philosopher. Si. Eusebius the bishop.
34. Melito the bishop. 82. Reticius the bishop.
25- Theophilus the bishop. 83. Methodius the bishop.
26. Apollinaris the bishop. 84. Juvencus the presbyter.
27. Dionysius the bishop. 85. Eustathius the bishop.
38. Pinytus the bishop. 86. Marcellus the bishop.
39. Tatian the heresiarch. S7- Athanasius the bishop.
30. Phillip the bishop. 88. Antonius the monk.
31- Musanus. 89. Basilius the bishop.
Modestus. 90. Theodorus the bishop.
Bardesancs the heresiarch. 91. Eusebius another bishop.
34- Victor the bishop. 93. Triphylius the bishop.
35- Iranicus the bishop. 93- Donatus the heresiarch.
36. Pantrcnus the philosopher. 94. Asterius the philosopher.
37- Rhodo, the disciple of Tatian. 95- Lucifer the bishop.
3S. Clemens the presbyter. 96. Eusebius another bishop.
39- Miltiadcs. 97- Fortunatianus the bishop.
40. Apollonius. 98. Acacius the bishop.
41. Serapion the bishop. 99. Serapion the bishop.
43. Apollonius the senator. 100. Hilary the bishop.
43- Tlieophilus another bishop. lOI. Victorinus the rhetorician.
44. Baccylus the bishop. 102. Titus the bishop.
45- Polycrates the bishop. 103. Damasus the bishop.
46. Ileraclitus. 104. Apollinarius the liishop.
47- Maxim us. 105. Gregory the bishop.
48. Candidus. 106. Pacianus the bishop.
49. Appion. 107. Photinus the heresiarch.
50- Sextus. loS. Phocbadius the bishop.
51- Arab anus.
i
109. Didymus the Blind.
52. Judas. 110. Optatus the bishop.
53- TertuUian the presbyter. III. Acilius Sevcrus the senator.
54- Origcn, surnamed Adamantius. 113. Cyril the bishop.
55- Ammonius. 113- Euzoius the bishop.
56. Ambrose the deacon. 114. Epiphanius the bishop.
57- Trypho the pupil of Origen. 115. Ephreni the deacon.
58. Minucius Felix. 116. Basil another bisliop.
JEROME. 361
117. Gregory another bishop. Buried at Rome in the Vatican near the
118. Lucius the bishop. triumphal way he is venerated by the whole
119. Diodorus the bishop. world.'
130. Eunomius the heresiarch.
131. Priscillianus the bishop. CHAPTER 11.
133. Latronianus.
123. Tiberianus. James,' who is called the brother of tlie
134. Ambrose the bishop. Lord,^ surnamed the Just, the son of Joseph
125. Evagrius the bishop. by another wife, as some think, but, as ap-
136. Ambrose the disciple of Didymus. pears to me, the son of Mary sister of the
137. Maximus, first philosopher, then mother of our Lord of whom John makes
bishop. mention in his book,* after our Lord's pas-
135. Another Gregory, also a bishop. sion at once ordained by the apostles bishop
139. John the presbyter. of Jerusalem, wrote a single epistle, which
130. Gelasius the bishop. is reckoned among the seven Catholic
131. Theotimus the bishop. Epistles and even this is claimed by some to
133. Dexter, son of Pacianus, now prae- have been published by some one else under
toi-ian pi-efect. his name, and gradually, as time went on,
133. Amphilochius the bishop. to have gained authority-. Hegesippus who
134. Sophronius. lived near the apostolic age, in the fifth book
135. Jerome the presbyter. of his Commentaries, writing of James, says
" After the
apostles, James the brother of
CHAPTER I.
the Lord surnamed the Just was made head
of the Church at Jerusalem. Many indeed
Simon Peter the son of John, from the are called James. This one was holy from
'
village of Bethsaida in the province of Gali- his mother's womb. He drank neither wine
lee, brother of Andrew the apostle, and him- nor strong drink, ate no flesh, never shaved
self chief of the apostles, after having been or anointed himself with ointment or
bishop of the church of Antioch and having bathed. He alone had the privilege of enter-
preached to the Dispersion^
—
the believers in ing the Holy of Holies, since indeed he did
circumcision,^ in Pontus, Galatia, Cappa- not use woolen vestments but linen and went
docia, Asia and Bithynia
—
pushed on to alone into the temple and prayed in behalf of
Rome in the second year of Claudius to over- the people, insomuch that his knees were
throw Simon Magus,* and held the sacerdo- reputed to have acquired the hardness of
tal 'chair there for twQnty-five years until the camels' knees." He says also many other
last, that is the fourteenth, year of Nero. things, too numerous to mention. Josephus
At his hands he received the crown of mar- also in the 20th book of his Antiquities, and
tyrdom being nailed to the cross with his Clement in the 7th of his Outlines mention
head towards the ground and his feet raised that on the death of Festus who reigned over
on high, asserting that he was unworthy to Judea, Albinus was sent by Nero as his suc-
be crucified in the same manner as his Lord. cessor. Before he had reached his province,
He wrote two epistles which are called Ananias the high priest, the youthful son of
Catholic, the second of which, on account of Ananus of the priestly class taking advan-
its difference from the first in tage of the state of anarchv, assembled a
style, is con-
sidered by many not to be by him. Then
council and publicly tried to force James to
too the Gospel accoi'ding to Mark, who was
deny that Christ is the son of God. When
his disciple and interpreter, is ascribed tohe refused Ananius ordered him to be
him. On the other hand, the books, of stoned. Cast down from a pinnacle of the
which one is entitled his Acts, another his temple, his legs broken, but still half alive,
Gospel, a third his Preaching, a fourth his
Revelation, a fifth his
" are re- This last has been much discussed of late in connection with
Judgment" the recently discovered Teaching of the Tvjclve. The identifi-
jected as apocryphal.* cation of the Teaching with the Judgment is credited to Dr.
von Gebhardt (Salmon in Smith and Wace Diet. v. 4 (18S7)
1 Died
65-6 or 67. pp. 810-11). The recent literature
of it is immense. Compare
-
Dispersion. The technical
"
Dispersion
" — the Jews out Schaff, Oldest Church Manual, and literature in Ante-Nic.
ofjudea. Cf. Peter I. I. See Westcott in Smith's Diet, of Fath. vol. 9 pp. S3-S6.
Bible. 1 The textual variations on the chapter are numerous
3 Circumcision a " Hebrews " in Eueebius but none of them are sustained by the better" mss.
paraphrase for enough " Simon Peter the
e.g.
" Peter
and Rufinus. " First Simon Peter" Apostle
" " Called canonical " " are
< Simon
Magus. That Peter met Simon Maûs in Rome is the Apostle . . .
" . . . " the whole
. ..
a post-apostolic legend. Compare the Clementine literature. considered apocryphal city."

or 6q
For literature on apocryphal works see 2 Died 62 or
63 (according to Josephus and Jerome)
•''
Apocryphal .
Ante-Nic. Fath. ed. Coxe (N. Y. Chr. Lit. Co.,) vol. 9 pp. 95 (Hegesippus).
|
sq. The Acts, Gospel, Preaching and Revelation are men- 3 Brother
of the Lord. Gal. I. 19.
tioned by Eusebius. The jfudgment was added by Jerome. * in his book
Joh. 19, 25.
" Lord of
raising his hands to heaven he said, having the volume described to me by
forgive them for they know not what they the Nazarenes of Beroea," a city of Syria,
'
do." Then struck on tiie head by the club who use it. In this it is to be noted that
of a fuller such a club as fullers are accus- wherever the Evangelist, whether on his
tomed to wring out garments with
'
—
he own account or in the person of our Lord
died. This same Josephus records the tra- the Saviour quotes the testimony of the Old
dition that this James was of so great sanc- Testament he does not follow the authority
tity and reputation among the people that the of the translators of the Septuagint but the
downfall of Jerusalem was believed to be on Hebrew. Wherefore these two forms exist
account of his death. He it is of whom the " Out of Egypt have I called my son," and
" No " for he shall be called a Nazarene."
apostle Paul writes to the Galatians that
one else of the apostles did I see except
James the brother of the Lord," and shortly IV. CHAPTER
after the event the Acts of the apostles bear ^
witness to the matter. The Gospel also JuDE the brother of James, left a short
which is reckoned among the seven
which is called the Gospel according to the epistle *
catholic epistles, and because in it he
Hebrews,'* and which I have recently trans- from the apocryphal book of Enoch
lated into Greek and Latin and which also quotes
^ it is
rejected by many. Nevertheless by age
Origen often makes use of, after the ac- and use it has and is reck-
count of the resurrection of the Saviour gained authority
oned among the Holy Scriptures.
says, "but the Lord,after he had his
given
grave clothes to the servant of the priest, ap- CHAPTER V.
peared to James (for James had sworn that
he would not eat bread from that hour in Paul,* formerly called Saul, an apostle
which he drank the cup of the Lord until he outside the number of the twelve apostles,
should see him rising again from among was of the tribe of Benjamin and the town
"
those that sleep) and again, a little later, it of Giscalis^ in Judea. When this was taken
" '
a table and bread,' said the by the Romans he removed with his parents
says Bring
Lord." And immediately it is added, " He to Tarsus in Cilicia. Sent by them to Jeru-
brou<jht bread and blessed and brake and salem to study law he was educated by
gave to James the Just and said to him, my Gamaliel a most learned man whom
' Luke
brother eat thy bread, for the son of man is mentions. But after he had been present at
risen from among those that sleejD.'" And the death of the martyr Stephen and had re-
so he ruled the church of Jerusalem thirty ceived letters from the high priest of the
for the persecution of those who be-
years, that is until the seventh year of Nero, temple
and was buried near the temple from which lieved in Christ, he proceeded to Damascus,
he had been cast down. His tombstone with where constrained to faith by a revelation, as
it is written in the Acts of the apostles, he
its inscri])tion was well known until the
siege of Titus and the end of Hadrian's reign. was transformed from a persecutor into an
Some of our writers think he was buried in elect vessel. As Ser<>ius Paulus Proconsul
Mount Olivet, but they are mistaken. of Cyprus was the first to believe on his
preaching, he took his name from him because
he had subdued him to faith in Christ, and
CHAPTER HL
having been joined by Barnabas, after trav-
Matthew,'' also called Levi, apostle and ersing many cities, he returned to Jerusalem
aforetimes publican, composed a gospel of and was ordained apostle to the Gentiles by
Christ atlirst published in Judea in Hebrew Peter, James and John. And because a full
''
for the sake of tliose of the circumcision account of his life is given in the Acts of the
who believed, but this was afterwards trans- Apostles, I only say this, that the twenty-fifth
lated into Greek though by what author is year after our Lord's passion, that is the sec-
uncertain. The Hebrew itself has been ond of Nero, at the time when Festus Procu-
preserved imtil the present day in the library rator of Judea succeeded Felix, he was sent
at Caesarea which Pamphilus so diligently bound to Rome, and remaining for two years
gathered. I have also had the opportunity in free custody, disputed daily with the Jews
'
fftiriiienls A 11 25 30 c 21 ;
vjet garments Tc 29.
'
A'Wz«rc««=Nasaraei. See Smith and Wacc s.v .
2
Gospel according to the Hebrews. Compare Lipsius Gos-
- Beroea some mss. read Veria and so Herding. The
pels apocr, in Smith and AVacc, Diet. v. z i)p. 709-12. modern Aleppo.
'
Origen. II 31 a c 1021 Adamantius ;
T 25. A 3 Died after 62.
* Died after 62. ^ in it H 31 a e 10 21 ; omit AT 25 30.
''
Gospel . in Hehrevj,
. .
Jerome seems to regard the
f'
Died 67 ^, prolialily after 64 at least.
Gospel accordinij to the Hebrews mentioned by him above as Gisralis, supposed thus to have orisjinated at Giscalis and
'>
the original Hebrew Text of Matthew, cf. Lightfool, /^'â^/wi to have gone from there to Tarsus, but this is not generally
V. 2. p. 295. 1
accepted.
JEROME. 363
concerning the advent of Christ. It ought to things which were eloquently written in
be said that at the first defence, the power of Hebrew were more eloquently turned into
'
Nero having not yet been confirmed, nor his Greek and this is the reason why it seems to
wickedness broken forth to such a degree as differ from other epistles of Paul. Some
^
the histories relate concerning him, Paul was I'ead one also to the Laodiceans but it is re-
dismissed by Nero, that the gospel of Christ jected by everyone.
might be preached also in the West. As he
himself writes in the second epistle to CHAPTER VL
Timothy, at the time when he was about to Barnabas^ the Cyprian, also called Jo-
be put to death dictating his epistle as he did
while in chains; "At my first defence no seph the Levite, ordained apostle to the
one took my part, but all forsook me may :
Gentiles with Paul, wrote one Epistle., valu-
able for the edification of the church, which
it not be laid to their account. But the
is reckoned among the apocryphal writings.
Lord stood by me and strengthened me
*
that through me the message might be fully

;
He afterwards separated from Paul on ac-

count of John, a disciple also called Mark,*
proclaimed and that all the Gentiles might
none the less exercised the work laid upon
hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth
of the lion
" * —
clearly indicating Nero as
him of preaching the Gospel.
lion on account of his cruelty. And di-
rectly following he says
" The Lord de- CHAPTER Vn.
livered me from the mouth of the lion" and *
" The Lord delivered me ^ from Luke a physician of Antioch, as his
again shortly
evil work and saved me unto his writings indicate, was not unskilled in the
every * Greek language. An adherent of the apos-
heavenly kingdom," for indeed he felt
tle Paul, and companion of all his journey-,
within himself that his 'martyrdom was near
ing, he wrote a Gospel., concerning which
at hand, for in the same epistle he announced the same Paul send with him a "We
" for I am already being offered and the time says,
brother whose praise in the gospel is among
of my departure is at hand."
^
He then, in all the
"
churches ® and to the Colossians
the fourteenth year of Nero on the same day " Luke '
the beloved physician salutes you,"
with Peter, was beheaded at Rome for
and to Timothy *'
Luke only is with me." **
Christ's sake and was buried in the Ostian

He also wrote another excellent volume to
way, the twenty-seventh year after our Lord's which he prefixed the title Acts of the
passion. He wrote nine epistles to seven
churches To the Romans one. To the Corin-
:
Apostles., a history which extends to the
second year of Paul's sojourn at Rome, that
thians two, To the Galatians one. To the ®
is to die fourth year of Nei-o, from which
Ephesians one. To the Philippians one, To we learn that the book was composed in
the Colossians one, To the Thessalonians
that same city. Therefore the Acts of Paul
two and besides these to his disciples. To
;
and Thecla '" and all the fable about the lion
Timothy two. To Titus one, To Philemon him we reckon among the
one. The epistle which is called the Epistle baptized by for how is it possible
to the Hebrews is not considered his, on apocryphal writings,"
that the inseparable companion of the apos-
account of its difference from the others in
tle in his other affairs, alone should have
style and language, but it is reckoned, either been
ignorant of this thing. Moreover Ter-
according to Tertullian to be the work of tullianwho lived near those times, mentions
Barnabas, or according to others, to be by a certain presbyter in Asia, an adherent of
Luke the Evangelist or Clement afterwards
the apostle Paul,'^ who was convicted by
bishop of the church at Rome, who, they
John of having been the author of the book,
say, arranged and adorned the ideas of Paul
in his own language, though to be sure, since J into H 31 a e. and many others; A T 25 30. iji
Paul was writing to Hebrews and was in

- also to A H T 25 30 a e Norimb, Bamb.; also 31 ; omit,
Her. who seems to have omitted on some evidence possibly
disrepute among them he may have omitted
Bern.
3 Died in Salamis
53 (Ceillier Papebroch), 56 (Braunsber-
his name from the salutation on this account. ger),6i (Breviarum romanum),76 (Nirschl). The discussion
of the date of his death is a good deal mixed up with the
He being a Hebrew wrote Hebrew, that is question of the authenticity of the wori<.
his own tongue and most fluently while the ^Mark Acts IS, 37.
•'
Died S3-4?.
^we send . . . churches 2 Cor. 8. iS.
''Luke . . . salutes you Co\. i^. n.
1 77/e Zo/'rf J/oot/ Jj/ all mss. and eds; God. Her. ^ Luke . . . TviVA »«« 2 Tim. 4. 11.
^lion. 2 Tim. 4. 16-17.
" The
'I
fourth A T H 25 3031 Val. etc.; fourteenth. Her. Sifebert.
^
from the mouth of the lion, and Lord S. Crucis.
delivered me"
(substantially) A Hagain shortly
25 30 31 a e etc.; omit Acts of Paul and Thecla (Acts
1"
Journeyings) Cf. Acts =
T. Her. There are slig;ht variations; God H
21 Bamb Bern. of Paul and Thecla, tr. in Ante Nic. Fath. v. 8 pp. 487-92.
Norimb. ; / was delivered Val. Cypr. Tam. Par 1512 etc. 11
apocryphal ivritings AH
31 e a Bamb Norimb. Val. etc. ;
The Lord apocrypha Her. T 25 30.

* . . .
kingdom 2 Tim. 4. iS.
''for I ... at hand 2 Tim. 4. 6. 12
apostle Paul AH
e a etc. Val ; omit Paul T 25 30 31 Her.
and who, confessing that he did this for CHAPTER IX.
love of Paul, resignetl his office of presbyter.
Some suppose that whenever Paul in his John,' the Jesus most apostle whom
son of Zebedee and brother of
epistle says "according to my gospel" he loved, the
means the book of Luke and that Luke not James, the apostle whom Herod, after our
Lord's passion, beheaded, most recently of
only was taught the gospel history by the
all the evangelists wrote a Gospel., at the re-
apostle Paul who was not with the Lord in
the flesh, but also by other apostles. This quest of the bishops of Asia, against Cerin-
he too at the beginning of his work de- thus and other heretics and especially
" Even as delivered unto against the then growing dogma of the
clares, saying they
us, which from the beginning were eyewit- Ebionites,
who assert that Christ did not
nesses and ministers of the word." So he exist before Mary. On this account he
wrote the gospel as he had heard it, but com- was compelled to maintain His divine na-
posed the Acts of the apostles as he himself tivitv.
But there is said to be yet another
had seen. He was buried at Constantinople reason for this work, in that when he had
to which city, in the twentieth year of Con- read Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he ap-
stantius, his bones together with the remains proved indeed the
substance of the history
of Andrew the apostle were transferred. and declared that the things they said were
true, but that they had given the history of
only one year, the one, that is, which
CHAPTER Vni. follows the imprisonment of John and in
which he was put to death. So passing by
Mark the disciple and interpreter of this year the events of which had been set
'
Peter wrote a short gospel at the request of forth by these, he related the events of the
the brethren at Rome embodying what he earlier period before John was shut up in
had heard Peter tell. When Peter had heard
prison, so that it might be manifest to those
this, he approved it and published it to the who should diligently read the volumes of
churches to be read by his authority as the four Evangelists. This also takes away
Clemens in the sixth book of his Hypotyposes the discrepancy which there seems to be be-
and Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, record. tween John and the others. He wrote also
Peter also mentions this Mark in his first one Epistle which begins as follows " That
epistle, figuratively indicating Rome under which was from the beginning, that which
tlie name of Babylon " She w^ho ^ is in Baby- we have heard, that which we have seen
^
lon elect together with you saluteth you with our eyes and our hands handled con-
and so doth Mark my son." So, taking the
cerning the word of life" which is esteemed of
gospel which he himself composed, he went by all men who are interested in the church
to Egypt and first preaching Christ at Alex- or in learning. The other two of which
andria he formed a church so admirable in the first is " The elder to the elect lady and
her children and the other " The elder un-
doctrine and continence of living that he "
constrained all followers of Christ to his to Gaius^ the beloved whom I love in
truth,"
example. Philo most learned of the Jews are said to be the work of John the presby-
the church at Alexandria still ter to the
seeing first
memory of whom another sepul-
Jewish in a degree, wrote a book * on their chre is shown at
Ephesus to the present day,
manner of life as something creditable to his
though some think that there are two me-
nation telling how, as Luke says, the be- morials of this same
John the evangelist.
lievers had all things in common
*
®
at Jerusa- We
shall treat of this matter in its turn^
lem, so he recorded that he saw was done when we come to Papias his disciple. In
at Alexandria, under the learned Mark. He the fourteenth year then after Nero,* Do-
died in the eighth year of Nero and was mitian
having raised a second persecution he
buried at Alexandria, Annianus succeeding was banished to the island of
Patmos, and
him.' wrote the Apocalypse., on which Justin
Martyr and Irena3us afterwards wrote com-
'
Flourished 45 to 55?.
- She who
A 11 T 25 30 31 a e Val etc; the church zuhich. mentaries. But Domitian having been
Iler. and one mentioned by Vallarsi, also in Munich niss.
put to death and his acts, on account of his
M370- excessive cruelty, having been annulled by
^ She who . saluieth you I. Pet. 5. i.
. . I
* a
boot A 11 31 a c etc and Her.; omit T 25 30. This work the
entitled On
;
a contemplative life is still extant but is gencrallv

senate, he returned to Ephesus under
regarded as not by Philo.
^had all things in common Acts 2. 44. 1
Exiled to Patmos 94-95.
".«o . . . saw Pi.'i\^cx\'iVa.\.\ so he saw and recorded. - Gains AH 25 30 31 a e; Caius Her. T.
T 25 30 Her. 3/« its turn A 11 T31 a e Val. etc; omit T. 2530.
'
Annianus succeeding him A H
T 25 30 a e Val etc.; omit *
after Nero A. H 30 31 a e. Bamb. Norimb. Cypr. Val. J
Her. ji. omit T 25.
JEROME. 365
Pertinax and continuing there until the Claudius, he spoke in the same city with the
'
time of the emperor Trajan, founded and apostle Peter and enjoyed his friendship, and
built churches throughout all Asia, and, for this reason also adorned the adherents of
worn out by old age, died in the sixty- Mark, Peter's disciple at Alexandria, with
eighth year after our Lord's passion and his praises. There are distinguishetl and
was buried near the same city. innumerable works by this man On tJie Jive :
books of Afoses, one book Concerning the

confusion of tongues^ one book On 7iatiire
CHAPTER X. invention^ one book On the thiîgs
and
which our senses desire a7id we detest^ one
Hermas ' ^
whom the apostle Paul men- book On learnings one book On the heir of
tions in writing to the Romans "Salute^ divine
things, one book On the division of
Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas" "^
and
equals and contraries^ one book O71 the
the brethren that are with them is re- three
virtues^ one book On why in Scripture
puted to be the author of the book which is the names of 7nany persons arc changed^ tv/o
called Pastor and which is also read pub- books On covenants., one. book On the
life of
licly in some churches
of Greece. It is in a wise
77ian^ one book Concerning giants^
fact a useful book and many of the ancient five books That drea7ns are se7it
by God, five
writers quote from it as authority, but books of and answers on Exodus,
Questions
among: the Latins it is almost unknown. four books On the tabe7-nacle a7id the Deca-
logue, as well as books O71 victims a7id
pro7>iises or curses. On P/'ovidence, On the
CHAPTER XI.
fexvs, On the i7ia7zner of one's life. On
Philo '
the Jew, an Alexandrian of the Alexander, and That du7nb beasts have right
us among the and That eve7y fool shotild be a slave,
7'eason,
priestly class, is placed by
ecclesiastical writers on the ground that, and On the lives of the Christia7is, of which
we spoke above, that lives of apostolic
writing a book concerning the first church of
is,
Mark the evangelist at Alexandria, he writes men, which also he entitled, On those who
to our praise, declaring not only that they practice the div i7ie life, because in truth
were divine things and ever pray
were there, but also that they in many they contemplate
to God, also under other categories, two O71
provinces and calling their habitations mon-
asteries. From this** it appears that the agricultui'e, two On drunke7i7iess. There
church of those that believed in Christ at are other monuments of his genius which
first, was such as now the monks desire
to have not come to our hands. Concerning
that such that is the him there is a proverb among the Greeks
imitate,^ is, nothing pe- '
culiar property of any one of them, none o%\
Either Plato philonized, or Philo platon-
them rich, none poor, that patrimonies are ized," that is, either Plato followed Philo, or
is the similarity of ideas
divided among the needy, that they have Philo, Plato, so great )(
leisure for prayer and psalms, for doctrine and language.
also and ascetic practice, that they were in
fact as Luke declares believers were at first at
"*
CHAPTER XII.
Jerusalem. They say that under Caius Lucius Annûs Seneca' of Cordova, dis-
Caligula he ventured to Rome, whither he of the Stoic Sotion^ and uncle of Lucan
had been sent as legate of his nation, and ciple
the Poet, was a man of most continent life,
that when a second time he had come to
whom I should not place in the category of
Pertinax K H T a e Noiimb. Cypr. etc; Nerva saints were it not that those Epistles of
Paul
25 3031
'^
^
Pertinax Bamb. Anibros. Iler. Nerva principe. Val.
2 The date of Hermas
; Seneca and Seneca to Pa?il, which are
to
depends on what Hennas is supposed
to be the author. He is supposed to be i the Hermas of the read by many, provoke me. In these, written
New Testament, or 2 the brother of Pius I (139-54) or 3 a when he was tutor of Nero and the most
still later Hermas. All these views have distingfuished advo-
powerful man of that time, he sa}'s that he
cates, but this view of Jerome taken from Origen through Euse-
bins is not much accepted.
i Hermas A T
25 30 e; Herman Her. Val. a 31; Hermam
wouUl like to hold such a place among his
H Cypr. countrymen as Paul held among Christians.
< Salute
(omitting Asyncritus) A H T 25 30 31 a e etc.
Cypr.; add Val. Her. Greek from the New Testa- He was put to death by Nero two years be-
Asyncritus
ment.
= Hermes Patrobas Hermas A H T 25 30 a e Val. Gr. etc.
fore Peter and Paul were crowned with
;
omit Hermes. A Her. martyrdom.

" Salute . them Rom. 15, 14.
. .
~'
Visited Rome A. D. 40, and must have lived (Edersheim)
ten or fifteen years after his return. 1
Died 65.
8 Fromthis etc. Acts 2, 4; 4, 32. 2 .So//o« Cypr. Val. Her.; Phothion fotion,fotinus Socion
^ desire to imitate t\u: mss.; strive to be Cypr. Fabr. Ya\., or Soxonis, the mss.
on account of the difficult construction with imitate. 3 and Seneca AH e a 2i lo Fabr. Val. etc. ;
or Seneca T 25
i" Caius
Cypr, Fabr, Val.; Gaius all the mss.; omit Her. 30 31 Her.
CHAPTER XIII. ent and others of my fellow-workers whose
names are written in the book of life," ' the
JosEPHUS,' the son of Matthias, priest of fomth bishop of Rome after Peter, if indeed
Jerusalem, taken prisoner by Vespasian and the second was Linus and the third Anacle-
his son Titus, was banished. Coming to
Rome he presented to the emperors, father tus,' although most of the Latins think that
and son, seven books On the captivity of the Clement was second after the apostle.'^ He
wrote, on the part of the church of Rome,
yeivs, which were deposited in the public
an especially valuable Letter to the church of
hbrary and, on account of his genius, was the Corinthians^ which in some places is
found worthy of a statue at Rome. He
publicly read, and which seems to me to
wrote also twenty books oi A)itiq?iities. from
the beginning of the world until the four- agree in style with the epistle to the Hebrews
teenth year of Domitian Caesar, and two of
which passes under the name of Paul but it
differs from this same epistle, not only in
Antiquities against Appion^ the gram-
marian of Alexandria who, imder Caligula, many of its ideas, but also in respect of the
sent as legate on the part of the Gentiles
order of words, and its likeness in either re-
against Philo, wrote also a book spect is not

very great. There is also a
containing second under his name which is re-
a vituperation ofthe Jewish nation. An- Epistle
other book of his entitled. On allrnli)ig jected by earlier writers, and a Disputation
betzveen Peter and Appion written out at
wisdom^ in which the martyr deaths of the
Maccabeans are related is highly esteemed. length, which Eusebius in the third book of
In the eighth book of his Antiquities he his Church history rejects. He died in the
third year of Trajan and a church built at
most openly acknowledges that Christ was
slain by the Pharisees on account of the
Rome preserves the memory of his name unto
this day.
greatness of his miracles, that John the
Baptist was truly a prophet, and that Jerusa- CHAPTER XVI.
lem was destroyed because of the murder of Ignatius," thii-d bishop of the church of
James the apostle. He wrote also concern- Antioch after Peter the apostle, condemned
" In this
ing the Lord after this fashion : to the wild beasts during the persecution of
same time was Jesus, a wise man, if indeed Trajan, was sent bound to Rome, and when
it be lawful to call him man. For he was a he had come on his voyage as far as
worker of wonderful miracles, and a teacher Smyrna, where Polycarp the pupil of John
of thosewho freely receive the truth. He was bishop, he wrote one epistle To the
had very many adherents also, both of the Ephesians^ another To the Magnesiajis a
Jews and of the Gentiles, and was believed third To the Trallians a fourth To the
to be Christ, and when through the Ro7nans^ and going thence, he wrote To the
envy of
our chief men Pilate had crucified him, Philadelphians and To the Sjnyrneans and
nevertheless those who had loved him at first especially To Polycarp^ commending to him
continued to the end, for he appeared to them the church at Antioch. In this last^ he bore
the third day alive. Many things, both these witness to the Gospel which I have recentlv
and other wonderful things are in the songs translated, in respect of the person of Christ
of the prophets who prophesied concerning " I indeed saw him in the flesh after
saying,
him and the sect of Christians, so named the resurrection and I believe that he is," and
from Him, exists to the present day." when he came to Peter and those who were
with Peter, he said to them " Behold touch !
CHAPTER XIV. me and see me how that I am not an incor-

"
^ ''
of Tiberias of the province of poreal spirit and straightway they touched

Justus, him and believed. Moreover it seems worth
Galilee, also attempted to write a History of
while inasmuch as we have made mention of
Jewish affairs and certain brief Co7nmcn- such a man and of the Epistle which he
taries on the Scriptures but Josephus con-
victs him of falsehood. It is known that lie
wrote to the Romans.^ to give a few "quota-
"* "From
wrote at the same time as Josephus himself. tions :
Syria even unto Rome I
Salmon in Smith and Wace, and M'Giffert in his translation
of Eusebius.
CHAPTER XV. I
With Clement . . . life Phil. 4, 3.
^ Anacletus Val. Fabr. Her.; Anencletus, Anincletus,
Clement,
"
of whom the apostle H 2:531 c; Cletits (or Elitus). T3031; Anicletiis,
Paul Attend itns,
writing to the Philippians says " With Clem- 10; 3 Aufcletus,
A
A;
H 25Aneclltiis,a..
npostle 30 31 a e; apostle Peter T Fabr. Val. ller.
^ Itishop
about 70, died about 107.
'
Knrn A. D.37, died after c,;. 2 Flourished
ino. •'
In this last etc. Eusebius from whom he quotes says
•''
ViixtHS a 21 10 Fabr. Val. ytistim/s otliers.
Stiiyinians. I,i<jhtfoot maintains that Jerome had never seen
;
••
Bishop 91 or 2-101. Died no (Huscb. C'h. Hist.) It is the Iqiistlis of Ignatius.
by no means certain that Cleiiieiis I!oiii:unis is the I'lemens <
ijiiotatintis etc. This is taken bodily from Eusebius.
mentioned in the New
Testament. discussions
Compare bl- The translation is M'GilVert's adapted to the I-:itin of Jerome.
JEROME. Z^7
with wild beasts, by land and by sea, by which is read to the present day in the
fight
in Asia.
night and by day, being bound amidst ten meetings
leopards, that is to say soldiers who guard
me
and who only become worse when they are CHAPTER XVHL
well treated. Their wrong doing, however,
Papias," the pupil of John, bishop of Hie-
is my schoolmaster, but I am not thereby
rapolis in Asia, wrote only five volumes,
justified. May I have joy of the beasts that which he entitled Exposition of the words
are prepared for me and I pray that I may
;
I will even coax them to

of 07ir Lord, in which, when he had as-
find them ready ;
serted in his preface that he did not follow
devour me quickly that they may not treat me various
opinions but had the apostles for
as they have some whom they have refused to " I considered what An-
authority, he said
touch through fear. And if they are unwill- drew and Peter said, what Philip, what
I will compel them to devour me. For- what what what
ing, Thomas, James, John,''^
give me my children, I know what is expedi- Matthew or any one else the disci-
among
ent for me. Now do I begin to be a disciple, of our Lord, what also Aristion and the
ples
and desire none of the things visible that I elder John, disciples of the Lord had said,
may attain unto Jesus Christ. Let fire and not so much that I have their books to read,
cross and attacks of v/ild beasts, let wrenching as that their living voice is heard until the pre-
of bones, cutting apart of limbs, crushing of
tlie whole body, tortures
'
of the devil, let — sent day in the authors themselves."
pears through this catalogue of names
It ap-
that the
all these come upon me if only I may attain
John who is placed among the disciples is
unto the joy which is in Christ." not the same as the elder John whom he
When he had been condemned to the wild places after Aristion in his enumeration.
beasts and with zeal for martyrdom heard the This we say moreover because of the opin-
" I am the
lions roaring, he said grain of ion mentioned above, where we record that
Christ. I am ground by the teeth of the wild it is declared by many that the last two
beasts that I may be found the bread of the of are the work not of the
epistles John
world." He was put to death the eleventh
apostle but of the presbyter.
year of Trajan and the remains of his body He is said to have published a Second
lie in Antioch outside the Daphnitic gate in
coming of Our Lord or Millcnniii7ti. Ire-
the cemetery. naeus and Apollinaris and others who say
that after the resurrection the Lord will reign
CHAPTER XVIL in the flesh with the saints, follow him.
Tertullian also in his work On the hope of
PoLYCARP^ disciple of the apostle John
the Victorinus of Petau and Lac-
and by him ordained bishop of Smyrna was faithful,
tantius follow this view.
chief of all Asia, where he saw and had as
teachers some of the apostles and of those
who had seen the Lord. He, on account of CHAPTER XIX.
certain questions concerning the day of the QuADRATUS^ disciple of the apostles,
Passover, went to Rome in the time of the afterPublius bishop of Athens had been
emperor Antoninus Pius while Anicetus crowned with martyrdom on account of his
ruled the church in that city. There he faith in Christ, was substituted in his place,
led back to the faith many of the believers and by his faith and industry gathered the
who had been deceived through the per- church scattered by reason of its great fear.
suasion of Marcion and Valentinus, and And when Hadrian passed the winter at
when Marcion met him by chance and Athens to witness the Eleusinian myste-
said "Do you know us" he replied, "I ries and was initiated the
into almost all
know the firstborn of the devil." After- sacred mysteries of Greece, those who hated
wards during the reign of Mai'cus Antoninus the Christians took opportunity without in-
and Lucius Aurelius Commodus in the fourth structions from the Emperor to harass the
persecution after Nero, in the presence of believers. At this time he presented to Ha-
the pi'oconsul holding court at Smyrna and drian a work composed in behalf of our
all the people crying out against him in the full of sound argu-
religion, indispensable,
Amphitheater, he was burned. He wrote a ment and faith and worthy of the apostolic
the antiq-
very valuable Epistle to the PJilUppians teaching. In which, illustrating
uity of his period,
he says that he has seen
1
tortures A H T 25 30 31 e; all the tortures a. Fabr. Val.
1
Her. 130 (Salmon).
—
^Bishop 106 or7 157-168 (?); iS4sq (Lipsius) Authorities
2
vjhatjolin A
II 25 30 31 a e ;
omit T Her.
differ as to dates of his death from 147-175. Bishop certainly Flourished 126 (125)
3 ? Not the Athenian bishop (Salmon).
(Salmon) no. Work not extant.
many who, oppressed by various ills, were up to the present day,' such as the one to
by the Lord in Judea as well as some Antinous, servant to the Emperor Hadrian,
licaled
who had been raised from the dead. in whose honour also games v»ere celebrated,
and a city founded bearing his name, and
CHAPTER XX. a temple with priests established." The
'
Emperor Hadrian is said to have been
7 Aristides a most eloquent Athenian enamoured of Antinous.
philosopher, and a disciple of Christ while
yet retaining his philosopher's garb, pre- XXIII. CHAPTER
sented a work to Hadrian at the same time
that Qiiadratus presented his. The work Justin," a philosopher, and wearing the
contained a systematic statement of our doc- garb of philosopher, a citizen of Ncapolis, a
trine, that is, an Apology for the Christians, city of Palestine, and the son of Priscus
which is still extant and is regarded by phil- Bacchius, laboured strenuously in behalf of
the religion of Christ, insomuch that he de-
ologians as a monument to his genius.
livered to Antoninus Pius and his sons and
the senate, a work written Against tJic na-
CHAPTER
XXI.
tions^ and did not shun the ignominy of the
AoRippA ^ surnamed Castor, a man of cross. He addressed another book also to
great learning, wrote a strong refutation the successors of this Antoninus, Marcus
of the twenty-four volumes which Basilides Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius Com-
the heretic had written against the Gospel, modus. Another volume of his Against tJic
disclosing all his mysteries and enumerating nations^ is also extant, where he discusses
the propliets Barcabbas and Barchob ^ and tlie natuie of demons, and a fourth against
all the other barbarous names which
terrify
the nations which he entitled, Rcftitation
the hearers, and his most high God Abraxas, and yet another On tJte sovereignty God^ of
whose name was supposed the and another book which he entitled, Psaltcs,
to contain
"
year according to the reckoning of the and another On the Sozil^ the Dialogue
Greeks. Basilides died at Alexandria in the against the Jeivs^ which he held against
reign of Hadrian, and from him the Gnostic Trypho, the leader of the Jews, and also
sects arose. In this tempestuous time also, notable volumes Against Marcion^ which
Cochebas leader of the Jewish faction put Irenaeus also mentions in the fourth book^
Christians to death with various tortures. Against heresies^ also another book Against
all heresies which he mentions in the
CHAPTER XXII. Apology which is addressed to Antoninus
Pius. He, when he had held diarpipaQ in the
*
Hegesippus who lived at a period not city of Rome, and had convicted Crcscens
from the Apostolic age, writing a History
cynic, who said
far the many blasphemous
of all ecclesiastical events from the passion
things against the Christians, of gluttony
of our Lord, down to his own period, and fear of death, and had proved him de-
and gathering many things useful to the voted to luxury and lusts, at last, accused
reader, composed five volumes in simple of being a Christian, through the eflbrts and
style, trying to represent the style of speak- wiles of Crescens, he shed his blood for
ing of those whose lives he treated. He Christ.
says that he went to Rome in the time of CHAPTER XXIV.
Anicetus, the tenth bishop after Peter, and
continued there till the time of Eleutherius, Melito^ of Asia, bishop of Sardis, ad-
bishop of the same city, who had been dressed a book to the emperor Marcus An-
formerly deacon under Anicetus. Moreover, toninus Verus, a disciple of Fronto the orator,
arguing against idols, he wrote a history, in behalf of the Christian doctrine. lie
showing from what error they had first wrote other things also, among which are
arisen, and this work indicates in what age the following On the passover^ two books, :
he flourished.* He says, " They built monu- one book On the lives of the prophets^ one
ments and temples to their dead as we see book On the chjirch^" one book On the
'Flourished 125, apolog7 presented about 133. ' A

up to the present rfrtv T
II 31 e a ; to day 25 30.
' Flourished about 2 Horn about 104 (100?), Christi;m 133 (before 132 Holland)
J30 or 135.
Various readings arc Sarcobiis, Barcobeth, Barclio
•''
el, wrote apology about 150, died 167.

Bascobiis el. '^fourth hook A T 25 30 Val. Her.; fifth H 31 a e Fabr.
reckoning all but T and Her. which have nomeiiclature. and early editions; The right reference is probably Bk. 4 cli.
*
'•
Died iSo. Wrote his history in jiart before 11)7, and pub- 10 but he himself is mentioned in book 5 and it is likely Jeiome
lished after irj. wrote V
«
I/efounslted TH a e 25 ô \'al. Fabr.; Tluy fourished
*
Bishop about 150, died between 171 and iSo.
Her. '•
On the church A 25 30 e a; omit T 31 e a [H],
JEROME. 569
Lord's day^ one book On faith one book ^

woman. He flourished in the reign of Mar-
On the psalms ( ?) one On the senses, one cus Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius
On the sojtl and body, one On baptism, Com modus.
one On truths one On the genei-ation of
Christ, On His prophecy one On hospi-
'
CHAPTER XXVIII.
tality and another which is called the Key '
one On the devil, one On the Apocalypse of PiNYTUS of Crete, bishop of the city of
John, one On the corporeality of God, and Gnosus, wrote to Dionysius bishop of the
six books oi Eclogues. Of his fine oratorical Corinthians, an exceedingly elegant letter in
which he teaches that the people are not to
genius, Tertullian, in the seven books which
he wrote against the church on behalf of be forever fed on milk, lest by chance
they
be overtaken by the last day while yet in-
Montanus, satirically says that he was con-
sidered a prophet by of us. fants, but that they ought to be fed also on
many solid food, that they may go on to a spiritual
old age. He flourished under Marcus An-
CHAPTER XXV. toninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius Corn-
modus.^
Theophilus,^ sixth bishop of the church of
Antioch, emperor Marcus
in the reign of the CHAPTER XXIX.
Antoninus Verus composed a book Against ^
Tatian who, while teaching oratory,
Marcio7i, which is still extant, also three
volumes To Autolycus and one Against the won not a little glory in the rhetorical art,
was a follower of Justin Martyr and was
heresy of Hertnogenes and other short and so long as he did not leave his
elegant treatises, well fitted for the edification distinguished
of the church. I have read, under his name,
master's side. But afterwards, inflated " by
a swelling of eloquence, he founded a new
commentaries On the Gospel and On the
which is called that of the Encratites,
proverbs of Solomon which do not appear to heresy
the heresy which Severus afterwards aug-
me to correspond in style and language with
the elegance and expressiveness of the above mented in such wise that heretics of this
works. party are called Severians to the present
Tatian wrote besides innumerable
CHAPTER XXVI. day.
volumes, one of which, a most successful
Apollinaris,^ bishop of Hierapolis in book Against the nations, is extant, and this
Asia, flourished in the reign of Marcus An- is considered the most significant of all his
toninus Verus, to whom he addressed a works. He flourished in the reign of
notable volume in behalf of the faith of the Marcus Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aure^. //
Christians. There are extant also five other lius Commodus.
books of his Against the Nations, two On
truth and Against the Cataphtygians writ-
ten at the time when Montanus was making CHAPTER XXX.
a beginning with Prisca and Maximilla. Philip* bishop of Crete, that is of the
city of Gortina, whom Dionysius mentions
in the epistle which he wrote to the church
CHAPTER XXVII. of the same city, published a remarkable
DiONYSius," bishop of the church of Cor- book Against Marcion and flourished in the
inth, was of so great eloquence and industry time of Marcus Antoninus Verus and Lucius
that he taught not only the people of his own Aurelius Commodus.
city and province but also those of other prov-
inces and cities by his letters. Of these one is
CHAPTER XXXI.
7t> the Laced(Bmo7iians another To the Athe-
,
nians, a third To the Nicomedians, a fourth MusANUS,® not inconsiderable among

To the Cretans, a fifth To the church at those who have written on ecclesiastical
Atnastrina and to the other churches of doctrine, in the reign of Marcus Antoninus
Pontus, a sixth To the Gnosians and to Verus wrote a book to certain brethren who
Pijiytus bishop of the same city, a seventh
had turned aside from the church to the heresy
To the Roma7is, addressed to Soter their of the Encratites.
bishop, an eighth To Chrysophora a holy
'Died about iSo.
'^
That they may go on . . . Commodus A 25 30 31 e a
»On truth .
prophecy A H 25 30 31 e a Val. etc: Fabr. Val; omitT II ? Her.
omitT Her. ^ Born about
1^0, died after 172.
2
Bishop in 16S, died after iSi (some :76-S6). 'înflated A H "30 31 a e Val etc.; elated T 25 Her.
8 Claudius ApoUinaris died before iSo. 5
Bishop about 100, died about jSo.
*
Bishop about 170, died about iSo. " Flourished 2Q.\ ?.
VOL. III. Bb
370 JEROME AND GENNADTUS.
CHAPTER That God is not the author of evil^ also an
XXXII.
excellent Co?7i7ncntaiy on the Ogdoad at the
MoDKSTUS Marcus
'
also in the reign of
end of which indicating that he was near the
Antoninus and Lucius Aurclius Cominudus he wrote " I adjure thee who-
wrote a book Agaiiist Mai-cion which is apostolic period
soever shall transcribe this book, by our Lord
still extant. Some other compositions pass
Christ and by his glorious advent at
under his name but are regarded by scholars Jesus
which He shall judge the quick and the dead,
as spurious.
that you diligently compare, after you have
transcribed, and amend it accordmg to the
CHAPTER XXXIII.
^
copy from which you have transcribed it and
Bardesanes of Mesopotamia is reckcned also that you shall similarly transcribe this
among the distinguished men. He was adjuration as you find it in your pattern."
at a follower of Valentinus and
first Other works of his are in circulation to wit :
afterwards his opponent and himself founded to Victor the Roman bishop On the Paschal
a new heresy. He has the reputation co)drovcrsy'\\\ which he warns him not lightly
among the Syrians of having been a brilliant to break the unity of the fraternity, if indeed
genius and vehement in argument. He Victor believed that the many bishops of
wrote a multitude of works against almost Asia and the East, who with the Jews cele-
all heresies come into existence
which liad brated the passover, on the fourteenth day of
in his time. these a most remark- the new moon, were to be condemned.
Among
able and strong work is the one which he But even those who diflered from them did
addressed to Marcus Antoninus On fate^ not support Victor in his opinion. Pie
and many other volumes On persecution flourished chiefly in the reign of the Empe-
which his followers translated from the ror Commodus, who succeeded Marcus An-
Syriac language into Greek. If indeed so toninus Verus in power.
much force and brilliancy appears in the
translation, how great it must have been in CHAPTER XXXVI.
the original.
a philosopher of the stoic
Pantaenus,*
school, according to some old Alexandrian
CHAPTER
XXXIV. *
custom, where, from the time of Mark the
Victor,^ thirteenth bishop of Rome, evangelist the ecclesiastics were always doc-
wrote, On the Paschal Controversy and tors, was of so great prudence and erudition
some other small works. lie ruled the both in scripture and secular literature that,
church for ten years in the reign of the on the request of the legates of that nation,
Emperor Sevci'us. he was sent to India by Demetrius bishop
of Alexandria, whei'e he found that Barthol-
CHAPTER
XXXV. omew, one of the twelve apostles, had
preached the advent of the Lord Jesus ac-
Irenaeus,'' a presbyter under Pothinus to the gospel of Matthew, and on
the bishop who ruled the church of Lyons cording
his return to Alexandria he brought this
in Gaul, being sent to Rome as legate by the
with him written in Hebrew characters.
martyrs of this place, on account of certain of his commentaries on Holy Script-
ecclesiastical questions, presented to Bishop Many
ure are indeed extant, but his living voice
Eleutherins certain letters under his own
was of still greater benefit to the churches.
name which are worthy of honour. After- He
taught in the reigns of the emperor Sev-
wards when Pothinus, nearly ninety years
erus and Antoninus surnamed Caracalla.
of age, received the crown of martyrdom
for Christ, he was put in his place. It is
XXXVII. CHAPTER
certain too that he was a disciple of Poly-
carp, the priest and martyr, whom we men- Rhodo,* a native of Asia, instructed in
tioned above. He wrote five books Against the Scriptures at Rome by Tatian whom we
heresies and a short vokune, Against the na- mentioned above, published many things
tions and another On discipiinc^ a letter to especially a work Against Marcion in which
Marcianus his brother On a postolical preach- he tells how the Marcionites difier from one
as from the church and says
ing, a l)Ook of Various treatises ; also to Blas- another as well
tus, Ofz schism^' to Florinus On 7nonarchy or " "
>
Ogdoad "Octava" is translation for Ogdoad used by
Eusebius and explained to refer to the Valentinian Ogdoads.
>
Flourished iSo-igo. 2 Flourished about
172. (M'Gitrert.)
3
Bishop about 190 (or 1S5 according to others) dii'<l 202 or
* At Alexandria about 179, died about 216.
197.
•'
T reads foUov.'ing the example of and makes a more man-
* Born between 140 and 145, died 202 or hiter. ageable text.
''
sclihm 1 1 A 31 a e \'al. Eusebius etc chrism
: A T 25 30. * Flourished 1S6.
0/
JEROME.
that the aged Apelles, another heretic, was over during the reisrns of Severus and his
once engaged in a discussion with him, and son Antoninus.
that he, Rhodo, held Apelles up to ridi-
cule because he declared that he did not CHAPTER XXXIX.
know the God whom he worshipped. He MiLTiADES whom Rhodo gives an
'
of
mentioned in the same book, which he wrote account in the work which he wrote against
to Callistion, that he had been a pupil of
Montanus, Prisca and Maximilla, wrote a
Tatian at Rome. He also composed ele- considerable volume against these same
gant treatises On the six days of creation persons, and other books Against the nations
and a notable work against the Phrygians.^ and the and addressed an Apology to
He flourished in the reigns of Commodus the then fexvs
ruling emperors. He floiuished in
and Severus. the reign of Marcus Antoninus and Commo-
dus.
CHAPTER XXXVHI.
Clemens," presbyter of the Alexandrian
CHAPTER XL.
church, and a pupil of the Pantaenus men- Apollonius," an
exceedingly talented
tioned above, led the theological school at man, wrote against Montanus, Prisca and
Alexandria after the death of his master Maximilla a notable and lengthy volume, in
and was teacher of the Catechetes. He which he asserts that Montanus and his mad
is the author of notable volumes, full of prophetesses died by hanging, and many other
eloquence and learning, both in sacred things, among which are the following con-
and secular literature " if
Scripture in ;
cerning Prisca and Maximilla, they
among these are the Stromata^ eight books, denied that they have accepted gifts, let
Hypotyposes eight books, Against the them confessaccept are that those who do
nations one book, On pedagogy,^ three not prophets and I will prove by a thousand
books. On the Passover^ Disquisition on witnesses that they have received gifts, for
fasting and another book entitled, What it is
by other fruits that prophets are shown
rich man is saved? one book On CalunDiy, to be prophets indeed. Tell me, does a
On ecclesiastical canons a)id against those prophet dye his hair? Does a prophet
ivho follow the error of the feivs one book stain her eyelids with antimony? Is a
which he addressed to Alexander bishop of prophet adorned with fine garments and
Jerusalem. He also mentions in his volumes precious stones? Does a prophet play with
of Stromata the work of Tatian Against the dice and tables? Does he accept usury?
nations which we mentioned above and a Let them respond whether this ought to be
Chronography of one Cassianus, a work permitted or not, it will be my task to prove
which I have not been able to find. He also that they do these things." He says in the
mentioned certain Jewish writers against the same book, that the time when he wrote the
nations, one Aristobulus and Demetrius and work was the fortieth year after the begin-
Eupolemus who after the example of Jose- ning of the heresy of the Cataphrygians.
phus asserted the primacy of Moses and the Tertullian added to the six volumes which
Jewish people. There is a letter of Alex- he wrote On ecstasy against the church a
ander the bishop of Jerusalem who after- seventh, directed especially against Apol-
wards ruled the church with Narcissus, on lonius, in which he attempts to defend all
the ordination of Asclepiades the confessor, which Apollonius refuted. Apollonius flour-
addressed to the Antiochians congratulating ished in the reigns of Commodus and Sev-
them, at the end of which he says " these erus.
writings honoured* brethren I have sent to
you by the blessed presbyter Clement, a CHAPTER XLI.
man illustrious and approved, whom you
alsoknow and with whom now you will Serapion,^ ordained bishop of Antioch
become better acquainted a man who, when eleventh year of the emperor Commo-
in the
*
and Pontius
he had come hither by the special provi- dus, wrote a letter to Caricus
in which he
dence of God, strengthened and enlarged on the heresy of Montanus,
said " that you may know moreover that
the church of God." Origen is known to
of this false doctrine, that is the
have been his disciple. He flourished more- the madnes s
1 Flourished 1S0-190.
A a e with Eusebius; Cataphrvgians ' 2
Bishop about iq6, flourighed 210.
—
"^
Phrygiens 31
"
25 _^,«
Tfl
" — — j^ to
according - .
^_ of the Latins
the usage (cf. M'fjifTeit).
3
Risliop icx), died 211.
- Born about
160, died about 217, * Caricus and Pontius. SoValesius and others with Eu-
On pedagogy = " "The Instructor." " a " have Carinus and it is interesting-
"'
sebius but mss. except
"
* honoured
literally lordly perhaps like the conventional to note that the same ins. reads Ponticus with most mss. of
formula " Lords and brethren." Eusebius.
B b 2
17^ JEROME AND GENNADIUS.
doctrine of a new prophecy, is reprobated by he shall come in majesty from heaven and
all the world, I have sent to you the letters shall quicken all the saints, I mean Philip
of the most holy Apollinaris bishop of Hie- one of the twelve apostles who sleeps at
rapolis in Asia." He wrote a volume also Hierapolis and his two daughters who were
to Domnus, who in time of persecution went virgins until their death and another dausfhter
over to the Jews, and another work on the of his who died at Ephesus full of the Holy
gospel which passes under the name of Spirit. And John too, who lay on Our
Peter, a work to the church of the Rhosen- Lord's breast and was his
high priest carry-
ses in Cilicia wlio by the reading of this book ing the golden frontlet on his forehead, both
had turned aside to heresy. There are here martyr and doctor, fell asleep at Ephesus
and there short letters of his, harmonious in and Polycarp bishop and martyr died at
character with the ascetic life of their author. Smyrna. Thraseas of Eumenia also, bishop
and martyr, rests in the same Smyrna.
CHAPTER XLII. What
need is there of mentioning Sagaris,
bishop and martyr, who sleeps in Laodicea
Apollonius,' a Roman senator under the and the blessed
been denounced Papyrus and Melito, eunuch
emperor Commodus, having in the Holy Spirit, who, ever serving the
by a slave as a Christian, gained permission was laid to rest in Sardis and there
to give a reason for his faith and wrote a re- Lord,
awaits his resurrection at Christ's advent.
markable volinne which he read in the sen-
These all observed the day of the passover on
ate, yet none the less, by the will of the
the fourteenth of the month, in nowise depart-
senate, he was beheaded for Christ by virtue
from the evangelical tradition and follow-
of an ancient law among them, that Chris- ing
the ecclesiastical canon. I also. Poly-
tians who had once been brought before their ing
crates, the least of all your servants, according
judgment seat should not be dismissed unless to the doctrine of which I also
they recanted.
my relatives
have followed (for there were seven of my
indeed and I the eighth)
relatives bishops
CHAPTER XLHI. have always celebrated the passover when the
Theopiiilus,* bishop of Caesarea in Pales- Jewish people celebrated the putting away
tine, the city formerly called Turris Stra- of the leaven. And so brethren being sixty-
tonis, in the reign of the emperor Severus five years old in the Lord and instructed by
wrote, in conjunction with other bishops, a many brethren from all parts of the world,
synodical letter of great utility against those and having searched all the Scriptures, I
who celebrated the passover with the Jews will not fear those who threaten us, for my
on the fourteenth diay of the month. " It is
predecessors said fitting to obey God
rather than men." I quote this to show
CHAPTER XLIV. through a small example the genius and au-
Bacchylus,^ bishop of Corinth, was held thority of the man. He flourished in the
in renown under the same emperor Severus, reign
of the emperor Severus in the same
and wrote, as representative of all the bishops period as Narcissus of Jerusalem.
who were in Achaia, an elegant work On
the passover. CHAPTER XLVL
CHAPTER XLV. Heraclitus' in the reign of Commodus
^ and Severus wrote commentaries on the Acts
PoT.vcRATEs bishop of thc Ephesians and
with other bishops of Asia who in accord- Epistles.
ance with some ancient custom celebrated
the passover with the Jews on thc fourteenth
CHAPTER XLVIL
of the month, wrote a synodical letter against Maximus,'' under the same emperors pro-
Victor bishop of Rome in whicli he says that pounded in a remarkable volume the famous
he follows the authority of the apostle John questions, What is thc origin of evil? and
and of the ancients. From this we make Whether matter is tfiade by God.
the following brief quotations, " We
there-
fore celebrate the day according to usage, in- CHAPTER XLVHL
violably, neither adding anything to nor Candidus ^ under the above mentioned
taking anything from it, for in Asia lie the
remains of the greatest saints of those who emperors published most admirable treatises
shall rise again on the day of the Lord, when
On the six days of creation.
1 Died about iSj.
s
Bishop about 190-200. 1
Flourished about 193. 9 Flourished about 196.
Bisliop of Jerusalem
Died about '
-
190.
•
Bishop about 190. 185.
JEROME. j/0
CHAPTER wrote Against Apollonius. He is said to

XLIX.
have lived to a decrepit old age, and to have
Appion '
under the emperor Severus
small works, which are not
likewise wrote treatises On the six days of composed many
extant.
creation.
CHAPTER L.
CHAPTER LIV.
"
Sextus in the reign of the emperor Origen," surnamed Adamantius, a per-
secution having been raised against the
Severus wrote a book On the resurrection.
Christians in the tenth year of Severus
Pertinax, and his father Leonidas having
CHAPTER
LI. received the crown of martyrdom for Christ,
Arabianus ^ under the same emperor was left at the age of about seventeen, with
his six brothers and widowed mother, in
pubHshed certain small works relating to
christian doctrine. poverty, for their property had been con-
fiscated because of confessing Christ. When
CHAPTER
LH. only eighteen years old, he undertook the
work of instructing the Catechetes in the
Judas,* discussed at length the seventy scattered churches of Alexandria. After-
weeks mentioned in Daniel and wrote a wards
appointed by Demetrius, bishop of
Chronography of former times which he this city, successor to the presbyter Clement,
brought up to the tenth year of Severus. he flourished many years. When he had
He convicted of error in respect of this
is
already reached middle life, on account of
work he prophesied that the advent
in that the churches of Achaia, which were torn
of Anti-Christ would be about his period, with many heresies, he was journeying to
but this was because the greatness of the
Athens, by way of Palestine, under the
persecutions seemed to forebode the end of authority of an ecclesiastical letter, and
the world.
having been ordained presbyter by Theoc-
CHAPTER Un. tistus and Alexander, bishops of Caesarea
Tertullian " the presbyter, now re- and Jerusalem, he oflended Demetrius, who
was so wildly enraged at him that he wrote
garded as chief of the Latin writers after to injure his reputation. It is
Victor and Apollonius, was from the city of everywhere
known that before he went to Caesarea, he
Carthage in the province of Africa, and was had been at
the son of a proconsul or Centurion, a man Rome, under bishop Zephyrinus.
of keen and vigorous character, he flour- Immediately
on his return to Alexandria he
made Heraclas the presbyter, who continued
ished chiefly in the reign of the emperor
to wear his philosopher's garb, his assistant
Severus and Antoninus Caracalla and wrote
in the school for catechetes. Heraclas be-
many volumes which we pass by because came
are well known to most. I bishop of the church of Alexandria,
they myself after Demetrius. How
have seen a certain Paul an old man of great the glory of
was, appears from the fact that
Concordia, a town of Italy, who, while he Origen
of Caesarea, with all the
himself was a very young man had been Firmilianus, bishop
secretary to the blessed Cyprian who was Cappadocian bishops, sought a visit from
already advanced in age. He said that he him, and entertained him for a long while.
himself had seen how Cyprian was accus-
Sometime afterwards, going to Palestine to
^
tomed never to pass a day without reading visit the holy places, he came to Caesarea
and was instructed at length by Origen in
Tertullian, and that he frequently said to
" Give me the master," the Holy Scriptures. It also from
him, meaning by the fact that he went toappears
Antioch, on the
this, Tertullian. He was presbyter of the
of Mammaea, mother of the Em-
church until middle life, afterwards driven request
the and abuse of the of the peror Alexander, and a woman religiously
by envy clergy
Roman church, he lapsed to the doctrine of disposed, and was there held in great
and mentions the new honour, and sent letters to the Emperor
Montanus, prophecy Roman
in of his books. Philip, who was the first among the
many become a to christian, and to his
He composed, moreover, directly against rulers,
the church, volumes On modesty., On mother, letters which
:
are still extant. Who
does not also know that he was
is there, who
persecution., On fasts., On monogamy., six
in the study of Holy Scriptures,
books On ecstasy., and a seventh which he so assiduous
that contrary to the spirit of his time, and
1 Flourished about 196. ' Flourished about 196.
' Flourished about ig6. * 202. 1 Born at Alexandria 185, died at Tyre 253.
6 -
Born 4bout 160, christian 195, apology 198, died about 345. Caesarea. Caesarea in Palestine.
;74 JEROMK AND GENNADIUS.
of his people, he learned the Hebrew lan- Gospel canons^ whicli he worked out, and
guage, and taking the Septuagint translation, which Eusebius of Caesarea, afterwards fol-
he gathered the other translations also in a lowed. Porphyry falsely accused him of hav-
single work, namely, that of Aquila, of ing become a heathen again, after being a
Ponticus the Proselyte, and Theodotian the Christian, but it is certain that he continued
Ebonite, and Symmachus an adherent of a Christian until the very end of his life.
the same sect who wrote commentaries also
on the gospel accoiding to Matthew, from CHAPTER LVI.
which he tried to establish his doctrine. And
besides these, a fifth, sixtli, and seventh trans- AMnuosius,' at first aMarcionitebut after-
lation, which we also have from his library,
wards set right by Origen, was deacon in the
he sought out with great diligence, and
church, and gloriously distinguished as con-
compared with other editions. And since I fessor of the Lord. To him, together with
have given a list of his works, in tlie volumes Protoctetus the presbyter, the book of Origen,
of letters which I have written to Paula, On Diartyrdom was written. Aided" by his
in a letter which I wrote asrainst the works industry, funds, and perseverance, Origen
of Varro, I pass this by
dictated a great number of volumes.
now, not
He
failing
to make mention
of his immortal himself, as befits a man of noble nature, was
however,
of no mean literary talent, as his letters to
genius, how that he understood dialectics, as
well as geometry, arithmetic, music, gram- Origen indicate. He died moreover, before
the death of Origen, and is condemned by
mar, and rhetoric, and taught all the schools
of philosophers, in such wise that he had many, in that being a man of wealth, he did
also students in secular not at death, remember in his will, his old
diligent literature,
and lectured them daily, and the crowds and needy friend.
to
which flocked to him were marvellous.
These, he received in the hope that through
CHAPTER LVII.
the instrumentality of this secular literature, Trypho,^ pupil of Origen, to whom some
he might establish them in the faith of of his extant letters are addressed, was
very
Christ. learned in the Scriptures, and this of
many
It isunnecessary to speak of the cruelty of his works show here and there, but especially
that persecution which was raised against the book which he
composed On the red
the Christians and under Decius, who was
heifer in Deuteronomy, and On the halves^
*^
mad against the religion of Phili^^, whom which with the pigeon and the turtledoves
he had slain, —
the persecution in which were oflbred
by Abraham as recorded in
Fabianus, bishop of the Roman church, Genesis.*
perished at Rome, and Alexander and
CHAPTER LVIII.
Babylas, Pontifs of the churches of Jerusa-
lem and Antioch, were imprisoned for their MiNUCius ® Felix, a distinguished advo-
confession of Christ. If any one wdshes to cate of Rome, wrote a dialogue representing
know what was done in regard to the position a discussion between a Christian and a Gen-
of Origcn, he can clearly learn, first indeed tile, which is entitled Octavius^ and still an-
from his own epistles, which after the perse- other work passes current in his name, On
cution, were sent to diflerent ones, and fite^ or Arrainst the matheniaticiaus^ but
secondly, from the sixth book of the church this although it is the work of a talented
history of Eusebius of Caesarea, and from man, does not seem to me to correspond in
his six volumes in behalf of the same Origen. style with the above mentioned work. Lac-
He lived until the time of Gallus and tantius also mentions this Minucius in his
Volusianus, that is, until his sixty-ninth year, works.
and died at Tyre, in which city he also
was buried.
CHAPTER LIX.
Gaius,' bishop of in the time of

Rome,
CHAPTER LV. Zephyrinus, that the reign of Anto-
is, in
ninus, the son of Severus, delivered a very
Ammonius," a talented man of great phil- notable disputation Against rroculus^ the
osophical learning, was distinguished at follower of ISIontanus, convicting him of
Alexandria, at tlie same time. Among many
and distinguished monunicnts of his genius, Died about 2:50. 1
^rtnfo/.iTc Val. Her.; "audio him "A II 25 30; "and

is the elaborate work which he composed On " n
to tin's lime 31.
harmony of Moses and and the '
the Jcstis^
I'Mouiishcd nbtnit 240.
*
red hfifcr Numb. 19, 2. (?) or Dcut. Ch. 21.
f'
Genesis 15, y-in.
>
Flourished 220. e FlourislK-a 19O.' ' Died about 217.
JEROME. 67b
temerity in his defence of the new prophecy, fi"om him, on which account Origen, in one
and in the same volume also enumerating of his calls him his " Task-
epistles,
only thirteen epistles of Paul, says that the master."
fourteenth, which is now called. To the CHAPTER LXn.
Hebrews^ not by him, and is not consid-
is
ered among the Romans to the present day
Alexander," bishop of Cappadocia, de-
siring to visit the Holy Land, came to
as being by the apostle Paul.
Jerusalem, at the time when Narcissus,
CHAPTER LX. bishop of this city, already an old man,
ruled the church. It was revealed to Nar-
Beryllus,' bishop of Bostra in Arabia, cissus and many of his clergy, that on the
*
after he had ruled the church
gloriously for morning of the next day, a bishop would
a little while, finally lapsed into the
heresy enter the city, who should be assistant on
which denies that Christ existed before the the sacerdotal throne. And so it came to
incarnation. Set right by Origen, he wrote pass, as it was predicted, and all the bishops
various short wôrks, especially letters, in of Palestine being gathered together. Nar-
which he thanks Origen. The letters of cissus himself being especially urgent, Alex-
Origen to him, are also extant, and a ander took with him the helm of the church
dialogue between Origen and Beryllus as of Jerusalem. At the end of one of his
well, in which heresies are discussed. He epistles, written to the Antinoites On the
was distinguished during the reign of Alex- peace of the church. He says "Narcissus,
ander, son of Mammaea, and Maximinus who held the bishopric here before me, and
and Gordianus, who succeeded him in now with me exercises his office by his
power. prayers, being about a hundred and sixteen
CHAPTER yeai-s old, salutes you, and with me begs
LXI.
^
church you
to become of one mind."
some
He wrote
HiPPOLYTus, bishop of another also Po the Antiocheans, by the
(the name of the city I have not been able
hand of Clement, the of
to learn) wrote A presbyter
reckoning of the Paschal Alexandria, of whom we above,
feast and tables which he spoke
chronological another also To Origen, and In behalf of
worked out up to the first year of the Em-
peror Alexander. He also discussed the Origen against Demetrius, called forth by
the fact that, according to the testimony of
cycle of sixteen years, which the Greeks he had made Origen presbyter.
called kKKai6£KaEri]pi6a and gave the cue to Demetrius,
There are other epistles of his to difierent
Eusebius, who composed on the same In the seventh persecution under
Paschal feast a cycle of nineteen years, that persons.
at the time when Babylas of Antioch
is hvcaKaidEKaeTyplda. Hc wrote some Com- Decius,
was put to death, brought to Caesarea and
mentaries on the Scriptures, among which
shutup in prison, he received the crown of
are the
following On the six days of
:
for confessing Christ.

creation^ On Bxodtis, On the Song of martyrdom
Songs, On Genesis^ On Zechariah, On CHAPTER LXIII.
the Psalms, On Isaiah, On Daniel, On the
Apocalypse, On the Proverbs, On Ecclesi- Julius Africanus," whose five volumes
astcs, On Saul, On the Pythonissa, On the On Chronology, are yet extant, in the reign
Antichrist, On the resurrection, Against of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, who suc-
Marcion, On the Passover, Against all ceeded Macrinus, received a commission to
heresies, and an exhortation On the praise restore the city of Emmaus, which after-
of otir Lord a7zd Saviour, in which he wards was called Nicopolis. There is an
indicates that he is speaking in the church in epistle of his to Origen, On the question of
the presence of Origen. Ambrosius, who Susanna^ where it is contended that this
we have said was converted by Origen from story is not contained in the Hebrew, and is
the heresy of Marcion, to the true faith, not consistent with the Hebrew etymology in
"
urged Origen to write, in emulation of respect of the play on prinos and prisai,"
" schinos and In reply to this, Ori-
Hyppolytus, commentaries on the Script- schisai."
ures, offering him seven, and even more gen wrote a learned epistle. There is extant
secretaries, and their expenses, and an equal another letter of his. To Aristides, in which
number of copyists, and what is still more, he discusses at length the discrepancies, which
with inci'edible zeal, daily exacting work appear in the genealogy of our Saviour, as
'
Flourished about 230.
recorded by Matthew and Luke.
"^gloriously A 31 e a 10 21 Bamb. Norimb. Val.: omit T zk
^
30 H Her. 1
Bishop at Jerusalem 212, died 250.
5
Bishop 217-S, died 229-3S. * . . . 221.
376 JEROMI-: AXD GEXXADIUS.
CHAPTER LXIV. from whom he received his surname, he be-
came a Christian, and gave all his substance
Gemimus,' prcslnter of the church at
to the poor.,'^ Not long after he was inducted
Atitioch, composed a few monuments of his
presbytery, and was also made
into tlie
genius, flourisliing in the time of the Em-
Alexander and Zebennus, of bishop of Carthage. It is unnecessary
peror bishop to make a catalogue of the works of his
his city, especially at the time at which
genius, since they are more conspicuous than
llcraclas was ordained Pontiifof the church
the sun.
at Alexandria.
He was put to death under the Emperors
Valerian and Gallienus, in the eighth perse-
CHAPTER LXV.
cution, on the same day that Cornelius was
-^ TiiEODORus,^ afterwards called Gregory, put to death at Rome, but not in the same
"^
bishop of Neocaesarea in Pontus, while yet year.
a very young man, in company with his CHAPTER LXVI II.
brother Athenodorus, went from Cajipadocia
to Berytus, and thence to Caesarea in Pales- Pontius,' deacon of Cyprian, sharing his
exile until the day of his death, left a notable
tine, study Greek and Latin literature. volume On the
to
When had seen the remarkable nat- life and death of Cypriatz.
Origen
ural ability of these men, he urged them to
CHAPTER LXIX.
study philosophy, in the teaching of which
he gradually introduced the matter of faith DiONYSius," bishop of Alexandria, as
in Christ, and made them also his followers. presbyter had charge of the catechetical
So, instructed by him for five years, they school under Heraclas, and was the most
were sent back by him to their mother;' distinguished joupil of Origen. Consent-
Theodorus, on his departure, wrote a pane- ing to the doctrine of Cyprian and the
gyric of thanks to Origen, and delivered it African synod, on the rebaptizing of here-
'"'
before a large assembly, Origen himself tics, he sent many letters to diflerent peo-
being present. This panegyric is extant at ple, which are yet extant; He wrote one
the present day. to Fabius, bishop of the church at Antioch,
He wrote also a short, but very valuable, On penitence, another To the lôvians, by
paraphrase On Ecclcsiasfes^ and current the hand of Hippolytus, two letters To Xys-
report speaks of other epistles of his, but tus^ who had succeeded Stephen, two also
more especially of the signs and wonders, To Philemon and Dionysiiis, presbyters of
wliich as bishop, he performed to the great the church at Rome, and another To the
glory of the churches. same Dionysius, afterwards bishop of Rome,
and To Novatian, treating of their claim
CHAPTER LXVI. that Novatian had been ordained bishop of
The beginning of
Cornelius,' bishop of Rome, to whom Rome, against
his will.
this epistle is as follows: "Dionysius to
eight letters of Cyprian are extant, wrote a
his brother greeting. If
letter to Fabius,'* bishop of tlic church at Novatian, you
have been ordained unwillingly, as you say,
Antioch, On the Roman, Italian, and Af-
will prove it, when you shall willingly
rican councils, and anotiier On JVovatian, you
retire."
and those who had fallen from the faith, a
There is another epistle of his also To
third On the acts of the co?incil, and a fourth
Dionysitts and Didymns, and many Festal
very prolix one to the same Fabius, contain-
the causes of the Novatian and epistles on the passover, written in a de-
ing lieresy
an anathema of it. He ruled the church for clamatory style, also one to the church of
two years under Gallus and Volusianus. Alexandria On exile, one To Hierax,* bishop
He received the crown of martyrdom for in Egypt, and yet others On viortality. On
the Sabbath, and On the gymnasium, also
Christ, and was succeeded by Lucius.
one To Hermamnion and others 0)1 the per-
secution of Decius, and two books Against
CHAPTER LXVH.
/ Cyprian of Africa, at first was fiimous Neposa the
'
bishop, who asserted in his writ-
ings thousand years reign in the body.
as a teacher of rhetoric, and afterwards on
Among other things he diligently discussed
the persuasion of the presbyter Caecilius, the
Apocalypse of John, and wrote Against
1
Presbyter at Antioch about 232.
Sabellius and To Ammon, bishop of Ber-
2
Gregory of Neoccsarca, born 21015, bishop 340, died
about 270. '
Died about 260.
3
Risliop 251, died 252. -
Presliylcr 232, oxilt'd ^51) aiul jj;, died 265.
*
Fahitta. Some inss. Fabianus. '
r.lui/'iiiiiii,' -.1c ^^ll. ilei. ; /<ii/>/izi»n^ A'f II T 25 30 31.
* Born about 200, bishop 24S, died at Cartilage 25S.
•
Uieru.x (J jiuscb. Vul. Her. Ilcraolas A II T 25 30 31.
-1 >7 >T
JEROME.
nice, and To Telesphorus^ also To Euphra- CHAPTER LXXni.
r;
iior, also four books To Dionysiiis^ bishop;
Anatolius of Alexandria, bishop of
'
of Rome, to the Laodiceans On penitence^

Laodicea in Syria, who flourished under the
to Origen On martyrdo7n^ to the Armenians
Probus and Cams, was a man of
On peniience^^ a\ô On the order of trans- emperors
wonderful learning in arithmetic, geometry,
gressio7z^ to Timotiiy On nature, to EujDhra-
nor On temptation^ many letters also To astronomy, grammar, rhetoric, and dialectic.
We can get an idea of the greatness of his
Basilides, in one of which he asserts that from the volume which he wrote
he also began to write commentaries on genius
On the passover and his ten books On the
Ecclesiastes. The notable epistle which he institutes
wrote against Paul of Samosta, a few days
of arithmetic. -jp.
before his death is also current. He died in

the twelfth year of Gallienus. CHAPTER LXXIV.
ViCTORiNUS,^ bishop of Pettau, was not
equally familiar with Latin and Greek.
On
CHAPTER LXX.
this account his works though noble in
NoVATiANUS,^ of Rome, at-
They are the
presbyter thought, are inferior in style.
tempted to usurp the sacerdotal chair occu- following Commentaries : On Genesis, On
pied by Cornelius, and established the Exodus, Oft Leviticus, On Isaiah, On
dogma of the Novatians, or as they are Ezekiel, On Habakkuk, On Ecclesiastes,
called in Greek, the Cathari, by refusing to On the Song of Songs, On the Apocalypse
receive penitent apostates. Novatus, author of John, Against all heresies and many
of this doctrine, was a presbyter of Cyprian. others. At the last he received the crown of
He wrote, On the passover. On the Sabbath, martyrdom.
On circumcision, On the priesthood. On
CHAPTER LXXV.
prayer^ On the food of the fews. On zeal.
On Attains, and many others, especially, a the presbyter, patron of Eu-
^
Pamphilus
great volume On the Trinity a sort of epit-<,
sebius bishop of Caesarea, was so inflamed
ome of the work of Tertullian, which many with love of sacred literature, that he tran-
mistakenly ascribe to Cyprian. scribed the greater part of the works of Ori-
gen with his own hand and these are still
preserved in the library * at Caesarea.
I
CHAPTER LXXI.
have twenty-five volumes of Commentaries
Malchion,* the highly gifted presbyter of of Origen, written in his hand, On the
the church at Antioch, who had most suc- twelve prophets which I hug and guard with
cessfully taught rhetoric
in the same city, such joy, that I deem myself to have the
lield a discussion with Paul of Samosata, wealth of Croesus. And if it is such joy to
who as bishop of the church at Antioch, had have one epistle of a martyr how much more
introduced the doctrine of Artemon, and to have so many thousand lines which seem
this was taken down by short hand writers. to me to be traced in his blood. He wrote
This dialogue is still extant, and yet another an Apology for Origen before Eusebius had
extended epistle written by him, in behalf of written his and was put to death at Caes-
the council, is addressed to Dionysius and area in Palestine in the persecution of
Maximus, bishops of Rome and Alexandria. Maximtnus.
He flourished under Claudius and Aureli-
CHAPTER LXXVI.
anus.
7 PiERius," presbyter of the church at Alex-
CHAPTER LXXII.
andria in the reign of Cams and Diocletian,
Archelaus,* bishop of Mesopotamia, at the time when Theonas ruled as bishop in
with
composed in the Syriac language, a book of the same church, taught the people
the discussion which he held with Mani- great success and attained such elegance of
chaeus, when he came from Persia. This language and published so many treatises on
book, which is translated into Greek, is all sorts of subjects (which are still extant)
possessed by many. that he was called Origen Junior. He was
He flourished under the Emperor Probus, remarkable for his self-discipline, devoted
who succeeded Aurelianus and Tacitus. to voluntary poverty, and thoroughly ac-
After the
quainted with the dialectic
art.
"^penitence A T 2530 a Her.; penitence likewise Canon on

penitence H 31 e 10 21 Val.
1 Born about 230, bishop 270, died about 2S3.
' Died
2 Flourished about
250 sq.
2
Bishop of Pettau 303, died 304. 309.
3 AH 25 30 31 21; Ordination e 'r Her.
4 volumes A H 31 a e 10 21 Val. omit T 25 30 Her.
;
Prayer
Flourished 37a. •"
Flourished about 27S.
3 flourished before 299.
lie passed the rest of liis life at books of
persecution, Epistles to Severus^ two books of
Rome. There is extant a long treatise of his Epistles to his pupil Demetrius and one '
On the prophet Ilosca which from internal book to the same On the work of God or the
evidence appears to have been delivered on creation of man. In his extreme old age
the vigil of Passover. he was tutor to Crispus Caesar a son of Con-
stantine in Gaul, the same one who was
CHAPTER LXXVII. afterwards put to death by his father.
LuciANUS,' a man of great talent, presby-

ter of the church at Antioch, was so diligent CHAPTER LXXXI.
in the study of the Scriptures, that even now "
EusEBius bishop of Caesarea in Pales-
certain copies of the Scriptures bear tlie name
tine was diligent in the study of Divine
of Lucian. Works of his. On faiths and
short Epistles to various people are extant. vScriptures and with Pamphilus the martyr
a most diligent investigator of the Holy
He was put to death at Nicomedia for his
confession of Christ in the persecution of
Bible. He published a great number of
volumes among which are the following:
Alaxiininus, and was buried at Helenopolis
Demonstrations of the Gospel twenty books
in Bithynia.
Preparations for the Gospel fifteen books,
CHAPTER LXXVHI. Theophany'^ five books. Church history
ten books. Chronicle of Universal history
'
PniLEAS a resident of that Egyptian city and an Epitome of this last. Also On dis-
which is called Thmuis, of noble family, and crepancies between the Gospels^ On Isaiah^
no small wealth, having become bishop, ten books, also Against Porphyry., who
composed a finely written work in praise of was writing at that same time in Sicily as
martyrs and arguing against the judge who some books, aLso one
think, twenty-five
tried to compel him to offer sacrifices, was book of Topics., six books of Apology
for
beheaded for Christ during the same perse- Origen., three books On the life of Pam-
cution in which Lucianus was put to death philus., other brief works On the martyrs.,
at Nicomedia.
exceedingly learned Cojnmentaries oti one
hundred
fifty Psalms., and many and
CHAPTER LXXIX. He
flourished chiefly in the reigns
others.
V Arnobius ^ was a most successful teacher of Constantine the Great and Constantius.
of rhetoric at Sicca in Africa during the reign His surname Pami)hilus arose
from his
the martyr.
of Diocletian, and wrote volumes Against the friendship for Pamphilus
nations which may be found ever3'where.^
CHAPTER LXXXH.
CHAPTER LXXX. Reticius* bishop of Autun, among the
-4 FiRMiANUS,* known also as Lactantius, a Aedui, had a great reputation in Gaul in
disciple of Arnobius, during the reign of the reign of Constantine. I have read his
Diocletian smnmoned to Nicomedia with commentaries On the Sotig of Songs and
Flavius the Grammarian whose poem On another great volume Against Novatian but
medicine is still extant, taught rhetoric there besides these, I have found no works of his.
and on account of his lack of pupils (since it
was a Greek city) he betook himself to writ-
We have a Banquet of his which he CHAPTER LXXXIH.
ing.
wrote as a young man in Africa and an Methodius,* bishop of Olympus in
Itinerary of a journey from Africa to Ni- Lycia and afterwards of Tyre, composed
comedia written in hexameters, and another hook?, Against Porphyry written in polished
l)ook which is called The Grammarian and and logical style also a Banquet of the ten
a most beautiful one On the wrath of God^ virgins., an excellent work On the resurrec-
and Divine institutes against the nations^ tion., against Origen and On the Pythonissa
seven books, and an Epitorne of the same and On free will., also against Origen. He
work in one volume, without a title,'' also two also wrote commentaries On Genesis and On
books To Asclepiades ow<t\ôv)\K On persecu-
^ the Song of Songs and many others which
tion^ four books of Epistles to Probiis^ two are widely read. At the end of the recent
'Died
.^12. Flourished 295.
•' '
tvjo books . . . Sevents . . • Demetrius e a H 10 3i Val.;
Died after 306.
» < Died
.^25. omit T2S 30 31 Ilcr.
^without a title "that is a compendium of the l.-tRt three ' Born 267, bishop about 315, died about 33S.
books only" as Cave explains it. Ffoulkes in Smith and W. Theophany T 31 Val. Her. omit A H 25 30 a?
3 e.
;
But no. *
Bishop 313, died 334. Died 311 or 313. '"
JEROME. 3^9
persecution or, as others affirm, in the reign and Ursacius, On virginity, very many
of Decius and Valerianus, he was crowned On the persecutions
of the Arians, also On
with martyrdom at Chalcis in Greece. the titles of the Psahns and Life of An-
thony the monk, also Festal epistles and
other works too numerous to mention.
CHAPTER LXXXIV.
JuvENCUS,' a Spaniard of noble family CHAPTER LXXXVHI.
and presbyter, translating the four gospels
almost verbally in hexameter verses, com- Anthony the monk, whose life Athana- '
sius bishop of Alexandria wrote a long work

posed four books. He wrote some other
sent seven letters in Coptic to various
things in the same metre relating to the upon,
order of the sacraments. He flourished in monasteries, letters truly apostolic in idea
the reign of Constantinus. and language, and which have been trans-
lated into Greek. The chief of these is To
CHAPTER LXXXV. the Arsenoites. He flourished during the
reign of Constantinus and his sons.
EusTATHius,^ a Pamphilian from Side,
*
bishop first of Beroea in vSyria and then of CHAPTER LXXXIX.
Antioch, ruled the chui'ch and, composing
many things against the doctrine of the Basil* bishop ot Ancyra, [a doctor of]'
Arians, was driven into exile under the em- medicine, wrote a book Against Marcellus
peror Constantius
*
into Trajanopolis in and on virginity and some other things —
Thrace where he is until this day. Works of and in the reign of Constantius was, with
his are extant On the soul. On ventriloquism Eustathius of Sebaste, primate of Mace-
Against Orlgen and Letters too numerous donia.
to mention. CHAPTER XC.
CHAPTER LXXXVI. Theodorus," bishop of Heraclea in
Thrace, published in the reign of the
Marcellus,* bishop of Ancyra, flourisned
in the reign of Constantinus and Constantius emperor Constantius commentaries On
and wrote many volumes of various Proposi- Matthew and fohn. On the Epistles and
tions and especially against the Arians. Works
On the Psalter. These are written in a
of Asterius and Apollinarius against him are polished and clear style and show an excel-
lent historical sense.
current, which accuse him of Sabellianism.
Hilary too, in the seventh book of his work
Against the Arians, mentions him as a here- CHAPTER XCI.
tic, but he defends himself against the charge
Eusebius ^ of Emesa, who had fine rhe-
through the fact that Julius and Athanasius torical
talent, composed innumerable works
bishops of Rome and Alexandria communed suited to win
with him. popular applause and writing
historically he is most diligently read by
CHAPTER LXXXVII. those who practise public speaking. Among
® these the chief are, Against Jêws, Gentiles
Athanasius bishop of Alexandria, hard
and Novatians and Homilies on the Gos-
pressed by the wiles of the Arians, fled
to Constans emperor of Gaul. pels, brief but numerous. He flourished in
Returning
thence with letters and, after the death of the reign of the emperor Constantius in
the emperor, again taking refuge in flight,
whose reign he died, and was buried at
he kept in hiding until the accession of Antioch.
Jovian, when he returned to the church and CHAPTER XCII.
died in the reign of Valens. Various works
Triphylius, bishop of Ledra or Leu-
by him are in circulation ;
two books
cotheon,^ in Cyprus, was the most eloquent
Against the nations one Against Valens man of his
age, and was distinguished dur-
1
Flourished 330.
ing the reign of Constantius. I have read
2 Died
337, (or according' to others 370-82.) Jerome in this his
chapter seems, unless the usual modern view is confused, to Commentary on the Song of Songs.
have mixed up Eustathius of Antioch with Eusebius of Se- He is said to have written
baste. many other works,
3
Bishop AH T 25 30 Her; omit 31 32 a e Val. none of which have come to our hand.
* Constantius this is
supposed to be an evident slip for
Constantinus (Compare Venables in Smith and Wace Diet. 1 Born 251, died 356.
v. 2, p. 383)but if there is confusion with Eustathius of Sebaste -
Bishop of Ancyra 336-344, 3S3-60, 361-3.
as suggested above possibly the latter's deposition bv Constan- ^ A doctor of So T?and some editions. Most mss. omit
tius is referred to. But the it needs to be supplied in translation.
difficulty remains almost as great. (gnarus) but
5 Died 372, or 374 (Ffoulkes.) <
Bishop 335, died 355? Bishop 344, died about 370.
''
* Born about 296, died 373. 6 Died before

359.
^ Leucot/teo/i :^
he\xiQQn.
38o JEROME AND GENNADIUS.
CHAPTER XCIII. driven into exile for the faith, lie was in-
duced by the urgency of Fortunatianus to
DoNATus,' from whom the Donatians
subscribe to heresy.
arose in Âfrica in the reigns of the emperors
Constantinus and Constantius, asserted that
the scriptures were given up to the heathen
CHAPTER XCVni.
by the orthodox during the persecution, and AcACius,' who, because he was blind in
deceived ahnost all Africa, and especially one eye, they nicknamed "• the one-eyed,"
Numidia by his persuasiveness. Many of bishop of the church of Caesarea in Pales-
his works, which relate to his heresy, are ex- tine, wrote seventeen volumes On Eccleslas-
tant, including On the Holy Spirit^ a work tes and six of Miscellaneous questions^ and
which is Arian in doctrine. many tiêatises besides on various subjects.
He was so influential in the reign of the em-
CHAPTER XCIV. peror Constantius that he made Felix bishop

of Rome in the place of Liberius.
AsTERius,^ a philosopher of the Arian
party, wrote, during the reign of Constan- CHAPTER XCIX.
tius, commentaries On the Kpistle to the
Rofuans^ On the Gospels and On the Psalms^ Serapion,^ bishop of Thmuis, who on ac-
also many other works which are diligently count of his cultivated genius was
found
read by those of his party. worthy of the surname of Scholasticus, was
the intimate friend of Anthony the monk, and
an excellent book Against the
published
CHAPTER XCV.
Manichaeans^ also another On the titles of
Lucifer,^ bishop of Cagliari, was sent by the Psalms., and valuable Epistles to different
Liberius the bishop, with Pancratius and people. In the reign of the emperor Con-
Hilary, clergy of the Roman church, to the stantius he was renowned as a confessor.
emperor Constantius, as legates for the faith.
When he would not condemn the Nicene CHAPTER C.
faith as represented by Athanasius, sent
Hilary,^ of Poitiers in bishop Aquit-
again to Palestine, with wonderful constancy was a member of the party of Saliuni-
ania,
and willingness to meet martyrdom, he wrote
nus bishop of Aries. Banished into Phrygia
a book against the emperor Constantius and
sent it to be read by him, and not long after by the Synod of Beziers he composed twelve
books Against the Arians and another book
he returned to Cagliari in the reign of the
On Councils written to the Galilean bish-
emperor Julian and died in the reign of Val-
entinian. ops, and Commentaries on the Psalms that
is on the first and second, from the fifty-
CHAPTER XCVI. first to the sixty-second, and from the one
EusEBius,'* a native of Sardinia, at first a hundred and eighteenth to the end of the
lector at Rome and afterwards bishop of book. In this work he imitated Origen,
Vercelli, sent by the emperor Constantius to but added also some original matter. There
is a little book of his To Constantijis which
Scythopolis, and afterwards to Cappadocia,
on account of his confession of the faith, re- he presented to the emperor while he was
turned to the church under the emperor living in Constantinople, and another On
Constantius which he wrote after his death
Julian and published the Commefitaries of
Eiiscbhis of Caesar ea on the Psalms^ which and a book Against Valens and Ursacius^
he had translated from Greek into Latin, and containing a history of the Ariminian and
died during the reign of Valentian and Selucian Councils and To Sallust the pre-
Valens. fect or Against Dioscurus^ also a book of
CHAPTER XCVn. Hymns and 7nystcrics^ a commentary On
Matthew and treatises On Job., which he
FoRTUNATiANUS,* an African by birth, translated freely from the Greek of Origen,
bishop of Aquilia during the reign of Con- and another elegant little work Against
stantius, composed brief Commentaries on Auxentius and Epistles to different i:)ersons.
the gospels arranged by chapters, written in
They say he has written On the Song of
a rustic style, and is held in detestation be-
Songs but this work is not known to us.
cause, when Liberius bishop of Rome was He died at Poictiers during the reign of
Valentinianus and Valens.
»
Bishop 31.^, —355.
* AsteiiuK of Cappadocia, died about 330.
'
Bishop 353, died 370.
'
Bishop about 33S, died 365-6.
* Bf)rn about 315, Bisliop about 340, exiled 355-62, died 371-5. '
Scrapion the scholastic, died about 35S.
« Flourished 313-355. 3
Bishop 350-5, exiled 356-00, died at Poitiers 367-8.
JEROME. 381
CHAPTER CI. the JVovatians, and died in the reign of

:^ Emperor Theodosian, in extreme old age.
ViCTORiNUS,' an African by birth, taught
rhetoric at Rome under the emperor Con-
stantius and in extreme old age, yielding CHAPTER CVII.
himself to faith in Christ wrote books
against Arius, written in dialectic style and Photinus,' of Gallograecia, a disciple of
very obscure language, books which can Marcellus, and ordained bishop of Sirmium,
only be understood by the learned. He also attempted to introduce the Ebionite heresy,
wrote Commentaries on the EpistlesiJ and afterwards having been expelled from
the church by the Empei'or Valentinianus,
CHAPTER CH. wrote many volumes, among which the most
^ distinguished are Against the nations^ and
Titus bishop of Bostra, in the reign of
To Valentinianus.
the emperors Julian and Jovinian wrote
vigorous works against the Manichaeans,
and some other things. He died under CHAPTER CVIII.
Valens.
CHAPTER Phoebadius,^ bishop of Agen, in Gaul,
CHI.
a book Against the Arians.
published
Damasus,^ bishop of Rome, had a fine There are said to be other works by him,
talent for making verses and published many which I have not
yet read. He is still living,
brief works in heroic metre. He died in infirm with age.
the reign of the Emperor Theodosius at the
age of almost eighty.
CHAPTER CIX.
,/
CHAPTER CIV.
DiDYMUs,^ of Alexandria, becoming blind
Apollinarius,'' bishop of Laodlcea, in while very young, and therefore ignorant of
'
the rudiments of learning, displayed such a

Syria, the son of a presbyter, applied him-
miiacle of as to learn
self in youth to the diligent study of
his intelligence perfectly
dialectics and even geometry, sciences which
grammar, and afterwards, writing innumer-
able volumes on the Holy Scriptures, died especially require sight. He wrote many
in the reign of the Emperor Theodosius. admirable works Commentaries on all the :
There are extant thirty books by him Against Psalms., Commentaries on the Gospels of
Matthew and John., On the doctrines., also
Porphyry^ which are generally considered
as among the best of his works.* _ two books Against the Arians., and one
book On the Holy Spirit., which I translated
in Latin, eighteen volumes On Isaiah., three
CHAPTER CV.
books of commentaries On Uosea., addressed
*
Gregory, bishop of Elvira,' in Baetlca, to me, and five books On Zechariah., written
writing even to extreme old age, composed at my request, also commentaries On Job.,
various treatises in mediocre language, and and
many other things, to give an account of
an elegant work On Faith. He is said to which would be a work of itself.'' He is
be still living. still living, and has already passed his eighty-
third year.
CHAPTER CVI.
Pacianus,® bishop of Barcelona, in the CHAPTER ex.
Pyrenees Mountains, a man of chaste elo- *
quence, and as distinguished by his life as

Optatus the African, bishop of Milevis,*
his wrote various short during the reign of the Emperors Valentini-
by speech, works,
and Valens, wrote in behalf of the
among which are The Deer^ and Against anus
Catholic party six books against the calumny
1 Caius or Fabius Marius
2 Ordained
Victorinus, died about 370. of the Donatian party, in which he asserts
361, died 371.
2
Pope Damasus, died 3S0. that the crime of the Donatists is falsely
*
ApoUinaris the younger, Bishop 362, died about 390.
'•
Works " generally recognized as authentic " Matougues. charged upon the catholic party.
*
Gregory Baeticus Bishop of Elvira 359-392.
'
Elvira, Eliberi or Grenada.
8
Bishop about 360, died about 390.
1
Bishop about 347, deposed 351, died about 376.
9
^^^^, This title has given rise to a good deal of conject 2
Bishop 3SS, died about 392.
ure. Fabricius's conjecture that referred to certain games
it 3 Born about 311, flourished about 315, died 396.
held on the Kalends of January is doubted by Vallarsi, but * " The titles of which are well Icnown."
itself Matougues.
appears to have been really acute, from the fact that two mss. ' Flourished about
370.
read " The deer [CervulusJ on the Kalends of Janu;uy and " Milevis or Mileum ^
Milah " a town of Numidia 25 miles
against other pagan games." north-west of Cirta." Phillott.
38: JEROME AND GENNADTUS.
CHAPTER CXI. CHAPTER CXVI.
AciLius Severus of Spain, of the family
'
Basil,' bishop of Caesarea in Cappado-

of tliat Severus to whom Lactantius' two cia, the city formerly called Mazaca, com-
books of Epistles are addressed, composed a posed admirable carefully written books
volume of mingled poetry and pi'ose which Against Eunojnius., a vokmie On the
Holy
is a sort of guide book to his whole life.
Spirit^ and nine homilies On the six days
This he called Calamity or Trial.' lie oj" creation, also a work On asceticism and
died in the reign of Valentinianus. short treatises on various subjects. He died
in the reign of Gratianus.
CHAPTER CXI I.
Cyril,'' bishop of Jerusalem often expelled CXVII. CHAFFER
by the church, and at last received, held the
Gregory," bishop of Nazianzen, a most
episcopate for eight consecutive years, in the eloquent man, and my insti'uctor in the
reign of Theodosius. Certain Catechetical
Scriptures, composed works, amounting in
lectures of his, composed while he was a all to
thirty thousand lines, among which
young man, are extant. are On the death of his brother Cacsarins,
CHAPTER CXIII.
On charity, In praise of the JMaccabecs,
y
In praise of Cyprian, In praise of Atha-
Euzoius," as a young man, together with In praise of Maximns the philoso-
7/asi?(s,
Gregory, bishop of Nazianzan, was edu- pher after he had returned from exile. This
cated by Thespesius the rhetorician at latter however, some superscribe with the
Caesarea, and afterwards when bishop of pseudonym of Herona, since there is another
the same city, with great pains attempted work by Gregory, upbraiding this same
to restore the library, collected
by Origen Maximus, as if one might not praise and
and Pamphilus, which had already suffered
upbraid the same person at one time or
injury. At last, in the reign of the Emperor another as the occasion may demand. Other
Theodosian, he was expelled from the works of his are a book in hexameter, con-
church. Many and various treatises of his
taining, A discussion bctiveen virginity and
are in circulation, and one may
easily be- marriage, two books Agai?zst Eunomins,
come acquainted with them. one book On the Holy Spirit, and one
Against the Emperor Julian. He was a
CHAPTER CXIV. follower of Polemon
of speaking. in his style
Epiphanius," bishop of Salamina in Having ordained his successor in the bishop-

his own life time, he retired to
Cyprus, wrote books Against all heresies.^ ric, during
and many others which are eagerly read by the country where he lived the life of a
the learned, on account of their subject mat- monk and died, three years or more ago, in
the reign of Theodosius.
ter, and also by the plain people, on account
of their language. He is still living, and in
his extreme old age composes various brief CHAPTER CXVIII.
works.
CHAPTER CXV. Lucius,^ bishop of the Arian party after
Athanasius, held the bishopric of the church
Epiiraim,® deacon of the church at Edessai at Alexandria, until the time of the Emperor
composed many works in the Syriac lan- Theodosius, by whom he was deposed.
guage, and became so distinguished that his Certain festal epistles of his, On the pass-
writings are repeated 2:)uhlicly in some over are extant, and a few short works of
churches, after the reading of the Scriptures. Miscellaneous propositions.
I once read in Greek a volume
by him
On the Holy Spirit^ which some one had
translated from the Syriac, and recognized
CHAPTER CXIX.
even in translation, the incisive power of DiODORUS," bishop of Tarsus enjoyed a
lofty genius. great reputation while he was still presbyter
He died in the reign of Valens. of Antioch. Commentaries of his On the
epistles are extant, as well as many other
1
Died before 376 Fabricius and Miijnc read A(|uilus,
Hoiiorius has Achiliiis but the inss. read as above. Tliis is works in the manner of Eusebius the great
the only source of information and the work is lost.
-
Trial " Vicissitudes or
of Emesa, whose meaning he has followed,
proofs." Matoufûes.
3
Cyril of Jcrusaleni, born about 315, Hishop 350-7, iSiH'O,
362-7, 37S to his death in 3S0. '
Basil the Great, born 329, bisliop 370 died 379.
••
Deposed about 379. 2

(iregory Na/.ianzaii born ahuut 3.>:;, Bislioi) 373, died3S9.
" Horn about
310, bishop about 3rtS-o, died i\,o},. 3 Lucius bishop of Suniosata, at Alexanihia 373, deposed
<=
Ephrem of Nisibis =:Ephrein"Syrus died 37S. 378.
• Died before
394.
JEROME. .vS3
but whose eloquence he could not imitate on CHAPTER CXXV.

account of his ignorance of secular literature.
EvAGRius,' bishop of Antioch, a man of
remarkably keen mind, while he was yet
CHAPTER CXX. presbyter read me various treatises on vari-
EuNOMius,' bishop of Cyzicus and mem- ous topics, which he had not yet published.
ber of the Arian party, fell into such open Pie translated also the Life of the blessed
blasphemy in his heresy, as to proclaim Anthony from the Greek
of Athanasius into
publicly what the others concealed.
He is our language.
said to be still living in Cappadocia, and to
write much against the church. Replies to CHAPTER CXXVI.
him have been made by Apollinarius, Did- Ambrose^ of Alexandria, pupil of Didy-
ymus, Basil of Caesai-ea, Gregory Nazianzen, mus, wrote a long work On doctrines
and Gregory of Nyssa.
against Apollinaris, and as some one has
lately informed me. Commentaries
on Job.
CHAPTER CXXI. He is still living.
Priscillianus,^ bishop of Abila, belonged
to the party of Hydatius and Ithacius, and CHAPTER CXXVn.
was put to death at Treves by the tyrant ^
Maximus the philosopher, born at Alex-
Maximus. He published many short writ-
have reached us. He andria, ordained bishop at Constantinople
ings, some of which
is still accused by some, of being tainted
and deposed, wrote a remarkable work On
with Gnosticism, that is, with the heresy of faith against the Arians and gave it to the
Basilides or Mark, of whom Irenaeus writes, Emperor Gratianus, at Milan.

while his defenders maintain that he was not
at all of this way of thinking. CHAPTER CXXVni.
CHAPTER CXXH. Gregory " bishop of Nyssa, the brother
of Basil of Caesarea, a few years since read
of Spain, a man of great to
^
Latronianus
Gregory Nazianzan and myself a work
learning, and in the matter of versification against Eunomius. He is said to have also
worthy to be compared with the poets of an- written many other works, and to be still
cient time, was also put to death at Treves
writing.
withPriscillianus, Felicissimus, Julianus, and
Euchrotia, cooriginators with him of schism. CXXIX.CHAPTER
Various fruits of his genius written in differ- of the church at Antioch,
ent metres are extant.
JoHN,^ presbyter
a follower of Eusebius of Emesa and Diod-
orus, is said to have composed many books,
CHAPTER CXXni. but of these I have only read his On the
TiBERiANUS,* the Baetican, in answer to priesthood.
an insinuation that he shared the heresy
of Priscillian, wrote an apology in pompous CHAPTER CXXX.
and mongrel language. But after the death
Gelasius,^ bishop of Caesarea in Palestine
of liis friends, overcome by the tediousness
after Euzoius, is said to write more or less in
of exile, he changed his mind, as it is written but not to publish
" the carefully polished style,
in Holy Scripture dog returned to his his works.
vomit," and married a nun, a virgin dedi-
cated to Christ. CHAPTER CXXXI.
Theotimus,' bishop of Tomi, in Scythia,
CHAPTER CXXIV. has published brief and epigrammatical
Ambrose *
bishop of Milan, at the present treatises, in the form of dialogues,
and in
time is still I withhold my judg- olden style.
writing. I hear that he is now writing
ment of him, because he is still alive, fearing other works.
either to praise or blame lest in the one
Bishop of Antioch, 3SS, died 393.
event, I should be blamed for adulation, and
1
"
Died after 392.
in the other for speaking the truth. 3 A Cynic. Bishop 379. , j- 1 .-.
376, restored 37S, died

4 Born utter
339-2, bishop 372, deposed
1
Bishop 360, died before 396. about 347, at Constanti-
2 Flourished 379, condemned 3S0, died 3S5. c
John Chrysostom born at Antioch
3 Died 385. nople 30S, deposed 403, died 407.
* End of 4th Century. 1;
"
Bishop 37g, died 39t-5-
I'
Born about 340, baptized 374, died 397, Bishop of Tomes? 392-403.
384 JEROME AND GENNADTUS.
CHAPTER CXXXII. of Origen on feremiah and Ezckiel,
which 1 translated from Greek into Latin,
Dexter,' son of Pacianus whom I men-
tioned above, distingnislied in his generation
On the Seraphim., On Osanjza, On the
afid the prodigal sons, On three
and devoted to the Christian faith, has, I am prudent
told, written a Universal which I questions of the ancient laiu. Homilies on the
History^
have not yet read. Song of Songs two. Against Ilclvidins, On
the perpet2ial virginity of Mary., To Eus-
CHAPIT.R CXXXIII. tochius, On maintaining virginity, one book
of Epistles to Marcclla, a consolatory letter
Amphilochius,^ bishop of Iconium, re- to Paula On the death of a daughter^ three
cently read to mc a book On the Holy books oiCommcntaries on the epistle of Paul
Spirit^ arguing that He is God, that He is to the Galatians, likewise three books of
to be worshii^ped, and that He is omnip- Comme?itaries oti the
epistle to the Ephe-
otent. sians. On tJie epistle to Titus one book. Oil
CHAPTER
CXXXIV. the epistle to IViilcmon one, Commentaries
on Ecclesiastes, one book of Hebrew ques-
SopiiRONius,' a man of superlative learn-
tions on Genesis, one book On places in
ing, wrote while yet a lad, hi praise of
fudea, one book of Hebrew names, Didy-
Bethlehem^ and recently a notable volume,
On the overthro-iV of Serapis^ and also to inus 071 the Holy Spirit, which I translated
into Latin one book, jg homilies on Lukc,^
Eustachius, On virginity^ and a Life of
Hilarion the monk. He rendered short On Psalms lO to i6, seven books. On the
works of mine into Greek in a very finished captive JMonk, The Life of the blessed
Hilario7i. I translated the New 1 estamcnt
style, the Psalter also, and the Prophets^
which from Hebrew into Latin. from the Greek, and the Old lêstafnent
I translated
from the Hebrew,^ and how many Letters
I have written To Paula and Eustochius I
CHAPTER CXXXV.
do not know, for I write daily. I wrote
I, Jerome,* son of Eusebius, of the city of moreover, two books of
Explanations on
Strido, which is on the border of Dalmatia Micah, one book Oti Nahuni, two books
and Pannonia and was overthrown by the On
Habakkuk, one On Zephaniah, one On
Goths, up to the present year, that is, the Haggai, and many others On the
prophets,
fourteenth of the Emperor Theodosius, have which are not
yet finished, and which I am
written the following: Life of Paul the still at work upon.^
7nonk.i one book of Letters to different per-
sons., an Exhortation to Heliodorus^ Con- 1
59 homilies, T 25 30 Her. 59 homilies of Origen A H 31
;
troversy of Lucifer ianus and Orthodoxus. e a 2etc. The Old Testament from the Hebrew A H 30 31 a e; omit
Chronicle of tiniversal history., 28 homilies T 25 Her.
* There are
many brief additions to the chapter on Jerome
'Flavins Lucius Dexter flourislied 395.
*
himself, the most common one (B C D VWX Y
I S Z i 245
Ainphilocliius of C;ii)]);uioci:i, bishop 375, died about 400. 6 7 9 II 12 14 15 17 19 20 21 26 27 28 i}, 42 in o p r t u V y z) be-
3 Klourished Author also of Greeli translation of "Two
392. ing Ag
hoo]<.9. a i)ist Joviiiian and an Apology addressed
Jerome's Illustrious Men? to Pammachus." Some add also " and an Kpita'phium." A
*
Horn 3JI, died 420. and k give a long additional account of Jeioiiie.
III. GENNADIUS.
LIST OF THE AUTHORS WHOM GENNADIUS ADDED, AFTER THE
DEATH OF THE BLESSED JEROiME.'
I.
James, surnamed the Wise. Eutropius the presbyter.
2.
Julius, bishop of Rome. Another Evagrius.
3- Faulonas the presbyter. Vigilius the deacon.
4- Vitellius the African. 53- Atticus the holy bishop.
5- Macrobius the presbyter. 54- Nestorius the heresiarch.
6. Heliodorus the presbyter. 55- Caelestinus the bishop.
7- Pachomius the presbyter-monk. 56. Theodorus the bishop.
8. Theodorus, his successor. 57- Fastidius the bishop.
9- Oresiesis the monk. 58. Cyrillus the bishop.
lO. Macarius the monk. 59- Timotheus the bishop.
II. Evagrius the monk. 60. Leporius the presbyter.
12. Theodorus the presbyter. 61. Victorinus the rhetorician.
13- Prudentius. 62. Cassianus the deacon.
14. Audeutius the bishop. 63. Philippus the presbyter.
Commodiauus. 64. Eucherius the bishop.
16. Faustinus the presbyter. 65. Vincentius the Gaul.
17- Rufinus the presbyter. 66. Syagrius.
18. Tichonius the African. 6^. Isaac the presbyter.
19. Severus the presbyter. 68. Salvianus the presbyter.
20. Antiochus the bishop. 69. Paulinus the bishop.
21. Severianus the bishop. 70. Hilarius the bishop.
22. Nicaeas the bishop. P- Leo the bishop.
23- Olympius the bishop. 72. Mochimus the presbyter.
24. Bacliiarius. 73- Timotheus the bishop.
25- Sabbatius the bishop. 74- Asclepius the bishop.
26. Isaac. Peter the presbyter.
27. Ursinus. 76. Paul the presbyter.
28. Another Macarius. Pastor the bishop.
29. Heliodorus tiie
presbyter. 78. Victor the bishop.
30- John, bisliop of Constantinople. 79- Voconius the bishop.
31- John, another bishop. 80. Musaeus the presbyter.
32. Paulus the bishop. 81. Vincentius the presbyter.
33- Helvidius. 82. Cyrus the monk.
34- Theophilus the bishop. 83. Samuel the presbyter.
35- Eusebius the bishop. 84. Claudianus the presbyter.
36- Vigilantius the presbyter. 85. Prosper.
37- SimpHcianus the bishop. 86. Faustus the bishop.
38. Vigilius the bishop. 87. Servus Dei the bishop.
39- Augustine the bishop. 88. Victorius.
40. Orosius the presbyter. 89. Theodoritus the bishop.
41. Maximus the bishop. 90. Gennadius the bishop.
43. Petronius the bishop. 91. Theodulus the presbyter.
43- Pelagius the heresiarch. 93. John the presbyter.
44. Innocentius the bishop. 93- Sidonius the bishop.
45- Caelestius, follower of Pelagius. 94. Gelasius the bishop.
46. Julianus the bishop. 95- Honoratus the bishop.
47- Lucianus the presbyter. 96. Cerealis the bishop.
48. Avitus the presbyter. 97- Eugenius the bishop.
49. Paulinus the bishop. 98. Pomcrius the bishop.
This is in a few mss. only. 99. Gennadius,
Jerome.
VOL. III. c c
CHAPTER succeeded Julian, gave over to the barbarians
I.
the city which, with the adjoining territory,
James,' surnamed the Wise,
was bishop unto the Persian rule until this
is subject
of Nisibis the famous city of the Persians
and one of the confessors under Maximinus day.
the persecutor. He was also one of those CHAPTER II.
who, in the Niccan council, by their opposi- Julius,' bishop

of Rome, wrote to one
tion overthrew the Arian perversity of the
Dionysius a single epistle On the
incar-
Homoousia. That the blessed Jerome men- nation of Our Lord, which at that time was
tions this man in his Chronicle as a man who asserted
regarded as useful against those
of great virtues and yet does not place him that, as by incarnation there were two persons
in his catalogue of writers, will be easily ex- in Christ, so also there were two natures, but
plained if we note that
of the three or four
now this too is regarded as injurious for it
Syrians whom he mentions he says
that he
From
nourishes the Eutychian and Timothean
read them translated into the Greek. heresies.
this it is evident that, at that period, he did
not know the Syriac language or literature,
CHAPTER HI.
and therefore he did not know a writer who Paulonas,- the Presbyter, disciple of the
had not yet been translated into another blessed deacon Ephraim a man of very en-
language. All his writings are contained
in learned in the holy
ergetic character and
twenty-six books namely On falth^ Against scriptures was distinguished among the
all heresies^ On charity towards all, On doctors of the church while his master was
fastings On prayer On particular affec-
,
still living and especially as an extempora-
tioti towards onr neighbor^ On the resurrec- neous orator. After the death of his master,
tion. On the life after death. On humility. overcome by love of reputation, separating
On penite7ice^^ On satisfaction. On virgin- himself from the church, he wrote many
the soul. On circjun-
^
ity, On the worth of things opposed to the faith.
The blessed
cision. On the blessed grapes^ On the say- Ephraim when on the point of death is re-
not
ing in Isaiah, "the grape cluster shall to have said to him as he stood by his
be destroyed," That Christ is the son of
ported
side — See to it, Paulonas that you do not
God and con substantial ivith the Father, yield yourself to your
own ideas, but when
On chastity. Against the Nations^ On the you shall think that you understand
God
construction of the tabei-nacle. On the wholly, believe that you have not known,
—
co7iversation the nations^ On the Per-
of for he felt beforehand from the studies or the
sian kingdom. On the persecution of the words of Paulonus, that he was investigating
Christians. He composed also a CJiro)iicle new things, and was stretching out his mind
of little interest indeed to the Greeks, but of to the illimitable, whence also he frequently
it is constructed only
great relial)ility in that called him the new Bardesanes.
on the authority of the Divine Scriptures.
It shuts the mouths of those who, on some
daring guess, idly philosophize concerning

CHAPTER IV.
the advent of Antichrist, or of our Lord. ViTEi.Lius
^
the African, defending the
This man died in the time of Constantius Donatist schism wrote Why the servants
and according to the direction of his father
of God are hated by the world, in which,
Constantiue was buried within the walls of he
except in speaking of us as persecutors,
Nisibis, for the protection cvidendy of the excellent doctrine. He wrote also
published
city, and it turned
out as Constantiue had
Against the nations and against us
as tradi-
expected. For many years after, Julian hav- tors of the in times of perse-
Holy Scriptures
entered Nisibis and grudging either the much
ing cution, and wrote Oji ecclesiastical pro-
glory of him who was
buried there or the He was
cedure. distinguished during the
faith of Constantiue, whose family he perse- Con-
reign of Constans son of the emperor
cuted on account of this envy, ordered the stantinus.
remains of the saint to be carried out of the
and a few months later, as a matter
CHAPTER V.
city,
of public policy, the Emperor Jovian who Macrobius" the Presbyter was likewise
as learned from the writings of Optatus,
I
afterwards secretly bishop of the Donatians

in Rome. He wrote, having been up to this
1
Bishop (Pope) ,v^7, died 352. •"
Fourth century.
' Kiouiishcd 370. Bishop about 370.
'
worth, mss. generally; /tv//;/^, editions generally.
GENNADIUS. 3S7
time a presbyter In the church of God, a work letters written in tlie

language of tloly Script-
To cofifessors and virgins., a work of ethics ure, in which nevertheless he frequently men-
indeed, but of very necessary doctrine as tions his master and teacher Pachomius and
well and fortified with sentiments well fitted sets forth his doctrine and life as
examples.
for the preservation of
chastity. He was dis- This he had been taught he said by an Angel
tinguished first in our party in Africa and that he himself miglit teach again. He
afterwards in his own, that is among the likewise exhorts them to remain by the pur-
Donatians or Montanists at Rome. pose of their heart and desire, and to restore
to harmony and unity those who, a dissen-
CHAPTER VL sion having arisen after the death of the Abbot,
had broken the unity by separating them-
Heliodorus * the Presbyter wrote a book
selves from the community. Three horta-
entitled Aî introductory treatise on the
nature of things., in which he showed that tory epistles of his are extant.
the beginning of things was one, that nothing
was coaeval with God, that God was not CHAPTER IX.
'
the creator of evil, but in such wise the Oresiesis the monk, the colleague of
creator of all good, that matter, which is used both Pachomius and Theodorus, a man
for'" evil, was created
by God after evil was learned to perfection in Scripture,"' composed
discovered, and that nothing material what- a book seasoned with divine salt and formed
ever can be regarded as established in any of the essentials of all monastic discipline
other way than by God, and that there was and to speak moderately, in which almost
no other creator than God, who, when by the whole Old and New Testament is found
His foreknowledge He knew that nature was set forth in compact dissertations all, at —
to be changed," warned of least, which relates to the special needs of
punishment.
monks. This he gave to his brethren almost on
CHAPTER VII. the very day of his death leaving, as it were,
* a legacy.
Pachomius the monk, a man endowed
with apostolic grace both in teaching and in CHAPTER X.
performing miracles, and founder of the Macarius,^ the

Egyptian monk, distin-
Egyptian monasteries, wrote an Order of guished for his miracles and virtues, wrote
discipline suited to both classes of monks, one letter which was addressed to the
which he received by angelic dictation. He younger men of his profession. In this he
wrote letters also to the associated bishops taught them that he could serve God per-
of his district, in an alphabet concealed by fectly who, knowing the condition of his
mystic sacraments so as to surpass custom- creation, should devote himself to all labours,
ary human knowledge and only manifest to and by wrestling against every thing which
those of special grace or desert, that is To the is agreeable in this life, and at the same time
Abbot Cornelius one. To the Abbot Syrus imploring the aid of God would attain also
one, and one To the heads of all monasteries to natural purity and obtain coiitinence, as
exliorting that, gathered together to one a well merited gift of nature.
very ancient monaster}' which is called in
the Egyptian language Bau, they should CHAPTER XL
celebrate the day of the Passover together as
Evagrius * the monk, the intimate dis-
by everlasting law. He urged likewise in of the above mentioned Macarius, edu-
another letter that on the day of remission, ciple '
cated in sacred and profane literature and
which is celebrated in the month of August,
the chief bishops should be gathered together distinguished, whom the book which is
c-aW-qA \hQ. Lives of the fathers mentions as
to one place, and wrote one other letter to
a most continent and erudite man, wrote
the brethren who had been sent to work out-
side tlie monasteries. many things of use to monks among which
are these Suggestions against the eight
:
principal sins. ITe was first to mention or

CHAPTER
Vin.
among the first at least to teach these setting
TiiEODORUS," successor to the grace and acfainst them eight books taken from the
the headship of the alcove mentioned Abbot testimony of the Holy Scriptiu-es only, after
Pachomius, addressed to other monasteries the example of our Lord, who alwa3's met
1 About 360.
1
Died about 3S0.
2 Used for T 35 31 a e 21 inclhied to 30? ? Fabr. Her.
;
"
Scn'JHure 25 30 a e 10 : Holy Scriptures A T 31 21.
s
changed K T 25 30 31 a e 21 10 Bamb. Boni. Gcm- •*
Born about 300, died 390 (391).
blac. Sigberg. G\\e\ên\>.\ given over to death Fabr. Ilir. utc. » Born 345, died 399.
* Born
about 2u-!, died 34S. ]!orii about 314, died 31)7. ^ educated in T 31 e Her. ;
omit A 25 30 a.
C C 2
3S8 JEROME AND GENNADIUS.
his tempter with quotations from Scripture, lar literature, composed a Trocheum of
'
so that every suggestion, whether of the selected persons from the whole Old and
devil or of depraved nature had a testimony New Testament. He wrote a commentary
against it. This work I have, under in- also, after the fashion of the Greeks, On the
structions, translated into Latin translating six days of creation from creation of the
with the same simplicity which I found in world until the creation of the first man and
the Greek. He composed also a book of his fall. He wrote also short books which
One hundred se7iti7ncnts for those living are entitled in the Greek, Apotheosis^ Psy-
simply as anchorites, arranged by chapters, chofnachia and Hamartigenia^ that is On
and one of Fifty sentijuents for the erudite divinity^ On spiritical co7ifiict^ On the
and studious, which I first translated into origin of sin. He wrote also In praise of
Latin. The former one, translated before, I martyrs^ an invitation to martyrdom in one
restored, partly by retranslating and partly book citing several as examples and another
by emendation, so as to represent the true o{ Hymns but '
specially directed Against ^t
meaning of the author, because I saw that Syjnmachus who defended idolatry, from
the translation was vitiated and confused by which we learn that Palatinus was a soldier.
time. He composed also a doctrine of the
common-life suited to Cenobites and Syno- CHAPTER XIV.
dites,' and to the virgin consecrated to God,
a little book suitable to her religion and sex. AuDENTius,^ bishop of Spain, wrote a
He published also a few collections of opin- book against the Manicheans, Sabellians and
ions very obscure and, as he himself says of Arians and very particularly against the
them, only to be understood by the hearts of
Photinians who are now called Bonosiacians.
This book he entitled On faith against
monks, and these likewise I published in
Latin. He lived to old age, in heretics.^ and in it he showed the Son to
mighty signs
have been coeternal with the Father and
and miracles.
did not receive the beginning ofthat He
CHAPTER Xn. from God the Father, at the time his deity
when conceived by the act of God, he was
TiiEODORUS,^ presbyter of the church at
born of the Virgin Mary his mother in true
Antioch, a cautious investigator and clever
of tongue, wrote against the ApoUinarians humanity.
and Anomians On the incar7iation of the CHAPTER XV.
Lord^ fifteen books containing as many as
fifteen thousand verses, in which he showed CoMMODiANUS," while he was engaged in
secular literature read also our writings
by the clearest reasoning and by the testi-
mony of Scripture that just as the Lord and, finding opportunity, accepted the fîth.
become a Christian thus and wish-
Jesus had a plenitude of deity, so he had a Having
plenitude of humanity. He taught also that ing to offer the fruit of his studies to Christ
inan consists only of two substances, soul the author of his salvation, he wrote, in
and body and that sense and spirit are not barely tolerable semi-versified language.
ditVerent but inherent inborn Against the pagatzs^ and because he was
substances,
faculties of the soul through whicli it is in- very little acquainted with our literature he
was better able to overthrow their
spired and has rationality and through which [doctrine]
it makes the
than to establish ours. Whence also, con-
body capable of feeling. Moi-e-
over the fourteenth book of this work treats tending against them concerning the divine
wholly of the uncreated and alone incor- counterpromises, he discoursed in a sufli-
poreal and ruling nature of the holy Trinity ciently wretched and so to speak, gross
and of the rationality of animals which lie fashion, to their stupefaction and our de-
explains in a devotional spirit, on the au- spair. Following Tertullian, Lactantius and
thority ofHoly Scriptures. In the fifteenth Papias as authorities he adopted and incul-
volume he confirms and fortifies the whole '
Tyocheitm. There is much controversy over the word,
some maintaining^ that it should be Ditt()cliaeon= " the double
body of his work by citing the traditions of food or double testament " (Lock in Smith and Wace) or Dipty-
the fathers. chon. It is a description of a series of pictures from the Uible.
The mss. read Trocheum a. e.; Troceum T 25; Trocetum 30;
CHAPTER XHL Trocleum A Trnpcum 31.
;
has not yet come to han^.

A
recent monograph on the subject
a man well versed in secu- Syniinachiis. Two works are here confused, the work
Prudentius,' against Symmachus, and the Cathemerinon hymns, in the
preface to which the quotation occurs.
Synodites a kind of monks.
1 '
Hishop of Toledo about 390. (Chevalier) or in the reign
* Theodore of Mopsuesta (?), born at Antioch (?) about ^jo, of Constantius (Ceillier), 370(Hoefer).
died 42S. *
Flourished about 270. There is wide variety of opinion
' Born at Saragossa 34S, was at Rome in 405, died in Spain respecting this date, some placing a-> e:irly as 250 and some
40S? nearly one hundred years later.
GENNADIUS. 389
cated in his students good ethical principles the

patriarchs. He wrote also many epistles
and especially a voluntary love of povei'ty. exhorting to fear oPGod, among wiiich those
which he addressed to Proba are preeminent.
CHAPTER XVI. He added also a tenth and eleventii l)ook to
Faustinus' the presbyter wrote to Qiieen the ecclesiastical history which we have said
Flaccilla seven books Against the Arians
was written by Eusebius and translated by
and Macedonians,, arguing and convicting him. Moreover he responded to a detractor
them by the testimonies of the very Scriptures of his works, in two volumes, arguing and
which they used, in perverted meaning, for proving that he exercised his talent with the
aid of the Lord and in tlie sight of God, for
blasphemy. He wrote also a book which, to- the
gether with a certain presbyter named Mar- good of the church, while he, on the
other hand, incited by jealousy had taken to
cellinus,he addressed to theemperors Valen-
tinianus, Theodosius and Arcadius, in defence polemics.
of their fellow Christians. From this it ap- CHAPTER XVIII.
pears that he acquiesced in the Luciferian TiCHONius,' an African by nationality was,
schism, in that in this same book he blames it is said, sufliciently learned in sacred litera-
Hilary of Poitiers and Damasus, bishop of ture, not wholly unacquainted with secular
Rome, for giving ill-advised counsel to the literature and zealous in ecclesiastical affairs.
"
church, advising that the apostate bishops He wrote books On internal ivar and Ex-
should be received into communion for the positions of various causes in which for the
sake of restoring the peace. For it was as defence of his friends, he cites the ancient
displeasing to the Luciferians to receive the councils and from all of which" he is recog-
bishops who in the Ariminian council had nized to have been a Donatist. He com-
communed with Arius, as it was to the Nova- posed also eight Rttlesfor investigating and
tians to receive the penitent apostates.
ascertaining the meaning of the Script-
ures^ compressing them into one volume.
CHAPTER XVn. He also expounded the Apocalypse of John
RuFiNUS,'* presbyter of the church at entire, regarding nothing in it in a carnal
sense, but all in a spiritual sense. In this
Aquileia, was not the least among the doc- ^
tors of the church and had a fine talent for exposition he maintained the angelical nature
to be corporeal, moreover he doubts that
elegant translation from Greek into Latin.
In this way he opened to the Latin speaking there will be a reign of the righteous on
church the greater part of the Greek liter- earth for a thousand years after the resur-
ature ; translating the works of Basil of rection, or that there will be two resurrec-
Caesarea in Cappadocia, Gregory Nazian- tions of the dead in the flesh, one of the
zan, that most eloquent man, the Recog- righteous and the other of the unrighteous,
nitions of Clement of Rome, the Church but maintains that there will be one simul-
taneous resurrection of all, at which shall
history of Eusebius of Caesarea in Palestine,
the Sentences of Xystus,'' the Sentences of arise even the aborted and the deformed
Evagrius and the work of Pamphilus Martyr

lest any living human being, however de-
Agaiftst the j?tathematicians. Whatever formed, should be lost. He makes such dis-
tinction to be sure, between the two resur-
among all these which are read by the- rections as to make the first, which he calls
Latins have prefatory matter, have been
translated by Rufinus, but those which are the apocalypse of the righteous, only to take
without Prologue have been translated by place in the growth of the church where,
some one else who did not choose to write justified by faith, they are raised from the
a prologue. Not all of Origen, however, dead bodies of their sins through baptism to
is his work, for Jerome translated some the service of eternal life, but the second, the
which are identified by his prologue. On general resurrection of all men in the flesh.
his own account, the same Rufinus, ever This man flourished at the same period
with
the above mentioned Rufinus during the reign
through the grace of God published an Ex-
position of the creed so excellent of Theodosius and his sons.
Apostles'
that other expositions are regarded as of no CHAPTER XIX.
account in comparison. He also wrote in a *
threefold sense, that is,the historical, moral Severus the presbyter, surnamed Sul-
and mystical sense, on Jacob's blessing on 1
399.
2
from all of which A 25 30 31 u from vjJiich c
;
" that the human
THer.
'
Flourished about 3S4. 'ângelical ?/a/Kr^ etc., body is an abode
2 of an2:els" (angelicam &tati<mem corpus esse) Phillott, in
Apostate =z prevaric.itorcs.
3 Born
345, at Jerusalem about 390, died 410. Smith and Wace.
*Xys(us T 25 30 e; Sextus A 31 ;i
Xystus of Rome T Her. 1
*
Sulpicius Severus born after 353, died about 410.
390 JEROMR AND GEXNADIUS.
pitiiis,
of the province of Aquitania, a man CHAPTER XXII.
distinguished by his birth, by his excellent NicEAS,'" bishop of the city of Romatia,
literary work, by his devotion to poverty
and by his humility, lêloved also of the composed, in simple and clear language, six
books of Instrnction for neophitcs. The
sainted men Martin bishop of Tours and
first of these contains. How candidates who
Paulinas Nolanus, wrote small books which
seek to obtain grace of baptism ought to act,
are far from despicable. He wrote to his the second, On the errors of relationship, in
sister many Letters exhorting to love of God
which he relates that not far from his own
and contempt of the world. These are well
time a certain Melodius, father of a family,
known. He wrote two to the alcove men- on account of his liberality and Garadius' a
tioned Paulinus Nolanus and others to
peasant, on account of his bravery, were
others, but because, in some, family matters the gods. A
are included, they have not been collected
placed, by the heathen, among
book On faith in one sovereign^ a
third
for publication. He composed also a Chron-
fourth Against genealogy ^^ a fifth On the
icle^ and wrote also to the profit of many,
creed., a sixth On the sacrifce of the pas-
a Life of the holy Martin^ monk and bishop,
chal lamb. He addressed a work also To
a man famous for signs and wonders and
the fallen virgitt., an incentive to amend-
virtues.' He also wrote a Conference between
ment for all who have fallen.
Postuinianns and Gallus^ in which he him-
self acted as mediator and judge of the
debate. The subject matter was the manner CHAPTER XXIII.
of life of the oriental monks and of St. Olympius *
Martin —
a sort of dialogue in two divisions.
nationality,
the bishop, a
wrote a book of faith against
.Spaniard by
In the first of these he mentions a decree of those who blame nature and not the will,
the bishops at the synod of Alexandria in
showinsf that evil was introduceil into nature
his own time to the cftcct that Origen is to not by creation but by disobedience.
be read, though cautiously, by those who are
wise, for the good that is in him, and is to be
rejected by the less able on account of the
CHAPTER XXIV.
evil. In his old age, lie was led astray by the Baciiiarius," a Christian plnlosopher,
Pelagians, and recognizing the guilt of much prompt and ready and minded to devote his
speaking, kept silent until his death, in order time to God, chose travel as a means of pre-
that by penitent silence he might atone for serving the integrity of his purpose. He
the sin which he had contracted by speaking. is said to have published acceptable small
works but I have only read one of them, a
CHAPTER XX. work On faith., in which he justified him-
* ^ self to the chief priest of the city, defending
Antiociius tlie bishop, wrote one long himself against those who complained and
volume Against avarice and he composed a his travel, and asserting that
misrepresented
homily, full of godly penitence and humil- he undertook his travel not
through fear of
ity On the healing of the blind maî whose men l)ut for the sake of God, that
sight was restored by the Saviour. He died forth from his land and kindred he going
the of the Arcadius. might
during reign emperor become a co-heir with Abraham the patri-
arch.
CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXV.
Severianus,* bishop of the church of Gab- of
vSahratius,^ bishop the Galilean
ala, was learned in tlie Holy Scriptures and
a wonderful preacher of homilies. On this [province, at tiie request of a certain virgin,
chaste and devoted to Christ, Secumla by
account he was frequently sunnnoned by the
name, composed a book On faith against
bishop John and the emperor Arciidius to Marcion and Valentinus his
a sermon at I have teacher, also
preach Constantinople.
read his Exposition of the epistle to the Nicctns Bishop of " Rcinessiaiicii " or Romaciana or
1
Galatians and a most attractive little work Reineliana in Dacia before 31)2, died after 414.
^Taiid 31 read jV;Vf/« or JVi'cf/as, but other uiss. Niceas
On baptism and the feast of Epiphany. and so Faliricius and Her.
3 Cidiadiiis A 'V
He died in the reign of Theodosius, his son T
31 a e; GtiJciriiis 25 30 Her.
•
21 (Ictiitilos'v a e.
25 30 getiitliloi^îam 31
;
by baptism. liishd]) of liarcelona about 310.

T'
''A Spanisli bisho]). Moiirislied about 400.

1
Virtues or miracles. 'St. Servais, liisbop of 'rons'res 33S, died at Macstriclit 3S4.
2
liishop of Ptolemais (Acre) about 400, died alioul 40S.
The jialron saiiil of Macslriclit. Supposed by soii'e to be
'
lon^. a 25 30 31 ffreat
;
A T c. the same as I'liel)adius (l<'acy:adius, I'liaeliadnis, Sepjatius,
*
full of A
25 30 31 a e; o«T21 Ilcr. Sabadius Pliitadius (called in Gascony Fiari) .'
bisliop of
' ScvcriaiiusVr Kincsa. Bisliop 400-3, died after 40S. Ay:eu. Flourished 440 (Cuve^.
Gennadius. 391
against Eunomius and his Master Aetius, CHAPTER XXVIII.

showing, both by reason and by testimony Macarius another monk, wrote
at Rome
'
of the Scriptures, that the origin of the deity

books Against the viatJicniaticians^ in
is one, that the Author of his
eternity and which labour he
the Creator of the earth out of nothing, sought tlie comfort of
oriental writings.
are one and the same, and hkevvise concern-
ing Christ, that he did not appear as man CHAPTER XXIX.
in a phantasm but had real flesh
through
which eating, drinking, weary and weeping, Heliodorus," presbyter of Antioch, pub-
suffering, dying, rising again he was demon- lished an excellent volume gathered from
strated to be man indeed. For Marcion and Holy Scriptures Oji Virginity.
Valentinus had been opposed to these
opinions asserting that the origin of Deity CHAPlÊR XXX.
is twofold and that Christ came in a
phan- *
bishop of Constantinople, a man
''
tasm. To Aetius indeed and Eunomius his [John

of marvelous knowledge and in sanctity of
disciple, he showed that the Father and Son
are not of two natures and equal in divinity life, in every respect worthy of imitation,
but of one essence and the one from the other, wrote many and very useful works for all
that is the Son from the Father, the one
who are hastening to divine things. Among
ccieternal with the other, which belief Aetius
them are the following On cotnpunction of
and Eunomius opposed. soul one book, That no one is ifzjzircd
except by himself., an excellent volume Iti
praise of the blessed Paul the apostle., On
CHAPTER XXVI. the excesses and ill reputation of Eutropius
a praetorian j^refect and many others, as I
Isaac wrote On the Holy Trinity and a
'
book On the incarnation of the Lord^ writ- have said, which may be found by the
in a obscure of and industrious.]
ing very style argument
involved language, maintaining that three
persons exist in one Deity, in such wise that
CHAPTER XXXI.
any thing may be peculiar to each which Another John,* ^ bishop of Jerusalem,
another does not have, that is to say, that wrote a book against those who
disparaged
the Father has this peculiarity that He, his studies, in which he shows that he follows
himself without source, is the source of the genius of Origen not his creed.
others, that the Son has this peculiarity,
that, begotten. He is not posterior to the XXXII. CHAPTER
begetter, that the Holy Spirit has this pe-
Paul the bishop wrote a short work On
culiarity, that He is neither made nor be-
gotten iDut nevertheless is from another. Of pcnite7zce in which he
lays down this law
the incarnation of the Lord indeed, he for penitents that they ought to repent for;
writes that the person of the Son of God is their sins in such manner that they be not
believed to be one, while yet there are two beyond measure overwhelmed with despair-
natures existing in him. ing sadness.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
CHAPTER XXVII.
a disciple of Auxentius and
^
Helvidius,'
Ursinus the monk wrote against those imitator of Symmachus, wrote, indeed, with
who say that heretics should be rebaptized, zeal for religion but not according to knowl-
teaching" that it is not legitimate nor hon- edge, a book, polished neither in language
ouring God, that those should be rebaptized nor in I'easoning, a work in which he so
who have been baptized either in the name attempted to twist the meaning of the Holy
of Christ alone or in the name of the Father Scriptures to his own perversity, as to vent-
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, though ure to assert on their testimony that Joseph
the formula has been used in a vitiated sense. and Mary, after the nativity of our Lord,
He considers that after the simple confes- had children who were called brothers of the
sion of the Holy Trinity and of Christ,
'
Flourished fifth century. 2 Flourished about
the imposition of the hands of the catholic 440.
"John Chrysostom born at Antioch about 347, bishop of
priest is sufficient for salvation. Constantinople 39S, deposed 403, died 407.
paragraph is omitted by most mss., though T
» This whole
and 21 have it.

1 Converted Jew, flourished about 385. "
Bishop 3S6, died 417.
* Flourished above 440. c
yohn A 25 30 31 a e; another John [T ?] 21.
sOmit ''teaching" e T 31. '
Fourth century.
Lord. In reply to his perverseness Jerome, Scriptures, he expounded the vision of
published a book against hini, well lilled Daniel in a perverted sense and said other
with scripture proofs.' frivolous things which are necessarily men-
tioned in a catalogue of heretics. [To him
CHAPTER XXXIV. also the ])lessed Jerome the presbyter re-
'
TuEOPHiLUS," bishop of the church of sponded.]

'
Alcxanchia, wrote one <rreat voliune Aiâ/nsf

CHAPTER XXXVII.
Origc7i in which he condemns pretty nearly .SiMPLiciANUS," the bishop, exhorted Au-
all his sayings and himself likewise, at the gustine then presbyter, in many letters, that
same time saying that he was not original he shoidd exercise his genius and take time
in liis views but derived them from the for exposition of the Scriptmes that, as it
ancient fathers especially from Heraclas, that were, a new Ambrosius, the task master of
he was deposed from * the ofHce of presbyter Origen might apj)ear. Wherefore also he
driven from tiie church and compelled to sent to him many examinations of scriptures.
fly from the citv. He also wrote Against There is also an epistle of his of ^ticstiofis
the Anthropomorphites^ heretics who say in which he teaches by asking questions as
that God has the human form and members, if wishing to learn.
confuting: in a lon^^ discussion and arguing
by testimonies of Divine Scripture and con- CHAPTER XXXVIII.
vincing. He shows that, according to the ViGiLius^ the bishojo wrote to one Simpli-
belief of the Fathers, God is to be thought cianus a small book In
praise of martyrs
of as incorporal, not formed with any sug- and an
epistle containing the acts of the
gestion of members at all, and therefore martyrs in his time among the barbarians.
tiiere is nothing like Him among created
things in substance, nor has the incorrupti- CHAPTER XXXIX.

Inlity nor unchangeableness nor incorporeal-
Augustine," of Africa, bishop of Hippore-
ity of his nature been given to any one but a man renowned throughout the world
that all intellectual natures are corporeal, all gensis,
for learning both sacred and secular, un-
corruptible, all mutable, that He alone
blemishetl in the faith, pure in life, wrote
should not l)e subject to corruptibility or
works so many that they cannot all be
changeableness, who alone has hiimortality
gathered. For who is there that can boast
and life. Likewise the return of the paschal
himself of having all his works, or who
feast which the great council at Nicea had
reads with such diligence as to read all
found would take place after ninety years at *
the same time, the same month and day

he has written As an old man even, he .''
published fifteen books On the Trinity

adding some observations on the festival and
which he had begun as a young man. In
explanations he gave to the emperor Theo-
dosius. I have read also thice books On which, as scripture says, brought into the
chamber of the king and adorned with the
faith, which bear his name but, as their
manifold garment of the wisdom of God, he
language is not like his, I do not very much exhibited a church not
think they are by him. having spot or
wrinkle or any such thing. In his work
0>i the incarnation of the Lord also he
CHAPTER XXXV. manifested a peculiar piety. On the resur-
^
EusEBius wrote On the mystery of our rection of the dead he wrote with equal sin-
Lord's cross and the faitlifulness of the cerity, and left it to the less able to raise
^
apostles, and especially of Peter, gained by doubts respecting abortions.^
virtue of the cross.
tohim responded A Her. omit T 25 30 31 a e.
'
. . .
;
Bishop of Mihin 397, died 400.

-
CHAFIER XXXVI. 3
^
Hisho]) of Trent 3SS, died 405.
Horn at Tagaste 354, baptized at] Milan 3S7, bishop of
IIil)l)o 305, died 430.
ViGiLANTius,^ a citizen of Gaul, had the " all fie has ivritten c T A 30 31 a Ilcr. 25 I-abr. add ;
church of Barcelona. He wrote also with "wherefore on account of his much speakino^ Solomon's say-
in<^ came true that /« the '
iiniltiliide of v.'ords there VHinteth
some zeal for religion but, overcome by the not sin.' " This expression in the editifins has been the gfround
of nmcli comment on Gennadius' Sumi-pelagian bias, but it
desire for human praise and presuming almost certainly does not represent the original form of the
al)ove his strength, being a man of polished text.
''•Abortions "That abortions . . . shall rise again I
but not in the meaning of make bold neither to affirm nor to "
language practised deny Augustine De
^
civ.
Dei. 22, 13.
"
'
In reply . . .
proofs A T 2^ 30 2J omit e 31 a.
;
T 31 end fhu.s; A omits and left ahortwns but
. . .
2
IJisliop 3S5, died <ii2.
•'
Church T 21 city A 25 30 31
; a. adds a few lines of otlier matter; e ;iilds differing matter; a
^deposed 2j 31 a e r; elect A 30; stripped o) T. adds remained a catholic; 30 adds remained a catholic and died
'
r?ishop of Milan 451, died 462. ill the same
city
—
the city rchich is still called Hypporegensis;
* At Jerusalem 394, heretic about 404. while 25 adds a vast amount.
GENNADIUS. 393
CHAPTER of Our Lord bforc Pojztius Pilate, On the

XL.
Kalends ofJatiuary, a homily On the day
Orosius,' a Spanish presbyter, a man
most eloquent and learned in history, wrote of Our Lords Nativity, also homilies On
On the Passover., On Pentecost
eight books against those enemies of the Epiphany,
,
Christians who say that the decay of the many also. On having no fear of
carnal
Roman State was caused by the Chris- foes. On giving thanks after meat. On
tian religion.
the repentance of the Ninivites, and other
In these rehearsing the ca- '
lamities and miseries and disturbances of homilies of his, published on various occa-
whose names I do not remember.
wars, of pretty much the whole world from sions,
the creation ^ he shows that the Roman Em He died in the reign of Honorius and
owed to the Christian Theodosius the younger.
pire its un- religion
deserved continuance and the state of peace CHAPTER XLIL
which it enjoyed for the worship of God.
In the first book he described the world Petronius," bishop of Bologna in Italy'
situated within the ever flowing stream of a man of holy life and from his youth prac-
Oceanus and intersected by the Tanais, giv- tised in monastic studies, is reputed to have
written the Lives of the Fathers, to wit of
ing the situations of places, the names,
number and customs of nations, the charac- the Egyptian monks, a work which the
teristics of various regions, the wars monks accept as the mirror and pattern of
begun I have read a treatise
and the formation of empires sealed with the their profession.
blood of kinsmen. which bears his name On the ordination of
This is the Orosius who, sent by Augus- bishops, a work full of good reasoning and
tine to Hieronymus to teach the nature of notable for its humility, but whose pol-
the soul, returning, was the first to bring to ished style shows it not to have been his, but
the West relics of the blessed perhaps, as some say, the work of his
Stephen the father
He flour- Petronius,'' a man of great eloquence
firstmartyr then recently found.
ished almost at the end of the I'eign of the and learned in secular literature. This I
^
think is to be
accepted, for the author of the
emperor Honorius.
work describes himself as a praetorian pre-
CHAPTER XLI. fect. He died in the reign of Theodosius
and Valentinianus.
Maximus,* bishop of the church at Turin,
a man fairly industrious in the study of the CHAPTER XLIII.
Holy Scripture, and good at teaching the
Pelagius* the heresiarch, before he was
people extemporaneously, composed treatises
In praise of the apostles and John the proclaimed a heretic wrote works of practi-
cal value for students three books On
Baptist^ and a Homily on all the martyrs.
:
Moreover he wrote many acute comments on belief in the Trinity, and one book of
Selections from Holy Scriptures bearing
passages from the Gospels and the Acts of
the Apostles. He wrote also two treatises, on the Christian life.
This latter was
On the life ' of Saint Eusebius^ bishop of preceded by tables of contents, after the
model of Saint Cyprian the martyr. After
Vercelli, and confessor, and On Saint Cyp-
he was proclaimed heretic, however, he
rian., and published a monograph Oji the
wrote works bearing on his heresy.
grace of baptism. I have read his On
avarice^ On hospitality., On the eclipse of
the moon. On almsgiving, On the saying CHAPTER XLIV.
in Isaiah, Your ivinedealers mix wine ivith
Innocent Rome, wrote
I us,® bishop of
water, On Our Lord's Passion, A general the decree Western churches
which the
treatise
On
On fasti?zg by the servants
the quadragesimal fast in
f God, passed against the Pelagians and which his
particular, successor. Pope Zosimus, afterwards widely
and That there should be no jesting on
promulgated.
fast day. On Judas, the betrayer, On Our
Lords cross. On His sepulchre. On His CHAPTER XLV.
resurrection. On the accusation and trial
Caelestius,^ before he joined Pelagius,
1 Paulus Orosius of Tarragon, the historian, flourished while yet a very young man, wrote to his
about 413 or4i7. His history was begun after 416 and fin-
ished in 417. 1
T 30 21 Her. delivered 25 31 a e.
piihlished ;
A
'^from the creation (" from the whole period of the earth ") 2
Bishop of Bologna 430, died before 350.
A 25 30 31 a e omit T 21 Her.
;
3 ill
Italy A 30 31 ;ie; omit T 25 21 Her.
^ almost 25 30 31 ae; omit T A Her. ^ Petronius A 25 30 31 omit T a?.
;
Maximus of Vercelli, bishop of Turin about 415, died 466- I"'

At Rome about 400, at Carthage 411, heretic 417.
' "
470. Bishop or Pope" 402, died 417.
'•
omit life A 30 a. '
Heretic 412-417.
^04 JEROME AND GENNADIUS.
parents three epistles 0)i monastic lifc^ writ- rather in faith and prayer, than inarms. He
ten as short books, and containing moral max- wrote also a
Sacranioitary and Hyjnnal,
ims suited to every one who is seeking God, He also addressed many letters to his
I
containing no trace of the fault which after- sister. On cojitcmpt of the worlds and
wards appeared but wholly devoted to the published treatises of different sorts, on
encouragement of virtue. various occasions.'
The most notable of all his minor works,
CHAPTER XLVI. works Ott repenta/ice^ and A general
are the
JuLiANUS the bishop, a man of vigorous the

'
panegyric of all the martyrs. He lived in
character, learned in the Divine Scriptures, reign of Honorius and Valentinianus,
and prollcicnt both in Greek and Latin, was, and was distinguished, not only for erudi-
-
before he disclosed his participation in the

tion and holiness of life, but also for his
of ability to cast out demons.
ungodliness Pelagius, distinguished among
the doctors of the church. But afterwards,
trying to defend the Pelagian heresy, he CHAPTER L.
wrote four books. Against Augustine^ the
EuTROPius,^ the presbyter, wrote to two
opponent of Pelagius, and tlien again, eightsisters, handmaids of Christ, who had been
books more. There is also a book contain- disinherited
by their parents on account of
ing a discussion, where each defends his their devotion to chastity and their love for
side.
religion, two Consolatory letters in the form
This Julianus, in time of famine and of small
books, written in polished and
want, attracting many through the alms clear
language and fortified not only by
which he gave, and the glamour of virtue,
argument, but also by testimonies from the
which they cast around him, associated them
vScriptures.
with him in his heresy. He died during the
CHAPTER LL
reign of Valentinianus, the son of Con-
stantius. Another Evagrius wrote a Discussion ''
CHAPTER XLVn. between Simon the Jeiv and Theophilus

the Christian^ a work which is
' very well
LuciANUS the presbyter, a holy man to known.
whom, at the time when Honorius and
Theodosius were Emperors, God revealed
CHAPTER LH.
'^
the place of the sepulchre and the remains ViGiLius the deacon, composed out of
of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr, wrote out the traditions of the fathers a Rule for
that revelation in Greek, addressing it to monks^ which is accustomed to be read in
all the churches. the monastery for the profit of the assembled
monks. It is written in condensed and clear
CHAPTER XLVin. language and covers the whole range of
' monastic duties.
AviTUs the presbyter, a Spaniard by
race, translated the above mentioned work
of the presbyter Lucianus into Latin, and
CHAPTER LHL
sent it with his letter annexed, by the hand Atticus ® bishop of Constantinople, wrote
^
of Orosius the presbyter, to the Western to the princess daughters of the Emperor
churches. Arcadius, 07i faith ajid virginity^ a most
excellent work, in which he attacks by antic-
CHAPTER
XLIX.
ipation the Nestorian doctrine.
Paulinus," bishop of Nola in Campania,
composed many brief works in verse, also a
CHAPTER LIV.
consolatory work to Celsus On the death of a
christian and baptized chlld^ a sort of epi- Nestorius** ^ the heresiarch, was regarded,
taph, well fortified with christian hope, also while presbyter of the church at Antioch, as
many Letters to Scvcrus^ and panegyric A
a remarkable extemporaneous teacher,'" and
in prose written before he became
bishop, 0«
on various occasions is omitted by T 31 c.
1
victory over tyrants which was addressed to - erudition A T

31 a c 21 observation 25 30 Her.
;
Theodosius and maintained that victory lay 3

Pupil of Auiûstinc about 430.
Pupil of St. Martin of Tours 405.
»
l'"li)urislied about nip.

''
'
T?ishop of Eclanum about 416. "
Bisliop of Constantinople 406, died 425.
2 '
I>uci;uuis of CapharijanKila, flourished 415. Daughters Pulcheria and her sisters.
3 Avitus of Rrapfa, died 440. 8
Uishnp of Constantinople 42S, deposed 431, died in the
* Pontius Meropius (Anicius?) Paulinus, T?orn at Bordeaux Thebaid about 439.
3SS (3S4?). pupil of Ausonius, baptized before 3S9, bishop 9 Nestorius
25 30 Her; Nestor AT 31 a e 3i.
before 410, died 431. 1" teacher A T 30 31 a e; omit 25 Her.
GENNADIUS. 395
composed a great many treatises on various which are recommended for preaching by
îicstions^ into which aheady at that time the Greek bishops. Other books of his are ;
he infused that subtle evil, which afterwards On the downfall of the syn-agogiie^ On
became the poison of acknowledged impiety, faith against the heretics^ and a work
veiled meanwhile by moral exhortation. But directed especially against Nestorius and
afterwards, when commended by his elo- entitled, A
Refutation^ in which all the
quence and abstemiousness he had been secrets of Nestorius are exposed and his
made pontitF of the church at Constantino- published opinions are refuted.
ple, showing openly what he had for a long
while concealed, he became a declared enemy CHAPTER LIX.
of the church, and wrote a bookO;^ the Incar-
TiMOTHEUS,' the bishop composed a book
natioit of the Lord^ formed of sixty-two
On the nativity of Our Lord according to
passages from Divine Scripture, used in a
the fleshy which is supposed to have been
perverted meaning. What he maintained in written at
this book may be found in the catalogue of Epiphany.
heretics,
CHAPTER LX.
CHAPTER LV.
Leporius,^ formerly monk afterwards
Caelestinus,^ bishop of Rome, addressed
presbyter, relying on purity,^ through his
a volume to the churches of the East and
own
free will and unaided effort, instead of
West, giving an account of the decree of the
depending on the help of God, began to follow
synod against the above mentioned Nestorius the Pelagian doctrine. But having been ad-
and maintaining that while there are two monished by the Gallican doctors, and cor-
complete natures in Christ, the person of the rected by Augustine in Africa, he wrote a
Son of God is to be regarded as single. book his retraction, in which he
The above mentioned Nestorius was shown both containing his error and returns
to be opposed to this view. Xystus likewise,
acknowledges
thanks for his correction. At the same time
the successor of Caelestinus, wrote on the
in correction of his false view of the incar-
same subject and to the same Nestorius and nation of
Christ, he presented the Catholic
the Eastern bishops, giving the views of
view, acknowledging the single person of
the Western bishops against his error.
the Son of and the two natures
God, existing
in Christ in his substance.*
CHAPTER LVI.
Theodotus,'
*
bishop of Ancyra in Gala- CHAPTER LXI.
*
tia, while at Ephesus, wrote against Nes- Victorinus,* a rhetorician of Marseilles,
torius a work of defence and refutation,"
wrote to his son Etherius, a commentary On
written, to be sure, in dialectic style, but in-
terwoven with passages from the Holy Script-
Genesis, commenting, that is, from the
beginning of the book to the death of the pa-
ures. His method was to make statements triarch
Abraham, and published four® books
and then quote proof texts from the Script- in
verse, words which have a savour of piety
ures.
indeed, but, in that he was a man busied
CHAPTER LVII. with secular literature and quite untrained
in the Divine Scriptures, they are of slight
Fastidius,^ bishop in Britain, wrote to
one Fatalis, a book On the Christian weight, so far as ideas are concerned.
lifc^
and another On preserving" the estate of He died in the reign of Theodosius and
Valentinianus.
virginity^^ a work full of sound doctrine,
and doing honour to God.
CHAPTER LXH.
CHAPTER LVHI. Cassianus,^ a Scythian by race, ordained
deacon by bishop John the Great, at Con-
Cyril,® bishop of the church at Alexan-
stantinople, and a presbyter at Marseilles,
dria, published various treatises on various
founded two monasteries, that is to say one
ûestions^ and also composed many homilies, for men and one for women, which are still
' at that time A T a e omit 25 30 31.
;
'Bishop (Pope) of Rome 423, died 432.

1 Prom position evidently flourished before 450.
3 Theodotus
Bishop of Ancyra 431-8.
- Flourished 41S-430.
* Theodotus T ? a
e; Theodorus a 25 30 31 Fabr. Her. ^purity T 31 a e 21 purity of life
;
A
2^ 30.
" vjhile ai T
31 e 21
; vjhile formerly at 25 30 a A?. ^ in his substance A
T 30 31 a e 21 omit
; 25 Her.
B and refutation A 25 30 a omit T 31 e 21.
;
^Claudius Murius Victor (Victorius or Victorinus) of Mar-
' Flourished
420. seilles died 445.
^virginity T 31 e 21 -vidovjhood
',
A
21; 30 a Fabr. Her. '''four A T 31 a e; three zi 30.
•Born about 376, bishop of Alexandria 412, died 444. Joh;innes Cassianus diedi 450.
'
standing. He wrote from experience, and tain obscure passages of Holy Scriptures,
in forcible language, or to speak more clearly, and besides, revising and condensing certain
with meaning back of his words, and action works of .Saint Cassianus, he compressed
back of his talk. He covered the whole them into one volume, and wrote other
field of practical directions, for monks of all works suited to ecclesiastical or monastic
sorts, in the following works: On dress^ pursuits. He died in the reign of Valen-
also On the cation of prayers^ and the tinianus and Martianus.
Usage in the saying of Psalms^ (for these
in the Egyptian monasteries, are said day CHAPTER LXV.
and night), three books. One of Institutes^
ViNCENTius,' the Gaul, presbyter in the
eight books On the origin^ nature and
of Lerins, a man
remedies for the eight principal sins, a Monastery on the Island
learned in the Holy Scriptures and very well
book on each sin. He also compiled Con-
informed in matters of ecclesiastical doctrine,
ferences with the Egyptian fathers, as fol-
lows On the aim of a jnonk and his creed. composed a powerful disputation, written
in
:
On discretion, Ofz three vocations to the tolerably finished and clear language, which,
his name, he entitled Peregrlnus
service of God, On the ivarfare of the fesh suppressing
heretics. The greater part of the
against the spirit and the spirit against the against
second book of this work having been stolen,
fleshy On the nat?(re of all sins. On the
he composed a brief reproduction of the sub-
slaughter of the saints. On fckleness of stance of the original work, and published in
inuid. On principalities. On the nature oj
On one He died in the reign of Theo-
prayer, On the duration of prayer. per- [book].
dosius and Valentinianus.
fection^ On chastity. On the protection of
God, On the knowledge of spiritual things.
On the Divine graces. On friendship. On CHAPTER LXVI.
whether to define or not to define. On Syagrius* wrote On faith, against the
three ancient kinds of monks ajid a fourth
presumptuous words, which heretics assume
recently arisen. On the object of ceiiobltes for the purpose of destroying or superseding
and hermits. Oft true satisfaction In the names of the
Holy Trinity, for they say
repentance. On the remission of the ûht- that the Father ought not to be called Father,
quageslmal fast. On nocturnal Illusions, On lest the
name. Son should harmonize with
the saymg of the apostles, " For the good that of
Father, but that he should be called
which I would do^ I do not, but the evil the
Unbegotten or the Lnperishable and the
which I zvould ttot, that I do," On mortifica- Absolute, in order that whatever
may be
tion, and finally at the request of Leo the distinct from Him in
person, may also be
archdeacon, afterwards bishop of Rome,
separate in nature, showing that the Father,
he wrote seven books against Nestorius, On who is
unchangeable in nature may be called
the lncarnatlo7i of the Lord, and writing the
Unbegotten, though the Scripture may not
this, made an end, both of writing and living, call Him
so, that the person of the Son is
at Marseilles, in the reign of Theodosius and
begotten from Him, not made, and that the
Valentinianus. of the from Him
person Holy Spirit proceeds
begotten, and not made.
not Under the
CHAPTER LXni. name of this Syagrius I found seven books,
Philip,' the presbyter Jerome's best pupil, entitled On Faith and the rules of Falth^
published a Commentary on fob, written in but as they did not agree in style, I did not
an unaffected style. I have read his Pamlllar believe they were written by him.
letters, exceedingly witty, exhorting the en-
durance of poverty and sufferings. He died CHAPTER LXVn.
in the reign of Martianus and Avitus. ^
Isaac, presbyter of the church at Antioch,
CHAPTER LXIV. whose many works cover a long period, wrote
in Syriac especially against the Nestorians and
EucHERius,^ bishop of the church at Eutychians. He lamented the downfall of
Lyons, wrote to his relative Vâlerianus, On Antioch in an elegiac poem, taking up the
contempt for the world arid, worldly philos- same strain that Ephraim, the deacon,
ophy, a single letter, written in a style which sounded on the downfall of Nicomedia. He
shows sound learning and reasoning. He died
during the reign of Leo andMajorianus,
wrote also to his sons, Salonius and Veran-
ius, afterward bishops, a discussion Oti cer- 1
Presbyter 434, died before 450.
*
Syagrius of Lyons, died 486.
1
Dic-d about 455. '
Bishop about 435, died 450.
2 Isaacof AiniJa (Diarbekir) presbyter died about 460.
GENNADIUS. 397
CHAPTER LXVIII. CHAPTER LXXI.

^
Salvianus,' presbyter of Marseilles, well Leo,' bishop of Rome, wrote a letter
informed both in secular and in sacred litera- to Flavlanus^ bishop of the church at Con-
ture, and to speak without invidiousness, a stantinople, against Eutyches the presbyter,
master among bishops, wrote many things who at that time, on account of his ambition
in a scholastic and clear style, of which I for the episcopate was trying to introduce
have read the following four books On the
:
novelties into the church. In this he advises
Excellence of virginity^ to Marcellus the Flavianus, if Eutyches confesses his error and
presbyter, three books Agahist avarice^ five promises amendment, to receive him, but if
books On the present judgment ^^ and one he should persist in the course he had entered
book On piinish7nent according to desert, on, that he should be condemned together
addressed to Salonius the bishop, also one with his heresy. He likewise teaches in this
book of Coimnentary on the latter part of the epistle and confirms by divine testimony that
hod\f. oi Ecclesiastes^ addressed to Claudius as the Lord Jesus Christ is to be considered
bishop of Vienne, one book of Epistles^^ the true son of the Divine Father, so like-
He composed one book in verse after wise he is to be considered true man with
also
the Greek fashion, a sort of Hexaemeroii^ human nature, that is, that he derived a body
covering the period from the beginning of of flesh from the flesh of the virgin and not
Genesis to the creation of man, also many as Eutyches asserted, that he showed a body
Homilies delivered to the bishops, and I am from heaven.^ He died in the reitjn of Leo
sure I do not know how many On the sacra- and Majorianus.
??ients. He is still living at a good old
age. CHAPTER LXXn.
MocHiMus," the Mesopotamian, a presby-
CHAPTER LXIX.
Antioch, wrote an excellent book
ter at
Paulinus * composed treatises 0)i the Against Eutyches^ and is said to be writing
beginning of the of which others, which I have not yet read.
Quadragesimal^
I have read two. On the Passover Sabbath^
On obedience^ On penitence^ On neo- CHAPTER LXXHL
®
phytes, TiMOTHEus,* when Proterius
'
had been
put to death by the Alexandrians, response in
CHAPTER LXX. to popular clamour, willingly or unwillingly
allowed himself to be made bishop by a single
Hilary,^ bishop of the church at Aries, a
man learned in Holy Scriptures, was de- bishop in the place of him who had been put
voted to poverty, and earnestly anxious to to death. And lest he, having been illegally
live in narrow circumstances, not appointed, should be deservedly deposed at
only in the will of the people who had hated Pro-
religiousness of mind, but also in labour of
To secure this estate of poverty, this terius, he pronounced all the bishops of his
body.
man of noble race and very differently vicinity to be Nestorians, and boldly pre-
brought up, engaged in farming, though it suming to wash out the stain on his conscience
was beyond his strength, and yet did not neg- by hardihood, wrote a very persuasive book
to the Emperor Leo, which he attempted to
lect spiritual matters. He was an accept-
able teacher also, and without regard to fortify by testimonies of the Fathers, used in
a perverted sense, so fiir as to show, for the
persons administered correction to all.* He
sake of deceiving the emperor and establish-
published some few things, brief, but show-
ing immortal genius, and indicating an eru- ing his heresy, that Leo of Rome, pontiff' of
dite mind, as well as the city, and the synod of Chalcedon, and all
capacity for vigorous
the Western bishops were fundamentally
speech among these that work which is of
;
so great practical value to Nestorians. But by the grace of God, the

many, his Life of
Saint Honor atus^ his predecessor. He died enemy of the churcli was refuted antl over-
thrown at the Council of Chalcedon. He is
during the reign of Valentinianus and Mar-
tianus. said to be living in exile, still an heresiarch,
1
Leo the Great, Bishop (Pope) 440, died 461.
'
Born about 390, Presbyter about 42S, died about 4S4. -bishop: A30 31 e have pontiff.
^
present judgment more generally known as Divine Provi- 3 T and 21 add after heaveii " and he addressed another letter
dence (De gubernatione Dei.) on this same subject to the Emperor Eeo in whose reign also
ônebook of epistles a 25 30; omit
^ From
A
T 31 e 2i. he died."
position evidently flourished about 450. ^
Presbyter 457.
^ Born about
401, bishop 429, died 449. "
Bishop of Alexandria 3S0, died 385.
8 correction to
nil; Her. adds ivork of preaching but has the " Timotheits
31 e add Bishop of Alexandria.
support of no good inss. Proterius; 25 30 i'âbr. Her. add the bishop.
'
598 J F.ROME AND GEXNADIUS.
and it is most likely so. This book of his
the penitent, according to the author- life for
for learning's sake, I translated of Scriptures. He also wrote a consola-
by request of ity
the hrethrcn into Latin and prefixed a caveat.' tory work to one Basilius, On the death of a
son, filled with resurrection hope and good
CHAPTER LXXIV. counsel. Pie also composed nvAny Ilojnilies,
which have been arranjred as continuous
AscLEPius,^ the African, bishop of a large works and are as
I know, made use of bv
within the borders of Bagais, wrote
'
see
brethren anxious for their own salvation.
against the Arians, and is said to be now
writinsr airainstthe Donatists. He is famous
for his extemporaneous teaching. CHAPTER LXXIX.
VocoNius,' bishop of Castellanum in
CHAPTER LXXV.
Mauritania, wrote Against the enetnies of
Peter," presbyter of the cburch at Edessa, the church, fexvs. Arians, and other here-
a famous preacher, wrote Treatises on vari- tics. He composed also an excellent work
ous subjects, and Uytmis after the manner of 07i the Sacraments.'
Saint Ephrem, the deacon.
CHAPTER LXXVI.
CHAPTER LXXX.
MusAEUS,''' presbyter of the church at
Paul* the presbyter, a Pannonian by Marseilles, a man learned in Divine
I learned from his own mouth, Script-
nationality, as ures and most accurate in their interpreta-
wrote On preservino- virginity^ and contc7npt
tion, as well as master of an excellent
for the xoorld^ and the Ordering of life or scholastic st\le, on the request of Saint
the correction of morals^ written in a medi-
Venerius the bishop, selected from Holy
ocre style, but flavoured with divine salt.
The two books were addressed to a certain feast Scriptures passages suited to the various
noble virgin devoted to Christ, Constantia days of the year, also passages from the
Psalms for responses suited to the season,
by name, and in them he mentions Jovinian and the The readers
the heretic and preacher of voluptuousness passages for reading.
in the chm-ch found this work of the greatest
and lusts, who was so far removed from
value, in that it saved them trouble and
leading a continent and chaste life, that he in the selection of passages, and was
belched forth his life in the midst of luxuri- anxiety
" useful for the instruction of the people as
ous banquets.
well as for the dignity of the service. He
also addressed to Saint Eustathius" thebishop,
CHAPTER
LXXVn. successor to the above mentioned man of
Pastor ' the bishop composed a short God, an excellent and sizable volume, a Sac-
work, written in the form of a creed, and ranie?itary,'' divided into various sections,
containing pretty much the whole round of according to the various offices and seasons,
Ecclesiastical doctrine in sentences. In this, Readhigs and Psalms, both for reading and
among other heresies which he anathema- chanting, but also filled throughout with
tizes without giving the names of their petitions to the Lord," and thanksgiving for
authors, he condemns the Priscillians and his benefits. By tliis work we know him to
their author. have been a man of strong intelligence and
chaste eloquence. He is said to have also
CHAPTER
LXXVHI. delivered homilies, which are, as I know,
Victor," bishop of Cartenna in Mauritania, valued by pious men, but which I have not
wrote one long book against the Arians, read. He died in the reign of Leo and
which he sent to king Gensericby his follow- Majorianus.
ers, as I learned from the preface to the
work,^ and a wôrk On the rcpentaîce of the LXXXI. CHAPTER
piihlican^^'^ in which he drew up a rule of ViNCENTius' the presbyter, a native of
This book . fdz/frt/ A T 35 30 3 a e 2
. . Fabr. omit Gaul, practised in
1 1 Divine Scripture ami
;
lie. llcr.
possessed of a style polished by speaking
2
Bishop of Bagais (Vafên) about 4S5.
/jro-t" .sfi- A T 25 30 31 a? e earliest eds.; small villajê.
F:il r. ÎilJnc•. 1 ler. 1
Rishop of Castellan in Mauritania about 450.
I'lourished 450. •'
'
T adds several lines. - Sticritmi'tiis or 0/ Sacranienis i.e. a Sacrementary.
Flourished 430?. Uishop in Spain? about 400. Died In lore 461".
Victor of Cartenna (Tcncz Afr.) bishop aliout 4:50. • Eiisialliiiis
\\ c; EmtlasiHS \'Y -.x. cd.
1512; EiiseHiis 2i„
be Stilt
•'jtiich ryo/X- A '1" 30 ji e 21 Fabr.; omit
. . . 30; Kiisliicliiiis j'abr. Miijne, Her.
25 ;i Her. .Sarriinii'iittiry or On the Sat raments.
"'
////'/jWi;/
Fabr. Mljfne, Her. On public l<enance, \ T 30 :
"
''
///( Lo>\i'V 25 31) 31 a e God Fabr. Her.
31 a ." e? ; oinil fiihlicitn 25 lianilj ISeru. the oUlest edilions. Apparently about 450.
GENNADIUS. 399
and by wide reading, wrote a Commentary CHAPTER LXXXIV.

On the Psahuii. A part of this work, he
Claudianus,' presbyter of the church at
read in my iiearing, to a man of God, at
Vienne, a master speaker, and shrewd in
Cannatac, promising at the same time, argument, composed three books. On the con-
that if the Lord should spare his Hfe and dition and substance of the soul., in which
strength, he would treat the whole Psalter
in
he discusses how far anything is incorporeal
the same way.
excepting God.
[He wrote also some other things, among
CHAPTER LXXXII. which are, A
Hymn on Our Lord's Passion.,
which begins " Pange lingua gloriosi." He
Cyrus,' an Alexandrian by race, and a was moreover brother of Mamertus, bishop
at first a philosopher of Vienne.]' {See note.)
physician by profession,
then a monk, an expert speaker, at first
wrote elegantly and powerfully against CHAPTER LXXXV.
Nestorius, but afterwards, since he began to Prosper'^ of Aquitania, a man scholastic
"
inveififh against him too intemperatelv and
style and inin is said tovigorous statement,
dealt in syllogism rather than Scripture, he
have composed many works, of which I
began to foster the Timothean doctrine.
have read a Chronicle, which bears his
Finally he declined to accept the decree of name, and which extends from the creation
the council of Chalcedon, and did not think of the first
man, according to Divine Script-
the doctrine that after the incarnation the
ure, until the death of the Emperor Vaienti-
Son of God comprehended two natures, was nianus and the
taking of Rome by Genseric
to be acquiesced in.
king of the Vandals. I regard as his also
an anonymous book against certain works of
CHAPTER
LXXXni. Cassianus, which the church of God finds
salutary, but which he brands as injurious,
Samuel,'' presbyter of the church at and in fact, some of the opinions of Cassian
Edessa, is said to have written inany things and Prosper on the grace of God and on
in Syriac against the enemies of the church, free will are at variance with one another.
especially against the Nestorians, the Euty- Epistles of Pope Leo against Eutyches, On
chians and the Timotheans, new heresies the true Incarnation of Christ., sent to
*
all, but diflering from one another. On this various persons, are also thought to have
account he frequently speaks of the triple been dictated by him.
beast, while he briefly refutes by the opinion
of the church, and the authority of Holy CHAPTER LXXXVL
ScriptuiX'S, showing to the Nestorians, that Faustus,* first abbot of the monastery at
the Son was God in man, not simply man Lerins, and then made bishop ^ of Riez in
born of a Virgin, to the Eutychians, that he
Gaul, a man studious of the Divine Script-
had true human flesh, taken on by God, and
ures, taking his text from the historic creed
not merely a body made of thick air, or of the
church, composed a book On the
shown from Heaven to the Timotheans,
;
Holy Spirit, in which he shows from the
that the Word was made flesh in such wise,
belief of the fathers, that the Holy Spirit is
that the Word remains Word in substance, consubstantial and coeternal with the Father
and, human natiu"e remaining human nature, and the Son, the fulness of the Trinity and
one person of the Son of God is produced therefore God.' He published also an ex-
by union, not by mingling. He is said to cellent work, On the grace of God, through
be still living at Constantinople, for at the which ive are saved.,^ in which he teaches
beginning of the reign of Anthemius, I knew that the grace of God always invites, pre-
his writings, and knew that he was in the
Claudianus EcdiciusMamertius died 473-4.
1
land of the livinsf. ^vjrote. . . F»««^ is said to be in a certain manuscript
of the Monastery of" St. Michaelis de fumba" but is oniitte<l
by A T 25 30 31 a e 21 IJamb. Bern, etc etc. and certainly does
1 Flourished 460. not belong in text. It is left in brackets above because given
2 since he hi'ga7i to inveiffh against him loo iniemperately in the editions.
Norimb. and the " nex^ci-theless " 3 Born 403, wrote chronicle 445? died 463.
cds., but the other mss. read
or '^ itiveighs less" or "more" and " is found" hr thought A 25 30 31 a e 21 said T Fabr. Her.
^
inveigh ;
"
inveigh." T 21 25 a Wolfenb. aiiree in reading in illo
B Abbot of Lerins 433-4, bishop of Riez 462, exiled 477-S4,
minus invenittir instead of in ilium nimius invenitur. died 4cp.
Norimb has same with nimius instead of minus. The reading- *'
Made bishop AT
31 e 21 ; bishop a 25 30.
T
of 21 25 a Wolfenb. thus reinforced and in view of tlie fact ^
therefore God
and T
25 31 ae 21 [31 A?;] obtaining Fabr.
of the easy confusion of ntitius and nimius in transcribing, is Her.; Bamb and ed. 1512 read and there/ore but join to next
the most probable reading, but it is hard to decide and harder sentence.
still to make sense of it.
^ saz'ed AT25; 7\AA. and tlie free will of the human mind
a
Presbyter 467. in zvhtch zve are saved 30 31 a e.
400 JEROME AND GKNNADIUS.
cedes and helps our will, and whatever sebius, Theophilus and Prosper, and ex-
gain that freedom of will may attain for its tended the series of years to the year five
pious ertect, is not its own desert, but the hundred and thirty-two, reckoning in such
gift of grace. I have read also a little book wise that in tlie year 533 the paschal festival
of his Against the Ai'ians and Macedoni- should take place again on the same month
atis, in which he posits a coessential Trinity, and day and the same moon as on that first
and another against those wb.o s:iv that there year when the Passior^ and resurrection of
is anything incorporeal in created things, in our Lord took place.
wiiich he maintains from the testimony of
Scriptures, and by quotations from the CHARIER EXXXLX.
fathers, that nothing is to be regarded as in- Theodoretus.' '
There is also a letter bishop of Cyrus (for the

corporeal but God. founded by Cyrus king of the Persians
city
of his, written in the form of a little book,
and addressed to a certain deacon, named preserves until the present dav in Syria the
name of its founder) is said to have written
Graecus, who, leaving the Catholic faith, had
many works. Such as have come to my
gone over to the Nestorian impiety. 0>i the in-
In this epistle he admonishes him to be- knowledge are the following :
carnation of the JLord^ Agaitist Jintyches

lieve that the holv Virgin Mary did not
the presbyter and Dioscorus bishop of Alex-
bring forth a mere human being, who after- andria who deny that Christ had human
wards should receive divinity, but true God
in true man. There are still other works by
flesh strong works by which he confirmed
;
through reason and the testimonv of Script-

him, but as I have not read, I do not care to ure that He had real flesh from the maternal
mention them. This excellent doctor is en-
substance which he derived from His Virgin
thusiastically believed in and admired. He mother just as he had true deity which he
wrote afterwards also to Felix, the Prae-
received at birth by eternal generation from
tonian prefect, and a man of Patrician rank,
God the Father. There are ten books of
son of Magnus the consul, a very pious letter,
the ecclesiastical history which he wrote in
exiiorting to the fear of God, a work well imitation of Eusebius of Caesarea beginning
fitted to induce one to repent with his whole
where Eusebius ends and extending to his
heart.
own time, that is from the Vicennalia of
CHAPTER LXXXVH. Constant! ne until the accession of the elder
Servus Dei the bishop, wrote against Leo in whose reign he died.
'
those who say that Christ while living in

this world did not see the Father with his XC. CHAPTER
eyes of flesh
—
But after his resurrection ^ *
from the dead and his ascension into heaven Gennadius Patriarch of the church of
when he had been translated into the glory Constantinople, a man brilliant in speech
of ( jod the Father as in reward so to speak and of strong genius, was so richly equipped
his reading of the ancients that he was
to him for his abnegation and a compensa- by
able to expound the prophet Daniel entire
tion for his martyrdom. In this work he
showed both from his own argument and commenting on every word.
from the testimony of Sacred that
He composed also many Homilies. He
Scriptures
the Lord Jesus from his conception by the
died while the elder Leo was Emperor.
Holy Spirit and his birth of the Virgin
through which true God in true man him- CHAPTER XCL
self also man made God was born, always Theodulus,* a presbyter in Coelesyria
"
beheld with his eyes of flesh both the Father is said to have written
and the Holy Spirit through the special and
many works, but the
only one which has come to my hand, is the
complete union of God and man. one which he composed Oil the harmony oJ'
divine Scripture^ that is, the Scriptures of
CHAPTER LXXXVni. the Old and New Testaments, against the
VicTORius * the A([uitanian, a carefnP ancient heretics who on account of discrepan-
reckoner, on invitation of .St. Hilary bishop cies in the injunctions of the ritual, say that
of Rome, composed a Paschal cycle with the God of the Old Testament is diflcrent
the most careful investigation following his 1 Thcodoret born about 393, bishop of Cyrrhaus 423, wrote
four predecessors, that is Hippolytus, Eu- 450, (licil (57.
-
riiiodoretus A-xc\ Theoiinri'lus i,\; Tlieoiionis T 2~, ô.
" " ^ " Pontill
'
Bishop of Tiluirciscn about 406-1 1 .
l!isli(i|) (or ") 45S, died 471.
- Wicili; 30 a riâd V'ictoiinus.
*
I'atriarcli (PoiititT) A T 3031 e zi lusl-.oi) a b'ahr. Her.
^
iiiritid
/\<^l.
y^
i^ ,<" ,y •' I'abr.; iiioxt diliiîiit A Xoiiinl)?;
' Died .(I)-' (C) — rather iH-tbre 401 ,
; --j;
Bern Xiirimb. ct .\\i .\'\A oj t )ie Scriptures: oj iiii<iMui.-i lli-r.

'
'J'liic>Jii/iis .\ 'r 31 ac; Theodorus 25 3021.
GENNADIUS. 40 J
from the God of the New. In this work he CHAPTER XCIV.

shows it to have been by the dispensation of *
of Rome wrote
[Gelasius,' bishop
one and the same God, the author of both
Against Etityches and Nestorhis a great and
Scriptures, that one law should be given by notable volume, also Treatises on various
Moses to those of old in a ritual of sacrifices
parts of the scripture and the sacraments
and in judicial laws, and another to us written in a polished style. He also wrote
through the presence of Christ in the holy Epistles against Peter atzd Acaciiis which
mysteries and future promises, that thej^ are still preserved in the catholic church.
should not be considered different, but as He wrote also Hymns after the fashion of
dictated by one spirit and one author, since He died during the
bishop Ambrosius.
these things which if observed only accord-
reign of the emperor Anastasius.
ing to the letter, would slay, if observed
according to the spirit, would give life to CHAPTER XCV.
the mind. This writer died three years
since
'
in the reign of Zeno. HoNORATUS,' bishop of Constantina in
Africa wrote a letter to one Arcadius who
on account of his confession of the catholic
CHAPTER XCII. faith had been exiled to Africa by King
" Genseric.'' This letter was an exhortation
[SiDONlus bishop of the Arverni wrote to endure hardness for Christ and fortified
several acceptable works and being a man
sound in doctrine as well as thoroughly im- by modern examples and scripture
illustra-
tions showing that in the con-
bued with divine and human learning and persevei"ance
fession of the faith not only purges past sins
a man of commanding genius wrote a con-
but also procures the blessing of martyrdom.
siderable volume of Letters to different
persons written in various metres or in prose
and this showed his ability in literature. CHAPTER XCVI.
*
Strong in Christian vigour even in the midst Cerealis the bishop, an African by
of that barbaric ferocity which at that time birth, was asked by Maximus bishop of the
oppressed the Gauls he was regarded as a Arians whether he could establish the catholic
catholic father and a distinguished doctor. faith by a few testimonies of Divine Script-
He flourished during the tempest which ure and without any controversial assertions.
marked the rule of Leo and Zenos.]^ This he did in the name of the Lord, truth
itself helping him, not with a few testi-
monies as Maximus had derisively asked,
CHAPTER XCni. but proving by copious proof texts from both
* Old and New Testaments and published in
John of Antioch first grammarian, and a little book.
then Presbyter, wrote against those who
assert that Christ is to be adored in one sub-
stance only and do not admit that two na-
CHAPTER XCVn.
tures are to be recognized in Christ. He EuGENius,® bishop of Carthage in Africa
taught according to the Scriptural account and public confessor, commanded by Hu-
that in Him God and man exist in one neric' King of the Vandals to write an expo-
person, and not the flesh and the Word in one sition of the catholic faith and especially to
nature. discuss the meaning of the word Homoou-
He likewise attacked certain sentiments of sian, with the consent of all the bishops and
^
Cyril, bishop of Alexandria, imwisely de- confessors of Mauritania in Africa and Sar-
livered by Cyril against Nestorius, which dinia and Corsica, who had remained in the
now are an encouragement and give strength catholic faith, composed a book of faith,
to the Timotheans.** He is said to be still fortified not only by quotations from the
living and preaching. Holy Scriptures but by testimonies of the
Fathers, and sent it by his companions in
1 three
years since A T 30? 31 21 omit 25 a.
; confession. But now, exiled as a reward
- Caius Sollius ApoUinaris Sidonius born about 430, bishop
472, died about 4SS. for his faithful tongue, like an anxious shep-
3 This
chapter is in Norimb. and tliree only of the mss.
seen by the translator N. Britisli Museum Harl. 3155, xv 1
Bishop 492, died 496.
2 From this
cent.; 43 Wolfenbiittel S3S xv cent.; k Paris B. N. I, at. S()6. point to the end is bracketed, as a large part of
It is omitted by A T 25 30 31 a e 21 etc. etc. etc. and really has the mss. end with John of Antioch. Of our mss. Gelasius and
no place in tlie text, hut as it was early introduced and is in Gennadius are contained in 25 30 e •, Honoratus to Pomerius
the editions (not however the earliest ones) it is given here. inA 30 31 6240.
* Flourished 477-495. -
Bishop of Constantina (Cirta) 437.
unwisely T 25 30 3 1 e unwisely saying A ? a ? by Kitu:^ Genseric; omit" e- 30 31 40.
' * exiled
;
» Timotheans A T "
25 30 31 ae 21 etc; add which absurd Bishop'of Castelli Ripensis in Africa 4S4.
is =
' Huneric A omit e 2 30
Fabr. Migne, Her. '
Bishop 479, died 505. ;
si <• D.
VOL. III. D d
4o: JEROME AND GENNADIUS.
herd over his sheep he has left behind works fifth,a review of the fourth book of the dis-
urging them to remember the faith and the cussion,' and an inquiry as to what is the
capability of the soul,
one sacred baptism to be preserved at all that is its possibilities,
hazards. He also wrote out the Discussions and that it gains its capability from a single
which he held through messengers with the and pure will, the sixth, whence arises the
leaders of the .Vrians and sent them to be conflict between flesh and the spirit, spoken of
on the diflerence be-
given to lluneric by his major domo. Like- by the apostle, seventh,
wise also he presented to the same, petitions tween the flesh and the spirit in respect of life,
for tlic peace of the Christians which were of death and of resurrection, the eighth,
of the nature of an Apology^ and he is said answers concerning the things
to questions
to be still living for the strengthening of the which it predicted will happen at the end
is
church. of the world, to such questions, that is, as

are usually propounded concerning the res-
CHAPTER XCVni. urrection. I remember to have once read a
hortatory work of his, addressed to some

PoMERius '
the Mauritanian was ordamed one
named Principius, On contempt of
presbyter in Gaul. He composed a dialecti-
the worlds a?id of transitory tilings^ and an-
cal treatise in eight books On the
nature of other He
entitled. On vices and virtues.
the soul and its properties^ also one On the is said to have written
yet other works,
resurrection and its particular bearing for which have not come to
the faithful in this life and in general for all to be still
my knowledge, and
writing. He is still living, and
men, written in clear language and style, his life is worthy of Christian profession,
in the form of a dialogue between Julian
and his rank in the church.
the bishop, and Verus the presbyter. The
first book contains discourses on what the
CHAPTER XCIX.
soul is and in what sense it is thought to be
created in the image of God, the second, I Gennadius,^ a presbyter of Marseilles,
whether the soul should be thought of as have written eight books Against all her-
^ *
or the how the esies^ five books Against Nestorius., ten
corporeal incorporeal, third,
soul of the first man was made, fourth, books Against ûtyches, three books
'"
whether the soul which is put in tlie body at Agaitist Pelagius., also treatises On the
birth isnewly created and withoutsin, or Alillennium and On the Apocalypse of
Saint John^ also an 0« my creed
produced from the substance of the first epistle ^
of
man like a shoot from a root it brings also sent to the blessed Gelasius, bishop
with it the original sin of the first man, Rome.]
'discussion 30 40 t-- discussioti and definition
;
A 31 .
» Died 'Died 496. e six P'ahr. Her.
49S. ^five 25 30;
* the first man A ;
the first man's soul e 2
30 31 40. *ten e 25 30; six Norirab Her.; eleven Cuekfenb.
LIFE AND WORKS OF RUFINUS
WITH
JEROME'S APOLOGY AGAINST RUFINUS,

Translated with Prolegomena and Notes,
BY
THE HON. AND REV. WILLIAM HENRY FREMANTLE, M.A ,
Canon of Cautei-bury, FeUo~o and Tutor of Baliol College, Oxford.
D d 2
PROLEGOMENA
ON THE
LIFE AND WORKS OF RUFINUS
Note. — The References (where a simple number is given) are to the pages in this Volume.
Tyrannius RuFi-NUS is chiefly known from his relaticju to Jerome, first as an intimate
friend and afterwards as a bitter enemy. The immense influence of Jerome, throtigh all
the ages in which criticism was asleep, has imduly lowered his adversary. But he has
some solid claims of his own on our recognition. His work on the Creed, besides its
intrinsic merits, must always be an authority as a witness to the state of the creed as held
in the Italian churches in the beginning of the 5th century, as also to the state of the Canon
and tlie Apocrypha at that time. And it is to his translations that we are indel^ted for our
knowledge of many of the works of Origen, including the greatest of them all, the
Tlepi 'Apx'jv. We are the more grateftil for his services because they were so opportune.
The works of Origen, which had been neglected in the West for a century and to
such an extent that the Pope Anastasius says (433) that he neither knows who he was
nor what he wrote, came suddenly into notice in the last quarter of a century before Alaric's
sack of Rome A. D. 3S5-410: and it was at this moment that Rufinus appeared, according
to his friend Macarius' dream (439) like a ship laden with the merchandize of the East, an
Italian who had lived some 25 years in Greek lands, and sulficiently equipped for the work
of a translator. Through his labours during the last 13 years of that eventful time a
considerable part of the works of the great i\lexandrian have floated down across the ocean
of the Dark Ages, and, while lost in their native Greek, have in their Latin garb come to
enrich the later civilization of the West.
Rufinus was born at Concordia (Jer. Ep. v. 2. comp. with Ep. x. and De Vir. 111.
§ 53) between Aquileia and Altinum, a place of some importance, which was
A.D,344-s. destroyed by the Huns in 452 but aftei'wards rebuilt. His birth was about the
or he older than Nothing is known of his
year 344 345, being slightly Jerome.
education or the events of his youth but that he was early acquainted with Jerome and
;
was interested in sacred literature is seen from the fact that in 368 when Jerome went
with Bonosus to Gaul, Rufinus begged him to copy for him the works of Hilary on the
Psalms and on the Councils of the Cluu'ch (Jer. Ep. v. 2). His mother did not die till the
year 397, as is seen from Jerome's mention of her (Letter lxxxi, i), and it would
A.D, 372-3. appear that both his parents were Christians. But he was not baptized till about
his 28th year. He was at that time living at Aquileia, where he had embraced
the monastic state, and was a member of the company of yoinig ascetics to which Jerome
and Bonosus belonged. The presence among them of Hylas (Jerome Letter 111, 3) the
freedman of Melania, the wealthy and ascetic Roman matron, shows that that relation had
already begun which was afterwards of such importance in the life of Rufinus. It must
have been just before the breaking up of that company that he was baptized, for Jerome,
" He has but
writing of him (Ep. iv. 2) in 374 from Antioch says lately been washed and is
as white as snow." He himself gives a full account of his baptism in his AjDology (436).
When this company of friends was scattered, Rufinus joined the noble Roman lady,
Melania, in her pilgrimage to the East (Jer. Letter iv. 2). He visited the monasteries of
Egypt, and apparently desired to remain there but a persecution arose against
;
A.D. 373. the orthodox monks from Lucius the Arian bishop of Alexandria, seconded by
the governor, both being prompted liy the Arian Emperor Valens the monas- :
teries were in many cases broken up (Sozomen, vij i9) Socrates ivj 21-3, Rufinus Eccl.
4o6 LIFE AND WORKS OF RUFINUS.
Ilist. ii, 3), and Rufliuis himself for a wliilc suflcrcd imprisonnicnt and was tlicn ban-
ished fnjni Eg}pt (430 Eccl. Hist, ii, 4). Rulinus pr(j])al)ly on coming out of prison
joined Melania who had then settled at DioCaesarea (Pallad. Hist. Laus. § 117) on the coast
of Palestine for the purpose of making a home for the Egyptian exiles on their way to
their various destinations. He states in his Apology (466) that he was 6 years in Egypt,
and that he retiuned there again, ;ifter an interval, for two years more. He was a pupil
luith of Didymus, then head of the catechetical school, who wrote for him a treatise on
the death of infants (534), and of Theophilus, afterward Bishop of Alexandria (52S),
and that he saw man)' of the well-known hermits (466), such as Serapion and Macarius,
whom he describes in his History of the Monks. Whether Melania returned with him
to Egypt, or whether she went to Jerusalem, we do not know: it is also uncertain whether
a journey which he made (Eccl. Hist. ii. S) to Edessa was undertaken at this time. The
date of the settlement of Melania on the ISIount of Olives acccjrding to Jerome's Chronicle
is
379? oi'i according to our present reckoning of dates, 377* ^^^ may suppose that Rufinus
joined her in 379. This was his home for eighteen years, till the year 397.
Rulinus \\ as ordained at Jerusalem, probably about the time when John, with whom
he was closely connected, succeeded Cyril in the Bishopric (A.D. 3S6). The great resources
of Melania were added to his own which seem to have been not inconsiderable. He built
habitations for monks on the Mount of Olives, and employed them in learned pursuits, and
in copying maiuiscripts. On the arrival of Jerome at Bethlehem, the old friendship was
renewed, though not apjoarently with all its former warmth. Jerome certainly
3S6. at times visited Rufinus and once at least
stayed with him (465), and he and his
friends brought MS.S. to be copied by the monks of the ISIount of Olives (465).
He gave lectures on Christian writers and doctrine, of which a satirical account is given
at a later period by Jerome' in his letter to Rusticus (cxxv, § iS). The nick-name Grun-
nius which he there gives him was probably caused by some trick of the voice. But we
may gather from Jert)me that he read the Greek church writers diligently and lectured
upon them, a study which enabled him to do much good work at a later time. It is
probable that he lectured in Greek, since he says in 397 that his Latin was weak threnigh
disuse (439). We
may set against Jerome's depreciatory description the account given by
Talladius (Hist. Laus. § iiS). "Rufinus, who lived with Melania, was a man of con-
genial spirit, and of great nobility and strength of character. No man has ever been
known of greater learning or of gentler disposition." Palladius also speaks of the
j)rincely hospitality of JMelania and Rufinus: "They received," he says, "bishops and
monks, virgins and matrons and helped them out of their own funds: They passed
their life ofiending none and being hel])ers of the whole world." It is said by Pal-
ladius that he had heard from Melania that she had been present at the death of Pam-
bas in Eg3pt which took place in the year 385, and it is probable that Rufinus accom-
lânicd her on this occasion. He himself records " a journey which he made to Edessa and
Charrhoe, when he sawsettlements of the monks like those which he had previously seen
in Egypt. But the date of this journey does not appear. It may have been undertaken in
order to visit some of the exiles from Egypt before his establishment on the Mt. of Olives.
He records also the visits of the remarkal)le men who were entertained by him liacurius, ;
who had been king of the Ubii, and afterwards count of the Domestics under Theodosius,
and was governor or duke of Palestine when Rufinus settled there; and ^desius the com-
panion of Frumentius the Missionary to the tribes in the N. W. of India. But his chief
interest and occupation throughout seems to have been with his monks at Mt. 01i\et with
])erha])s some connection \vitli the diocesan work of his friend John, the Bp. of Jerusalem.
Palladius records that Rulinus and Melania were the means of restoring to the conniumion
of the church 400 monks. What was this schism, which Palladius describes as being "f)n
account of Paulinus " ? It is probable that the words relate to the monks of Bethlehem
whose alienation from the Church of Jerusalem had been due to the ordination of Paul-
inian, Jerome's brother, by Epiphanius. We
know that Rufinus before leaving Palestine
was reconciled to Jerome (Jcr. Ap. iii. 26, 33) and we know also that Jerome's book
;
'
against John, Bishop of Jerusalem, which describes the schism was suddenly broken otV;
" lie came in with a slow and
stately step; he spoke with a broken utterance, sometimes with a kind of disjointed sobs
1
rather than words. He had a pile of tomes upon the tabic; and then, with a frown and a coiitractinn of the nostrils, and his
lorclicad wrinkled up, he snapped his rinjêrs to call the attention of his audience. What he said had no depth in it; hut he
crilicized others, and pointed out their defects, as tlunif^h he would collide them from the Senate ot Christian teachers. He
was rich, and entertained freely, ;ind many liocked round him in his ])ublic appearances. He was as Inxnrions as Nero at
home, as stern as Cato abroad; as full of contradictions as the Chira.-er:i."
2 Hist. Eccl. ii.S.
8 For the date of of this series.
this work, see the Note prefixed to it in the truuslatioa of Jerome's works, Vol. vi.
PROLEGOMENA. 407
and that he remained from that time forward at one with his Bishop. We may be al-
lowed to beUeve that the influence of Melania as well as Rufinus had been exerted for
some time previously to bring about this happy result.
Rufinus' part in the controversy thus terminated i«s partly known and partly the subject
of inference. The original source of discord is not known. It is possible that Rutinus, who
had been mentioned by Jerome in his Chronicle (A.D. 37S) as being, together with Florentius
and Bonosus, a specially distinguished monk, did not find himself included in his
3S2. friend's Catalogue of Church writers (De Vir. 111.) published at Bethlehem.
When Aterbius began the Origenist troubles at Jerusalem, Rufinus, who treated
him with merited scorn (Jer. Ap. iii, 33) probably felt some resentment at Jerome who, by
" "
to the heresy hunter, had countenanced his proceedings. Rufinus
giving satisfaction
appears as Bishop John's adviser during the visit of Epiphanius (Jer. Letter li, 2,
392- 6), as the chief of a chorus of presbyters who applauded their own bishop and de-
rided Epiphanius as a " silly old man ;" ^ and as present when Epiphanius remon-
strated with his brother-bishop. He is also mentioned by Epiphanius in his letter to John
(Jer. Letter li. 6) as holding an important place in the Church, "May God free you and
all about you,
especially the presbyter Rufnius, from the heresy of Origen, and all others."
This sentence will suggest to all who are familiar with church-controversies a whole series
of scenes in the schism which continued between Bethlehem and Jerusalem during the next
five years. Jerome believed Rufinus to have injmed him at every turn, to have procured
the abstraction of a Manuscript of his from the house occupied by Fabiola on her visit to
Bethlehem (Apol. iii, 4) perhaps to have been in league with Vigilantius (Comp. Jer. Ep.
Ixi, 3 with AjDol. iii, 4, 19). But such insinuations have the appearance rather of the sus-
picions prompted by anger than of actual fact. In any case they were condoned when
the two old companions who had been so long parted by ecclesiastical strife met
397- together at the Church of the Resurrection at a solemn eucharistic feast, and joined
hands in token of reconciliation, and when Jerome accompanied his friend some
way on his journey before their final parting (Jer. Vol. iii, 24).
He arrived in Italy, in company with Melania, early in the spring of 397. They were
there received by Pavdinus of Nola with great honour." Melania went on at once to Rome ;
but Rufinus stopped at the monastery of Pinetum near Terracina. His welcome by the
Abbot Urseius and the philosopher Macarius, and their request to him to translate various
Greek books, amongst others the Tlepl 'Apx^v of Origen, are described in his Prefaces to the Ben-
edictions of the Patriarchs, the Apology of Pamphilus and the translations of Origen (417,
41S, 420, 439). The preface to Origen's chief work (427) had the worst and most lasting
results. He says that, being aware of the odium attaching to the name of Origen, he had
feared to translate the work but that the example of Jerome (whom he does not name but
:
whose great ability he extols) in translating Origen encourages him to follow in his steps.
This Pi'eface, with this translation of the Tlrpl 'Af>x'Ji', was published in Rome early in the
year 398, Rufinus having moved there to stay with Melania. At Rome he lived in the
circle of Melania, her son Publicola and his wife Albina, with their daughter the
younger
Melania and her husband Pinianus, to whom we may probably add the Pope
4OT^?o;
Siricius, and certainly Apronianus, a young noble whom he speaks of as his son in
the faith (435, 564) Jerome's friend Eusebius of Cremona was also in Rome, and
.
on friendly terms with him (445). But on the appearance of the work of Origen with
Rufinus' Preface, a great ferment arose leading to the violent controversy between Rufinus
and Jerome which is described in the Preface to their Apologies (434, 4S2).
Meanwhile, Rufinus had left Rome probably in 39S, having obtained the usual Literae
Formata; from the Pope vSiricius, who died that year, to introduce him to other
A.D. 398. churches.^ We hear of him at Milan, where in the presence of the Bishop, Simplici-
anus,'* he met Eusebius of Cremona, and heard him readout a letter of Theophilus
containing some passages from the Tiepl 'Apj«v, against which he vehemently protested
(490). He then, having probably visited his native city of Concordia, where his mother,*
possibly his father also (430, 502) was still living, took up his abode at Acjuileia. There he
was welcomed by the bishop, Chi-omatius, by whom he had been baptized some 26 or 27
years before. Rufinus probably arrived at Aquileia in the beginning of 399, and remained
" "
1 See
Jerome's expressions in his book "Against John of Jerusalem c. ii, which evidently refer to Rufinus ;
grin-
ning like a dog and turning up his nose."
s
-
Paulinus Ep. xxix, 12. jer. Ep. cxxvii, 9 Ap. iii. 21.
-
Successor of Ambrose, and Bishop A.D. 397-400. See the Letter of Anastasius to him. Jer. Ep, xcv.
* She died soon after. Sec Jeioinc Ep. Ixxxi, i.
4o8 LIFE AND WORKS OF RUFINUS.
It was during this
there 9 or lo years. period that all his principal works except
399-40S. the Commentary on the Benedictions of the patriarchs, tlie translation i>£ the ll'/'i
'A[)x<'->v andPamphilus' Apology, and the book on the Adulterations of Origen were
It was soon after his settlement at Aquileia that he heard from

com])oseil. Apronianus of the
letter of Jerome to Panmiachius and Oceanus expressing his anger against him for the
'
mention he had made of Jerome in the Preface to the lltfn'Apxi)v. The conciliatory letter to
Rufinus which accompanied this and which was an answer to a friendly one from Rutinus ^
was not sent on by Jerome's friends (489) and Rufinus, thinking that his old friend had
;
completely turned against him, composetl his Apology (434-482) which drew forth Jerome's
reply (4S2-541). This controversy is placed in full before the reader of tliis \-oluine in an
English translation, with prefatory notes. It may therefore be treated very shortly here.
Rufiinis' Apology is an answer to Jerome's letter to Painmachius and Oceanus. It is addressed to

Apronianus of Rome. He makes a profession of his Christian standing and faith, especiallj on the
points raised by tlie Origenistic controversy he
;
describes the circumstances which had led him to
translate tiie books of Origen, and defends his method of translation, which, he says, has been misrepre-
sented by men sent from liie East to lay snares for him. His method, he declares, was the same which
had been used by Jerome, who boasted that through him the Latins knew all that was good in Origen
and nothing of the bad. Where he found passages in Origen's writings, in flagrant contradiction to the
orthodox opinion he had maintained elsewhere, he concluded that the passage had been falsified by here-
tics, and restored the more orthodox statement which he believed to have been originally there. He
then turns round upon Jerome and points out that, in his Commentaries on the Ephesians, written
some 10 years before, to which he specially referred in his Letter as showing his freedom from heresy,
he had practically adopted the opinions now imputed to Origen as heretical, such as the fall of souls
from a previous state into the prison house of earthly bodies, and the universal restoration of spiritual
beings.
In the second book he clears himself from tlie imputation of following Origen and Plato in
believing in the lawfulness of using occasional falsehood in the government and training of men.
But he itnputes to his adversary a systematic use of falsehood in reference to his reading heathen
authors, while he professed in his letter to Eustochium (Jer. Ep. xxii) to have solemnly promised
never even to possess them. He then takes a wider view of Jerome's writings, showing how, in this
Letter to Eustochium, his books against Jovinian, etc., he had by his satirical pictures held up to ridi-
cule the various classes of Christians, clergy, monks, virgins how he had praised Origen indiscrimi-
:
nately as a teacher second only to the Apostles how he had defamed men like Ambrose, and therefore
:
his present accusations were little worth :how he boasted of having taken as his teachers not only
Origenists like Didymus or heretics like Apollinarius, but heathen like Porphyry, and Iiad made his
translation of the Old Testament under the inlluence of the Jew Baranina (whose name Rufinus per-
verts into Barabbas). He concludes by summarizing his accusations and calling upon the reader to
choose between him and his opponent.
This Ajiology was only sent to a few friends of Rufinus (530) but portions of it became known to
;
Jerome's iViends and liis brother Paulinian (493) carried them to Bethlehem, together with RufiTius'
Apology addressed to Pope Anastasius. Jerome had also before him the letter of Anastasius to John
Bishop of Jerusalem (509) showing his dislike of Rufinus' proceedings. On these he grounds his own
Apology, which was originally in two books and was addressed to Pammachius and Marcella y\.D. 402.
In the first book he blames Rufinus' breach of friendship after the reconciliation v/hich had
taken place at Jerusalem; he then shows that he was compelled to translate the Ilf/w 'A/),\Mr in order to
show what it really was. He declares that the Apology of Origen translated by Rufinus as the work of
Pamphilus was really written by Euscbius; that Origen had been condemned by Thcophilus and
Anastasius, by East and West alike, and by the decree of the Emperors. He defends himself for hav-
ing used heathen and heretical teachers, and help of a Jewish scholar in translating tiie Old Testament.
As to his Commentaries on the Ephesians he declares that he merely put side by side the opinions of
various commentators, indicating at times his knowledge that some were lieretical and as to his anti-:
Ciceronian dream, he ritlicules the idea that a man can be bound by his night visions.
In the second book he criticizes Rufinus' Apology addressed to Anastasius as to both its style and
its matter, and blames him for his treatment of I'3piphanius, and endeavours to implicate him in the
imputation of heresy. He then defends his translation of the Old Testament, sliowing by copious
quotations from the Prefaces to the Books that he had done nothing condemnatory of the Septuagint,
whose version he had himself translated into Latin and constantly used in familiar expositions.
This Apology was brought to Rufinus at Aquileia by a merchant who was leaving again in two
days (522). Chromatius no doubt urged him, as he urged Jerome (520) not to continue thy controversy
and he yielded. He Avrote, however, a private letter to Jerome, whicli has been lost, sending hirtj an
accurate copy of his Apology, and while declining public controversy.; yet declaring that he could have
said even more than before, and divulged things which would have lieeii worse to Jerome than death.
Jerome in his answer written A.D. 403, which forms B. iii of his ApoK)gy, declares that the controversy
is Rufinus' fault, and defeiuls his friends for their conduct towards him, even in hokling back the con-
ciliatory letter written in 399 but shows how a way might still be open for friendship,
;
ih,* touches
again upon most of the points dwelt on in the previous hooks, defending himself and accusing Rufinus,
and ends by declaring that his bitter reply was necessitated first by Rufinus' threats, and secondly by
his abhorrence of heresy, from all complicity wîth which he must at any price clear himself.
2 iicc
ijcr. Ep. Ixxxiv. Jcr. Ep. Ixxxi, i.
PROLEGOMENA. 409
This book closed the controversy. Rufinus did not reply, Jerome did not relent. Nothing in
Rufinus' subsequent writings reflects on Jerome; but Jerome is never weary of expressing his hatred of
Rufinus, speaking of him after his death as
" the "
and writing malignant satirical descrip-
'
Scorpion
tions of him like that in his letter to Rusticus.'^
It may be
observed, however, that notwithstanding the violent words used on both
sides, it was
possible for eminent chinxhmen to esteem and befriend both parties. Augus-
tine, on receiving Jerome's Apology, laments, in words which must have been felt by
Jerome as a severe reproach, that two such men, so loved by the churches, should thus
tear each other to iîeces. Chromatins, while he kept up communications with Jerome,
and supjolied him with funds for his literary work, was also the friend and adviser of
Rufinus,
Rufinus' friends at Aquileia, like those at the Pinetum and at Rome, were anxious to
gain from him a knowledge of the great church-writers of the East, and especially of Origen.
No one at Aquileia seems to have known Greek. He makes excuses in his Prefaces (430,
563, 565, etc.) for the difficulty of the task and his own short-comings which seem to be
partly conventional, partly genuine. But he did a work which he alone or almost alone at
that period was qualified to do. His translations of Origen and Pamphilus were already
known. We
learn from Jerome (536) that Rufinus had translated parts of the LXX.
He now translated Eusebius' Church History, and added to it two books of his own ; he
translated the so-called Recognitions of Clement, which till then were almost unknown in
Italy. He wrote a History of the Monks of the East, partly from personal knowledge,
partly from what he had heard or read of them. And he translated the Commentaries of
Origen upon the Heptatevich or i st seven books of Scripture, except Numbers and Deuter-
onomy and those on the Epistle to the Romans. He also wrote his exposition of the Creed
;
(541-563), and probably some other works which have not come down to us.
The first part of his stay at Aquileia was troubled by the controversy with Jerome.
He also received from his friends at Rome the intelligence that his Preface and
400-402. translation of the Tlepl 'Apx^v had been brought to the notice of the Pope Anasta-
sius, by Pammachius and Marcella (430) and probably the letter of the Pope
;
to Venerius Bishop of Milan, which is quoted in Anastasius' letter to John of Jerusalem

(433) was also brought to his knowledge. Though there is no reason to suppose, as has
been often done, that the Pope passed sentence upon him, still less that he
400. summoned him to Rome. Rufinus was so far afiected by what he heard of the
adverse feeling excited in the Pope's mind toward him that he thought it desirable
to write an explanation or apology (430-3) vindicating his action in the translation of
Origen, and giving an exposition of his own belief on some of the principal points dealt
with in the Ilepl 'Apx^v. From the letter of Anastasius to John of Jerusalem we gather that
John had written to him in the interest of Rufinus, and had blamed Jerome's friends at
Rome, perhaps also Jerome himself, for the part they had taken in reference to him. It is
a curious fact that this letter was known to Jerome but not to Rufinus dining the con-
troversy (509) but it can hardly be inferred with any certainty from this that John had
;
changed sides and favoured Jerome at Rufinus' expense.

After 8 or 9 years at Aquileia Rufinus returned to Rome. His friend Chromatins of
Aquileia had died in 405. Anastasius of Rome had also passed away (A.D. 402),
40S. and hissuccessor Innocentiuswas without prejudice against Rufinus. Melania was
either there or with Paulinus at Nola. Her son Publicola had died in 406, but his
widow Albina was with her, and her granddaughter the younger Melania with her husband
Pinianus. The siege of Rome by Alaric was impending, and the whole party were starting
by way of Sicily and Africa, in both of which Melania had property, intending eventually to
reach Palestine. He joined their " religious company" as he tells us in the Preface to Ori-
gen on Numbers (56S) which, according to Palladius (Hist. Laus. 1 19) formed a vast caravan
with slaves, virgins and eunuchs and he was with them in Sicily when Alaric burned
;
Rhegium (56S) the flames of which they saw across the straits.
This translation of Numbers was his last work. He was at that time suffering in his
eyes and he died soon afterwards in Sicily, as we learn from Jerome's malicious words
;
"The Scorpion now

underground between Enceladus and Porphyrion."
lies The undy- ''
ing hatred of Jerome towards him has unduly lowered him in the estimation of the Church.
He was far below Jerome in literary ability, but in their great controversy he displayed more
magnanimity than his rival, being willing to forego a public answer to his provoking
2 ^ on Ezek. B.
Ep. cxxv. jer, Prcf. to Cu...iii.
1
Jcr. Ep. cxxvii. lo. jer. 1.
:4io LIFE AND WORKS OF RUFINUS.
apology. He was highly esteemed by the eminent churchmen of his time and the Bishops
near whom he lived. Chromatins of Aquileia was his friend; for Petroniusof Bolo<^na he
wrote his monastic histoiy, for Gaudentius of Brixia he translated the Clementine Recogni-
tions, for Laurentius (pcrhaj^s of his nati\c Concordia) he composed his work on the Creed.
Faulinus of Nola continued his friendship for him to the end. Above all Augustine
speaks of him as the object of love and of honour; and, in his reply to Jerome' who had
sent him his Apology, says: " I grieved, when I had read your book, that such discord
should have arisen between persons so dear and so intimate, bound to all the churches by
a bond of all'ection and of renown."
We may conclude this notice by t\\ o quotations from writers who lived shortly after
the death of Rufinus the first of which shows how unfairly the fame of Jerome has
;
pressed on the memory of his antagonist, \\ hile the second may be taken as the verdict of
unprejudiced history. Pope Gelasius, at a Council at Rome in 494, drew up a list of
books to be received in the church, in which he says of Rufinus: " He was a religious
man, and wrote many books of use to the Chinch, and many commentaries on the Scrip-
ture but, since the most blessed Jerome infamed him on certain points, we take part
;
with him (Jerome) in this and in all cases in which he has pronounced a condemnation."
(Mignc's Patrologia vol. lix. col. 175) On the other hand Gennadius, in his list of
•
Ecclesiastical writers (c. 17) says: " Rufinus, the presbyter, of Aquileia, was not the least
of the church-teachers, and showed an elegant genius in his translations from Greek into
Latin ;" and, after giving a list of his writings, he continues " Pie also replied in two volumes
:
to him who decried his works, showing convincingly that he had exercised his powers
through the might which Goil had given him, and for the good of the church, and that it
was through a spirit of rivalry that his adversary had employed his pen in defaming him."
WORKS OF RUFINUS.
I. Originai- Works which still Survive.
1 . A Commentary on
the Benedictions of the 12 Patriarchs. This short work was
composed monastery of Pinetum near Terraclna during Lent in the year 398, at the
at the
request of Paulinus of Nola. Rufinus had stayed with Paulinus on his first arrival with
Melania in Italy (Paulinus. Ep. xxix, 13.) and Paulinus wrote to him (417) after he had
gone to Pinetum begging him to give an explanation of the blessing of Jacob in Judah.
Rufinus, though not replying for a time, sent his exposition, and afterwards, on a second
re([uest from Paulinus, added the exposition of the rest of the blessings in the Patriarchs,
like the son in the parable (as he explains in a graceful letter prefixed to the work) who
said " I go not," but afterwards repented and went.
The exposition is well written and clear but it is not in itself of much value. The
;
text on which he comments is very faulty for instance, in the Blessing of Reuben, instead
:
of the words " the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power," it has
" diirits con-
versationc^ et diiriis^ temerarius." When Rufinus adheres to the plain interpretation
of the passage his comments are sensible and clear; but he soon passes to the m> stic sense :
Reuben is God's first-born people, the Jews, and the couch which he defiles is the law of the
Olil Testament and the moral interpretation is grounded on the supposed meaningof Reuben,
;
" the Son who is

seen," that is the visible, carnal man, who breaks through the law. So, in
Judah's "binding his foal to the vine," the explanation given, as he says, by the Jews,
that the vines will be so plentiful that they are used even for tying up the young colts, is
dismissed. The foal is the Christian Church the ofispring of Israel which is God's ass,
and is bound to Chris! he true vine. I
2. A dissertation on the adulteration oj" the works of Origcn by heretics., subjoined to

his translation of Pamphilus' Apology for Origen. This will be found in the present
volume pp. 421-427.
3. An apology addressed to the Pope Anastasius. Seethe introductory note prefixed
to the translation of this work (429) now first translated into English.
4. The Apology for himself against the attacks of Jerome. See
the introductory
statement prefixed to the translation (434-5).
5. Ecclesiastical History in Tzvo Books., being a continuation
of the History of
Eusebius translated by Rufinus into Latin. This work was composed at Aquileia at the
1
Auy. Letter ^3 (In Jerome's Letters No. no).
PROLEGOMENA. 41 1
request of the Bishop, Chromatius. The date is probably 401, since in tlie Preface Rufi-
nus he had been recjuested to translate Eusebius at the time when Alaric was in-
saj^s that
vading Italy. This must allude to the first of Alaric's invasions, in 400, smce the second
invasion (403) would have been marked by some word such as " Iterum," and at the 3d in
40S Chromatius had already died. The history does not attempt to give more than the chief
events, and these are told with little sense of proportion, the Council of Ariminum occupying
about 20 lines, while the story of the right arm of Arsenius which Athanasius was ac-
cused of cutting otV takes up five times that space. Some documents of great importance,
however, are given, such as the canons of Nicêa, and the Creed as it issued from the council.
But there is much credulity, as shown in the account of the Discovery of the True Cross by
Helena mother of Constantine, and the stories of the death of Arius and the attempted
rebuilding of the Jewish Temple under Julian. Rufinus has none of the critical power
leeded for a true historian. VVc may add that all that is valuable in his history is incor-
porated into the works of Socrates (translated in Vol. iii. of this Series). See especially
B. ii, c. I.
6. The History of the Monks which is a description of the Egyptian Solitaries ap-
pears to have no mark of its date But it was, no doubt, composed at Aquileia between
:
39S and 409, probably in the later part of that period. It was written in the name of
Petronius Bishop of Bologna, and records his experiences, which he says he had been often
requested by the monks of Mt. Olivet to commit to writing. It is full of strange stories like
those in Jerome's Lives of the Hermits Hilarion and Malchus.^ There is often a verbal
resemblance between this book and the Lausiac History of Palladius indeed, they at times ;
record the same adventures (compare the story of the crocodiles, Ruf. Hist. Mon. xxxiii.
6 with Pall. Hist. Laus. cl., where even the same prayers and texts are put into the mouths
of the twô narrators.) But it is probable that in these cases Palladius is indebted to
Rufinus.
7. The Exposition of the Creed is described in the note prefixed to the Translation
(540-
S. The Prefaces to the Books of Origen^ translated by Rufinus, and to the Apology
of Pamphilus for Origen, together with the Book on the Adulteration of Origen's
Writings are given in this volume (420-437). That to the ITf/jt 'A^m-uv (427) is the docu-
ment on which the great controversy between Jerome and Rufinus turns. That to Nimi-
hers gives personal details of importance, while the Peroration to the Ep. to the Romans
exhibits the method used in translating. The Preface and Epilogue to the work of Pamphi-
lus are of great importance in connexion with the controversy between Jerome and Rufinus.
II. Translations from Greek Writers.

1. The Rule of St. Basil., translated at Pinetum for the Abbat Urseius
in 397 or 39S.
This was the first work written by Rufinus of which we have any knowledge.
2. The Apology of Pamphilus for Origcn. This formed the ist book of an Apol-
ogy for Origen's teaching in 6 books, which were composed by Eusebius and Pamphilus
during the imprisonment at Caesarea previous to his martyrdom. Eusebius speaks
hitter's
of this work way (H. E. vi. 33) as written by himself and Pamphilus. The
in a general
last book, however, was written by Eusebius alone after the death of Pamphilus. The
part translated by Rufinus is only the ist book, and this he believed to be by Pamphilus
alone. Jerome in his Apology (487, 514) asserted that the whole was by Eusebius alone.
But his bitter feeling led him astray in this. The Apology for Origen has perished with
the exception of this ist book which survives in Rufinus' Translation. The Preface
which he prefixed to the work, and the Epilogue which he subjoined to it under the name
"
of " The book concerning the adulteration of the works of Origen are given in our trans-
lation (420-427). This work was written at Pinetum near Terracina at the request of
Macarius, to whom the Preface is addressed, in the end of 397 or the beginning of 398.
For the questions relating to the authorship of the Apology the reader is referred to the
Apologies of Jerome and Rufinus (esp. pp. 487, 514), to Lightfoot's Article on Eusebius
in the Diet, of Eccl. Biography, and the Prolegomena to the Translation of Eusebius in this
Series, p. 36.
3. Origen'' s Ilepl 'Apxuv. This translation was also made at the request of Macarius,
and was finished as the Preface to B. iii. shows in the Lent of 398. The questions raised
by this Translation are discussed in the Introductions to the Works of Jerome (Vol. vi of
1
Suu those Lives translated in Vol. vi of this Series.
412 LIFE AND WORKS OF RUFINUS.
this Series), ami r)f Rutinus Volume and the controversy itself is developed in their
in this ;
Apologies (434-540). The greater part of the Uefu 'Apxoiv is known to us only through this
translation.
4. Orlgen's Homilies. Those on the Books of Moses and of Joshua were trans-
lated at various times during the last 10 years of Rulinus' life. He had intended, as
he states in his Preface to the Book of Numbers, to translate all that had been written
by Origen on the Pentateuch he accomplished this as regards the first three books, and
:
also as to the book of Joshua, at the request of Chromatins; the book of Numbers he
only finished in Sicily, just l)efore his death and the Commentaries on Deuteronomy he
;
did not live to translate. In these translations, as he tells us (567), he did not scru])lc to
supply what he found to be omitted in the Greek, the Homilies being of a hortatory
kind, whereas Rufinus' object was an exposition of the text.
The Translation of the Homilies on Judges., though there is no Preface to it, is ascril)ed
to Rufinus by Fontanini, who maintains that in this case, the name of Rulinus l)eing dis-
credited on account of Jerome's diatribe against him, the editors have suppressed the
Preface, while in some other cases they have substituted the name of Jerome for that of
Rufinus.
The Translation of Origen's Commentary on the 36th., syth and j8th Bsalms \s un-
questionably by Rufinus; it is dedicated to Apronianus, and may have been written in
Rome (Fontanini col. iSS, beginning of ch. viii). The Preface is given by us in this
volume. Fontanini also gives to Rufinus a Translation of Origen's Homilies on i Kings
and on Canticles. The books on Joshua and Judges he translated as he found them (567),
but next he adopted a different method.
in the
The works of Origen on the Ep. to the Romans were very long, and Rufinus did not
scru])le to condense them (reducing the 25 books of Origen to 10), as he clearly
states in
his Peroration (567). This work he addressed to Heraclius, and it was composed dur-
ing his stay at Aquileia.
Rufinus had hoped, as we learn from the same Peroration (567), to translate
some at least of the Commentaries of Origen upon the other Epistles of St. Paul
but he ;
firstdetermined to fiifish those

upon the Pentateuch, a task in which, as we have
seen, he
was overtaken by death.
5. The Translation of 10 Tracts of St. Basil aftd 8 of Gregory Nazianzcn. These
are to be found in the works of Basil and Gregory, but without Prefaces; they are, how-
ever, mentioned by Rufinus himself in his Eccl. Hist. ii. 9, and in a letter to Apronianus
quoted by Fontanini Vit. Ruf. II., viii, I. col. 1S9.
6. The Sentences of Xystus^ which have been variously attributed to a philosopher who
flourished in the reign of Augustus, and is quoted by Seneca, and to Xystus, or Sixtus, Bp.
of Rome, w ho suffered martyrdom in 358. They are called the Annulus (V;,Yf//"'''<oi>) as
inseparal)le from the hand. Rulinus speaks of them in his Preface, translated in this
volume, as being traditionally ascribed to the Bishop he does not pledge himself to this
;
opinion, but does not deny it and recent research has shown that, though they may have
;
a basis in heathen philosophy, they are in their present form the writings of a Christian.
Jerome, however, scoffs at Rufinus again and again, as either through ignorance or hetero-
doxy ascribing to a Christian Bishop and martyr the work of a Pythagorean (See Jerome
ad Ctesiphontem (Ep. cxxxiii. c. 3), Comm. on Ezek. B. vi. ch. 8, on Jerem. B. iv.
ch. 22. The whole matter is fully discussed in Diet, of Christian Biog. Art. Xystus.)
7. The Sentences of Evagriiis Ponticiis (or Iberita or Galatus) in three treatises,
{i) to Virgins., (2) To Monks., (3) On the Passionless State. These are described with
bitter depreciation as heretical works by Jerome (Ad Ctes. Ep. 133 c. 3. Pref. to Anti-
Pelagian Dialogue and to B. iv. of Comm. on Jerem.) but approved by Gennadius (c. 9.)
who issued an amended version of Rufinus' translation. Rufinus' translation is said to be
in the Vatican library by Fontanini (Vita Rufini Lib. II. c. iv. in Migne's Patrologia
Vol. 21 col. 205.)
The Recogiiitions of Clement supposed to have been written by Clement Bishop of
8.
Rome, but now known to be a work of 50 or 60 years later. The translation of it was
asked for by vSilvia sister of Rufinus the Praitorian Prefect, and was unsuccessfull}' at-
tempted by Paulinus of Nola (see his letter to Rufinus in Fontanini as above, col. 208.)
After the death of Silvia, Gaudentius Bp. of Brixia where she died as a saint, urged Ru-
finus to make the translation (Peror. to Ep. to Rom. 567) Preface of Rufinus.)
9. The translation of Eusebius' Eccl. History in 9 books, a work much valued in
PROLEGOMENA. 413
Gaul, and often reprinted In later times. The Preface (Migne's Rufinus col. 461) is
addressed to Chromatius, and says that it was demanded by him at the time of Alaric's
invasion of Italy (A.D. 400) as an antidote to the unsettlement of men's minds. Ru-
finus speaks humbly of himself as having little practice in Latin writing. He says that he
has compressed the loth book which contained little of real history, and added what re-
mained of it to Book 9. See Prolegomena to Eusebius in this Series Vol. p. 54. i
It is a curious and important fact that all the translations known to have been made
by Rufinus have survived. This is due no doubt to their being the only translations ex-
tant in the Middle Ages of great writers like Origen and Basil, and to the impossibility of
procuring others. The uncritical spirit of the time may have been favourable to them. Had
they been recognized as the works of Rufinus, they might have been destroyed but it was;
attribute many of them to Jerome.

possible, even after the revival of learning, to
Gennadius mentions a series of Rufinus' letters, which have not survived, amongst
which were several of special importance addressed to Proba, a lady who is highly com-
mended by Jerome in his letter to Demetrias.^ Jerome also mentions (537) some trans-
lations of Rufinus from Latin into Greek, but his allusion is somewhat vague and ;
some translations from the LXX (536). A

translation of Josephus, and a Commentary
on the first 75 Psalms, and on Hosea, Joel and Amos, a Life of St. Eugenia and a Book
on the Faith have been attributed to Rufinus but are believed not to be his. These, with
the exception of the translation of Josephus, are given by Vallarsi in his edition of Ru-
finus. Besides these, translations of Origen's Seven Homilies on Matthew and one on
John, and of his treatises on Mary Magdalen and on Christ's Epiphany have at times
been attributed to Rufinus.
We do not propose to go minutely into the Bibliography of Rufinus' Works. Some
of them were among the earliest printed books. The Editio Princeps of the Cojntnentary
on the Creed bears date Oxford^ 1468., but is commonly believed to be really of 1478 that \
of the Ecclesiastical History^ Paj'is, 1474; that of the History of the Monks undated, is be-
^
lieved to be of 147 1 \\\^toi\\\Q.Co7nmentaries of Origen is of 1503 (Aldus Minutius)

;
that of;
the Sayings of Xystus of 1507, and of the Ilfpt ^Kpx^^ is of 15 14 (Venice). They continued
to be reprinted up to 15S0; but, with the exception of the Sayings of Xysttis, no further
editions were published till the edition of Vallarsi (Verona, 1745), and the Life by Fonta-
nini (Rome, 1743). Since that date, though various editions and translations of the £^x-
positions of the Cf-eed have appeared, no attempt has been made to give the whole of
Rufinus' writings. Migne (Patrologia, Vol. xxi., Paris, 1849) ^^ contented to reprint Val-
larsi without alteration.
No complete edition of Rufinus' Works, therefore, exists. The volume of Migne's
Patrologia (31) contains the Life by Fontanini (Rome, 1743), the Notice by Schoenemann
(Leipzig, 1793), and Vallarsi's edition (Verona, 1745) of Rufinus' chief works, viz. The
Benedictions of the Patriarchs, the Commentary on the Creed, the Monastic History, the
Ecclesiastical History, the Apology against Jerome, and the Apology addressed to An-
astasius. Vallarsi had intended to edit the Translations from Greek writers, but did not
accomplish this. The Prefaces to these translations, some of which are of great impor-
tance, have therefore to be sought by the student in the editions of the writers to whose
works they are prefixed. They are collected and translated in this Volume for the first
time.
We have in the present work not attempted to translate all the original works of
Rufinus. We have omitted the Exposition of the Benedictions of the Twelve patriarchs,
the Ecclesiastical History and the History of the Monks. The rest we have given. They
include his Apologies, together with the Letter of Pope Anastasius about him to John
of Jerusalem, the Prefaces to the YlepVApxi^v and the Apology of Pamphilus, and the Epi-
logue to the latter work, called the Dissertation on the adulteration of the Works of
Origen, together with the Pi'efaces which are still extant to his Translations of Origen's
Commentaries and his Peroration to Origen on Romans. Wehave also included his best-
known work, his Commentary on the Creed, a translation of which has kindly been
placed at our service by Dr. Heurtley, Lady Margaret Professor of Theology at Oxford.
^ Letter cxxx, 7.
WORKS OF RUFINUS TRANSLATED IN THIS YOLUMll
Patriarchs ..........
4^7
.......
Preface to the Commentary on the Benedictions of th
.....
Patriarchs. Book II
Preface to the Apology of Pamphilus
TWELV
419
420
Treatise on the Adulteration of the works of Origen .
421
Preface to the Translation of Origen's Uepl 'kpx^w B. I & II 427
Preface to the Translation of Origen's llepl "Apx^v B. Ill & IV 4-9
Apology of Rufinus addressed to Anastasius Bp. of Rome 430
Letters of Anastasius to John Bishop of Jerusalem concerning RUFINUS 432
Rufinus' Apology against Jerome B. I .
434
Rufinus' Apology against Jerome B. II .
460
Jerome's Apology in answer to Rufinus B. I 48 3
Jerome's Apology in answer to Rufinus B. II
Rufinus on the Creed ......

Jerome's Apology in answer to Rufinus B. Ill
Rufinus' Preface to his Translation of the Recognitions of Clement

513
541
563
Rufinus' Preface to his Translation of the Sayings of Xystus 564
............
Rufinus' Preface to his Translation of the Church History of
EuSEBIUS
Rufinus' Preface to his Translation of Origen on Pss. 36, 37, 38 .
565
566
Rufinus' Preface to his Translation of Origen on the Ep. to the Romans 566
Rufinus' Peroration appended to Origen on the Ep. to the Romans
Rufinus' Preface to his Translation of Origen on Numbers .
56S
WRITINGS OF RUFINUS.
PREFACE TO THE COMMENTARY ON THE BENEDICTIONS OF

THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS.
llufinus had arrived with Melania, in Italy, in the spring of 397, after a stay in the East of some 25 years.
visited Paulinus at Nola, and had been entertained by him with the highest honours.
Melania probably
They had out for Rome. He
remained in Campania, where she had property, engaged in family affairs; but Rufinus set
at the monastery of Pinetum near Terracina, with his friend Urseius the
stopped, however, for some months
letter from
His work on Jacob's Benedictions on his sons in Gen. xlix was occasioned by the following
"I have written a short note to the
Paulinus, who alludes to it in writing to Sulpicius Severus (Ep.
xxviii).
Melania in her spiritual journey, a truly holy and truly learned
Presbyter Rufinus, the companion of the saintly
The work itself, being an Exposition of
man, and one united with me on this account in the closest
affection."
Scripture, is not given,

but only the Preface.
his brother Rufinus, ail best the absenceteach me of him who might
Paulinus to
wishes.^ think that, in the
what I do not know.? I
matter of the translation of St. Clement,'
1. Even a short lettei* from one so like- besides the other defects of my abilities, you
minded as yourself is a great refreshment, noticed this especially as showing the weak-
like the dew which revives a thirsty field ness caused by my want of practice, that
when the rivers are low. But while I con- where I had been unable to understand the
fess that I have been refreshed by this letter words or to express them accurately, I have
which, though short, is still from you, and is translated them according to my idea of their
sent by the servant of our common children, drift, or, to speak more truly, set down what
yet I have been
troubled at hearing that all I
thought ought to be there. All the more
at once through the disquiet of your anxiety therefore do I need that, through God's
and the uncertainty caused by delay, you mercy, I may have your company in fuller
have determined that you must go to Rome. measure for that will be like wealth to the ;
May the Lord grant you to receive joy in the poor or like gathering the crumbs which fall
Lord from what we are doing : so that, as from the rich man's table with the eager ap-
now we we may
share in your anxiety, so petite of the bondman's
heart.
rejoice in your joy,
and that we may still I was writing
3. At the moment when
have some beginnings of hope that we may eye fell upon a passage of
these words my
enjoy your presence, when you begin which I
to
Scripture, occurring in a portion
see clearly your way and the will of the had set down for reading, namely that in
Lord concerning you. which Judah is blessed by Jacob and I de- ;
2. You are kind enough, with that affec- termined after a time to knock at the door of
tion which makes you love me as yourself, your mind, for which the
Lord had given
to desire that I should take up more seri- me this most timely occasion. I beg you, if
love me
ously the study of Greek literature. I ac-
you love me, or rather because you
knowledge the kindness which dictates this so greatly, to write and say how you under-
wish ;
but I am unable to give it effect, stand this blessing of the Patriarchs; and, if
unless, through God's blessing on my earnest there are some things in it which are worth
desires, I should have the happiness of your knowing but hard to understand, impart to
company for a longer time. How
can I me also the knowledge of them especially ;
his
gain any proficiency in a foreign tongue in of that passage which says: "Binding
iTh;it is, the Recns^nitinns. See the Preface tn Rufinus'
1
Saliitem, a word implying well-being generally as well as Translation in this volume, with the explanatory note prefixed
health. 1
to it.
VOL. III. E e
4i8 RUFINUS.
'
colt to the vine and those sickle-like shoots by which it supports
his ass's colt to the hair-
'
^
cloth." Tell me what is the colt and the
itself on branches of trees or poles or the
ass's colt, and wliy his colt is to be bound to supports of the kind which I think the
^
the vine, but the ass's colt to the hair cloth. fiirmers call goatikins so that the vine is ;
made safe by these clinging shoots from all

The answer of Rufinus forms the Preface to danger of falling, and the tendril can either
his Exposition of the Benedictions.
become loaded with grapes or grow out in
unfettered length. I think therefore that this
1. The more I excuse myself to you, and very word (helici), like some others, must
the more I assert that I am unable to respond have been set down a long time ago in the
to your inquiries, the more instant you Latin versions, and that it was afterwards
become in your requests, and the harder be- supposed by unintelligent copyists that by
come your demands you treat me as you helici, hair-cloth (cilicium) must be meant.
:
would an ox whose laziness you have discov- 3. It is easy in this way to emend the mis-
ered, and j^rick his flanks and back as he stops takes of the translation but it is not so easy ;
and turns back with goads of ever increasing to find out the meaning of the expression
sharpness. I must point out to you, there- itself unless we take into consideration the
fore, that, even if I am able to bow my neck whole passage. But the treatment of this
low so as just to drag the heavy yoke which passage would be placed in a fuller and
you lay upon me, yet I have no chance of clearer light if we could go back to the be-
bursting at a rapid pace into the open and ginning of the whole of these Benedictions.
wide-spreading plains through a form of But this implies no small amount of leisure
speech which flows at large and pours itself and of time; or, to speak in a more Chris-
forth over far-extending space. Bear with tian sense, it demands a mind illuminated by
me therefore if my resolution has been but the Holy Spirit. My talent is but slight,
tardily fulfilled, and if I come up onlv at a and there are many demands on my time ;
feeble pace to the point to which you call me. and my friends are urging me to comply
2. You ask me how the
passage in Genesis with their requests about Origen.^ But,
is to be understood in which Israel the father so far as these circumstances admit, and so
of the patriarchs is represented as predicting great a matter can be treated with brevity, I
what he saw would happen to each of his will state at once what apptars to me the
sons, and says of Judah, amongst other true meaning of this passage, for the love
"
things Binding his colt to the vine, and with which you bid me trust you in every-
:
his ass's colt to the tendril of the vine." thing, and without prejudice to the judgment
You write it " and his ass's colt to the hair- of others, who may have something better to
"
cloth (cilicium) ;
but in the Greek it stands :
say about it.
/cat rf; ikim rhv kg)7.ov ttjq ovov avTOv. The Greeks
The word, in the text nicinnulos is unknown in I-atin.
1
call by the name 'HtKa (twist) not the sprigs The most likely conjecture as to the—right reading is ruscarias
for weeding ou^
of the vine (as our copies have it) but guibits (that is ruscaria.'! falculas sickles
butcher's broom, as mentioned by Cato and Varrol.
-Capreolos. Projierly little goats, thus used for the props,
1
Gen. xlix, ii. the fork of which resembled the horns of the goat. The word
'This mistaken readins^ (th()ui;h said by Vallarsi to be
is a is also used for the tendrils of the vine, and is by some derived
acc(.'ptf<l by both Ambrose and Augustin), Cilicium for iKiKi, from capio.
Uufinus adopts the latter, " Binding- his ass's colt to the tendril 3 That
is about the translation of the Ilepl 'Kpxutv. See the
of the vine." Preface to this further on.
PREFACE TO BOOK II.
Rufinus, as we see by his Preface to the former book, considered it unsatisfactory to expound the
Blessing upon Judah apart from those on his brethren. Paulinus therefore, taking the occasion of
their common friend Cercalis' journey to Rome, sends the following letter to induce Rufinus to
expound the remaining Benedictions.
Paulinus to his brother Rufinus, allgood wishes. would be blamable in me and vexatious to
you were I not to write to you by him in

I.
Although our son Cercalis declared to
whom you have a part as well as I. It seems
me that it was uncertain whether, in returning
as he now does to vSt. Peter,' he
to me
preferable to lose some letter paper by
would be
his not visiting you rather than to lose credit
able to visit you, yet it appears to me that it
with you as I think I should do by his visit-
» That is to Rome. ing you without it and therefore I have en-
:
PREFACE TO BENEDICTIONS OF THE PATRIARCHS — BOOK II. 419
trusted this letter, I will not say to chance, larger works, the translations of Pamphilus' de-
fence of Origen, and Origen's Uepl 'Apx'^v, and,
but to faith: for I believe that the Lord will
direct to you the way both of our son and of though about to set out for Rome, lost no time in
composing the work which Paulinus demanded,
my letter since to those who long for good
; and sent it him with the followinsc letter.
all will turn to good and indeed he longs for
;
you as you ought to be longed for by one who

understands the good he may gain from your Rufinus to his brother Paulinus, the Man of
society. I believe that this longing of his God, with all good wishes.
in a good matter will not be lost, according
to his faith and piety and therefore I have
1.
Though our common son Cerealis did
:
not visit me, he felt what pain he would cause
confidence that he will reach you and abide me he delayed
with you, and that I shall see the saving
if
my
reception of your letter,
and forwarded it me.
In reading it I felt,
to
help of the Lord doubled towards you, since as usual, a continual increase in my yearning
in him you will have the accession of a good
towards you but I found towards its close a
:
son and pupil and assistant, and he will find

request from which I have frequently begged
in you a father and teacher of all good things
you to excuse me
—
I mean the request
given to him from the Lord, who will add to which you make that I should write some-
the efficacy and power of his prayers the
thing in answer to your questions as to the
strength of spiritual grace. As to myself,
interpretation of passages of Scripture. 1
though Ihave the assurance that when you should lead you to desist from
thought that I
return to the East you will be unwilling to
these questions by the writings I have once
depart without visiting me, yet my sins and sent which have given evi-
make me fear that the daughter of Baby- denceagain you,
of my ignorance and of the roughness
lon, may turn you away from me. I pray
of my speech.
therefore with earnest longings to the Lord
2. But since you still are not weary of
that he would give me not according to my
commanding me, I have at once, to the best
deserts but according to my desire and may of
my powers, added to what I had written
direct your course to me in the way of peace ;
at your desire on the Benediction of Judah
for such as do not walk in that way are
the comments on the remaining eleven patri-
reprobate and condemned and incapable of aixhs. I acted like the man in the
parable of
truly longing for your presence. the two sons. I thought that I should thus best
2. But now for the business part of my
fulfil the fathei^'s will and though when he
:
letter. I charge you, with the importunity,

ordered me to go into the vineyard I had
with which I am in the habit of knocking said I will not
go, yet after a while I went.
at your door even in the middle of the
If, as I grant, there is some rashness in the
night, being driven by fear of a refusal to fact that with so little
capacity we attempt
the modest attitude of a supplicant, to show such a
great task, I would say, with sub-
me kindness once moi"e, and to expound the mission to
you, that this must be most
Benedictions on the twelve Patriarchs. You
justly imputed to you, since, through your
have already made a beginning with the excessive love for me
you do not see that my
prophecy relating to Judah, and have given, measure of knowledge, as of other virtues,
according to the precept, a threefold inter- is but slight. I wrote this work in the
I now beg you to expound
days of
pretation of it. Lent, while I was staying in the monastery of
the prophecy as it relates to each of the
Pinetum, and I wrote it for you. But I
sons of Judah :so that I may myself become
found it impossible to coiiceal this poor work
possessed of the truth by your means, and from the brethren who were there and they, :
may also gain through your help the favor that a thing which had been
and the praise which will accrue to me considering
;
honoured by your approval must be of great
for I shall thus be able to make answer to
importance, extorted from me the permis-
those who have thought well to consult me on
sion to copy it for themselves. Thus, while
the difficulties of this passage of vScripture not
you demand from me food for yourself you
with foolish words drawn from my own un-
give refreshment to others also. Farewell,
derstanding but with divine truth flowing and be in
peace, my most loving brother,
from your inspiration. most true worshipper of God, and an Israel-
ite in whom there is no guile. I entreat you
who are so full of the grace of God to hold
Rufinus, though at this time busy with his me still in remembrance.
E e 2
420 RUFINUS.
TRANSLATION OF PAMPHILUS' DEFENCE OF ORIGEN.

Written at Pincttim A.D. jp7'
While Rufinus was staying at Pinetum, a Christian named Macarius sought his advice and assistance.
'
He was engaged in a controversy with the Mathematici, a class of men who had deserted the scientific studies
from which they took their name, and had turned to astrology and a belief in Fatalism. Macarius, having heard
of Origen's greatness in the region of Christian speculation, earnestly desired some knowledge of his writings :
but was unable to attain it through ignorance of Greek. He declared to Rufinus that he had had a dream in
which he saw a ship laden with Eastern merchandize arriving in Italy, and that it was declared to him that this
ship would contain the means of attaining the knowledge he desired. The coining
of Rufinus seemed to him
the fulfilment of his dream, and he earnestly besought him to impart to him some of the treasures of his Greek
learning, and especially to translate for him Origen's great speculative work, the \\.tpl 'A^'V'î'. that is On First
Principles.' Rufinus hesitated, knowing that there was a strong prejudice against Origen, and that he was
looked on, especially in the West, as a heretic, though his writings were little known there. He yielded, how-
ever, to the solicitations of Macarius but to guard against the imputation of heresy, he undertook three prelim-
:
inary works. First, he translated the Apology of the Martyr Pamphilus for Origen; secondly, he wrote a short
treatise on the Adulteration by heretics of the works of Origen; and, thirdly, in translating the Wrpl 'Ap;f(ji' he
prefixed to it an elaborate Preface in justification of his course in translating the work. All these documents
l)ecame the subject of vehement controversy which found its expression in the letter of Jerome to his friends at
Rome, and the Apologies of Rufinus and Jerome translated in this volume.
The Apology of Pamphilus for Origen forms the sixth book of a work undertaken by him in connexion with
Eusebius of Cresarea, the Church Historian. Pamphilus was a great collector of books, and a learned man, but
Eusebius was the chief writer. Pamphilus was put to death in the last persecution, that under Galerius; and
Eusebius having at a later time fallen under suspicion of Arianism, it was attempted by those who disliked
Origen, to dissociate Pamphilus from all connexion with the work. There seems however no reason to doubt,
notwithstanding Jerome's violent protestations, that Pamphilus was associated with Eusebius throughout the work,
and that he actually wrote the sixth book. The translation of this Apology was made first, and sent out with a
Preface which runs as follows :
You have been moved by your desire to is sin against Christ; and therefore let
to
" a them not lend their ears to the accusers, nor
knovv^ truth, Macarius, vv^ho are
the
man greatly beloved,"^ to make a request of seek an account of another man's faith from
me, which will bring you the blessing at- a third party, especially when an oppor-
tached to the knowledge of the truth but it ;
tunity is given them for gaining personal
will win for me the greatest indignation on and direct knowledge, and the substance
the part of those who consider themselves and quality of each man's faith is to be
aggrieved whenever any one does not think known by his own confession. For so the
evil of Origen. It is true that it is not my Scripture says: ""With the heart man be-
opinion about him that you have asked for, lieveth imto righteousness, and with the
but that of tlie holy martyr Pamphilus and ;
mouth confession is made unto salvation":
^ "
you have requested to have the book which and :
By his words shall each man be
he is said to have written in his defence in justified, and by his word shall he be con-
Greek translated for you into Latin never- : demned." The opinions of Origen in the
tlicless I do not doubt that there will be various parts of Scripture are clearly set
some who will think themselves aggrieved forth in the present work as to the cause
:
if I say anything in his defence even in the of our finding certain places in which he
words of another man. I beg them to do contradicts himself, an explanation will be
nothing in the spirit of presumption and offered in the short document subjoined.^
of prejudice and, since we must all stand
;
But as for myself, I hold that which has
before the judgment scat of Christ, not to re- been handed down to us froin the holy
fuse to hear the truth spoken, lest haply they fathers, namely, that the Holy Trinity is
should do wrong throusfh Ignorance. Let cocternal,and of a single nature, virtue and
them consider that to wound the consciences substance that the Son of God in these last
;
of their weaker brethren by false accusations times has been made man, has suffered for
See the account in Rufinus' Apoloijy I. ii.

1
The word may also mean Oji beiînninixs, or

3 On Principalities and Powers these ideas being connected together in
:
the speculation of the Alexandrian theolog^y. 3 Daniel x. 11, ix. 23. The name Macarius means Blessed.
* ^ Matt, " Sec the Epilogue, infra.
Horn. X, 10. xii, 37.
EPILOGUE TO PAMPHILUS. 421
our transgressions and rose again from the ruption." We

must maintain this preemi-
dead in the very flesh in which he suffered, nence of the body, or flesh, which is to be:
and thereby imparted the hope of the resur- but, with this proviso, we must hold that
rection to the whole race of mankind. the resurrection of the flesh is perfect and
When we speak of the resurrection of the entire we must on the one hand main-
;
flesh, we do so, not with any subter- tain the identity of the flesh, while on the
fuges, as is slanderously reported by certain other we must not detract from the dignity
persons we believe that it is this very flesh and glory of the incorruptible and spiritual
;
in which we are now living which will body. For so the Scripture speaks. This
rise again, not one kind of flesh instead is what is preached by the reverend Bishop
of another, nor another body than the body John at Jerusalem this we with him both;
of this flesh. When we speak of the body confess and hold. If any one either believes
rising we do so in the words of the apostle or teaches otherwise, or insinuates that we
;
for he himself made use of this word and believe differently from the exposition of our
:
when we speak of the flesh, our confession faith, let him be anathema. Let this then
is that of the Creed. It is an absui'd inven- be taken as a record of our belief by an}'
tion of maliciousness to think that the human who desire to know it. Whatever we reac
body is different from the flesh. However, and whatever we do is in accordance with
whether we speak of that which is to rise, this account of our faith we follow the
;
"
according to the common faith, as the flesh, words of the Apostle,
'
proving all things,

or, according to the Apostle, as the body, holding fast that which is good, avoiding
this we must believe, that according to the every form of evil." '"And as many as
clear statement of the Apostle, that which walk by this rule, peace be upon them and
shall rise shall rise in power and in glory upon the Israel of God."
;
it will rise an
incorruptible and a spiritual
"
body: for corruption cannot inherit incor- 1 Thess.
V, 21, 22.
2 Gal.
vi, 16.
RUFINUS'S EPILOGUE TO PAMPHILUS THE MARTYR'S

APOLOGY FOR ORIGEN,
OTHERWISB
The Book Concerning the Adulteration of the Works of Origen.
Addressed to Macarius at Pinetum A.D. jgy.
The next work was sent out at the same time with Pamphilus' Apology. Rufinus believed that Origen's
works had been adulterated by heretics so as to turn his assertions into support of their own opinions. He
thererore, in his translation of the Rf/ji 'Apx'^^'j altered many things which had a heterodox meaning as found
in the ordinary MSS. of Origen, so as to mal<e the work consistent with itself and with the orthodox views ex-
pressed in other parts of Origen's writings. How far this process was legitimate or honest must be judged
from a perusal of the controversy which followed; but it should be borne in mind, first, that the standard of
literary exactness and conscientiousness was not the same in those days as in ours; secondly, that when everything
depended on copyists, there was room for infinite variations in the copies, whether through negligence, igno-
rance or fraud; thirdly, that the principles adopted by Rufinus were precisely those acknowledged by his great
opponent Jerome, in his Treatise De Optimo Genere Interpretandi, and his Letter to Vigilantius (Letters Ixvi
and Ixi).
Myobject in the translation from Greek ity and the requirements of the matter, is this :
into Latin of the holy martyr Pamphilus' I wish you to know through full information
Apology for Origen, which I have given in that the rule of faith which has been set
the preceding volume according to my abil- forth above in his writings is that which we
422 RUFINUS.
must embrace and hold for it is clearly was not to be saved ? Such things could not
;
shown that the Catholic opinion is contained happen even in the case of a man who had
in them all. Nevertheless you have to al- taken leave of his senses and was not sound
low that there are found in his books certain in the brain. How, therefore, this came to
things not only difTerent from this but in cer- pass, I will point out with all possible brev-
tain cases even repugnant to it things which ity.
;
The heretics are capable of any vio-
our canons of truth do not sanction, and which lence, they have no remorse and no scruples :
we can neither receive nor approve. As to this we are forced to recognize by the audac-
the cause of this an opinion has reached me ities of which they have been frequently
wliicli has been widely entertained, and convicted. And, just as their father the devil
which I wish to be fully known by you and has from the beginning made it his object to
by those who desire to know what is true, falsify the words of God and twist them from
since it is possible also that some wdio have their true meaning, and subtilely to interpo-
before been actuated by the love of fault- late among them his own poisonous ideas, so
finding may acquiesce in the truth and reason he has left these successors of his the same
of the matter when they have it set before art as their inheritance. Accordingly, when
them for some seem determined to believe God had said to Adam, "You shall eat of
;
"
anything in the world to be true rather than all the trees of the garden he, when he ;
that which withdraws from them the occasions wished to deceive Eve interpolated a sin-
of fault-finding. It must, I think, be felt to be gle syllable, by which he reduced within the
wholly impossible that a man so learned and narrowest bounds God's liberality in permit-
so wise, a man whom even his accusers may ting all the fruits to be eaten. He said:
well admit to have been neither foolish nor " Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of
"
insane, should have written what is contrary any tree of the garden ? and thus, by
and repugnant to himself and his own suggesting the complaint that God's com-
opinions. But even suppose that this could mand was severe, he more easily persuaded
in some way have happened suppose, as her to transgress the precept. The heretics
;
some perhaps have said, that in the decline have followed the example of their father, the
of life he might have forgotten what he had craft of their teacher. Whenever they found
written in his early days, and have made asser- in any of the renowned writers of old days
tions at variance with his former opinions a discussion of those things which pertain to
;
how are we to deal with the fact that we some- the glory of God so full and faithful that
times find in the very same passages, and, as every believer could gain profit and in-
I may say, almost in successive sentences, struction from it, they have not scrupled to
clauses inserted expressive of contrary opin- infuse into their writings the poisonous taint
ions? Can we believe that in the same work of their own false doctrines; this they have
and in the same book, and even sometimes, as done, either by inserting things which the
I have said, in the following paragraph, a writers had not said or by changing by in-
man could have forgotten his own views.'' terpolation what they had said, so that their
For example that, when he had said just be- own poisonous heresy might more easily be
fore that no passage in all the Scripture could asserted and authorized by passing under the
be found in which the Holy Spirit was name of all the church writers of the greatest
spoken of as made or created, he could have learning and renown ; they meant it to ap-
immediately added tliat the Holy Spirit had pear that well-known and orthodox men had
been made along with the rest of the creat- held as they did. We hold the clearest
ures? or again, that the same man who proofs of this in the case of the Greek writers ;
clearly states that the Father and the Son are and this adulteration of books is to be found
of one substance, or as it is called in Greek in the case of many of the ancients but it ;
Homoousion, could in the next sentence say will suffice to adduce the testimony of a few,
that He was of another substance, and was a so that it may be more easily understood
created being, when he had but a little before what has befallen the writings of Origen.
described him as born of the very nature of Clement, the disciple of the Apostles, who
God the Father.? Or again in the matter of was bishop of the Roman church next to
the resurrection of the flesh, could he who the Apostles, was a martyr, wrote the work
so clearly declared that it was the nature of which is called in the Greek 'Avayvupiafidg, or
the flesh which ascended with the Word of in Latin, The Recognition.' In these books
God into heaven, and there appeared to the
1 Rufinns was deceived ns was tlie whole world until tile
celestial Powers, presenting a new image of revival of learning, in helievinij tliis fabrication to be the work
himself for them to worship, could he, I ask of Clement. It is really a romance in the form of an autobiofr-
rapliy of Clement, supposed to be addressed to James of Jeru-
you, possibly turn round and say that this flesh salem; and was written probably in Asia Minor or Syria
he sets forth again and again in the name of under his authority, and on this account the
the Apostle Peter a doctrine which appears holy Bishop Athanasius felt himself com-
to be truly apostolical yet in certain pas-
:
pelled to write an apology for his work,
sages the heresy of Eunomius is so brought because he was assured that he could not
in that you would imagine that you were have held strange opinions or have written
listening to an argument of Eunomius him- things in which he contradicted himself, but
self, asserting that the Son of God was felt sure that these things had been inter-
created out of no existing elements. Then preted by ill disposed men.
again that other method of falsification is in- This opinion we have been led to form by
troduced, by which it is made to appear that the force of the facts themselves, in the case
the nature of the devil and of other demons of these very reverend men and doctors of the
has not resulted from the wickedness of church ;
we have found it
impossible, I say,
their will a;id purpose, but from an excep- to believe that those reverend men who again
tional and separate quality of their creation, and again have supported the church's belief
although he in all other places had taught should in particular points have held opinions
that every reasonable creature was endowed contradictory to themselves. As to Origen,
with the facult}'^ of free will. There are however, in whom, as I have said above,
also some other things inserted into his are to be found, as in those others, certain
books which the church's creed does not diversities of statement, it will not be suffi-
admit. I ask, then, what we are to think cient to think precisely as we think or feel
of these things.'' Are we to believe that an who
enjoy an established repu-
about those
apostolic man, nay, almost an apostle (since tation for orthodoxy; nor could a similar
he writes the things which the apostles charge be met by a similar excuse, were it
speak), one to whom the apostle Paul bore not that its validity is shown by words and
his testimony in the words, " With Clement writings of his own in which he makes this
and others, my fellow labourers, whose fact the subject of earnest complaint. What
names are in the book of life " was the he had to suffer while still living in the flesh,
writer of words which contradict the book of while still having feeling and sight, from the
life.? or are we to say, as we have said conaiption of his books and treatises, or from
before, that perverse men, in order to gain counterfeit versions of them, we may learn
authority for their own heresies by the use clearly from his own letter which he wrote to
of the names of holy men, and so procure certain intimate friends at Alexandria and ;
their readier acceptance, interpolated these by this you will see how it comes to pass
things which it is impossible to believe that that some things which are self-contradictory
the true authors either thought or wrote? are found in his writings.'
" Some of those
Again, the other Clement, the presbyter persons who take a
of Alexandria, and the teacher of that pleasure in accusing their neighbours, bring
church, in almost all his books describes the against us and our teaching the charge of
three Persons as having one and the same blasphemy, though from us they have never
glory and eternity : and yet we sometimes heard anything of the kind. Let them take
find in his books passages in which he heed to themselves how they refuse to mark
speaks of the Son as a creature of God. that ^ '
solemn injunction which says that
Is it credible that so great a man as he, so Revilers shall not inherit the kingdom of
orthodox in all points, and so learned, either God,' when they declare that I hold that
held opinions mutually contradictory, or the father of wickedness and perdition, and
left in writing views concerning God which of those who are cast foi^th from the kingdom
it is an impiety, I will not sav to believe, of God, that is the devil, is to be saved, a
but even to listen to ? thing which no man can say even if he has
Once more, Dionysius the Bishop of taken leave of his senses and is manifestly
Alexandria, was a most learned maintainer insane. Yet it is no wonder, I think, if my
of the church's faith, and in passages without teaching is falsified by my adversaries, and
end defended the unity and eternity of the is corrupted and adulterated in the same
Trinity, so earnestly that some persons of manner as the epistle of Paul the Apostle.
less insight imagine that he held the views Certain men, as we know, compiled a false
of Sabellius; yet in the books which he epistle under the name of Paul, so that they
wrote against the heresy of Sabellius, there might trouble the Thessalonians as if the day
are things inserted of such a character that of the Lord were nigh at hand, and thus
the Arians endeavour to shield themselves 1 The letter is headed " On the adulteration and
corruption
of his books; from the 4th hook of the letters of Origen: a
about A.D. 200. See Article " Clementine Literature " in Diet. letter written to certain familiar friends at Alexandria."
2 I Cor.
ofCh.Biog, vi, 10.
424 RUFINUS.
beguile them. on account of that false

It is that it reached those who were in Rome,
epistle that wrote these words in the
he and I doubt not that it reached others also.
second epistle to the Thessalonians ''We : He was behaving in the same reckless way
beseech you, bretlircn, by the coming of our at Antioch also before I came there and the :
Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together dissertation which he brought with him came
unto him to the end that ye be not quickly
;
into the hands of many of our friends. But
shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, when I arrived, I took him to task in the
either l)y spirit or by word or by letter as presence of many persons, and, when he
sent from us, as that the day of the Lord is at persisted, with a complete absence of shame,
hand. Let no man beguile you in anywise.' in the impudent defence of his
forgery, I
It is something of the same kind, I perceive, demanded that the book should be brought
which is happening to us also. certain A in amongst us, so that my mode of speech
promoter of heresy, after a discussion which might be recognized by the brethren, who of
had been held between us in the presence of course knew the points on which I am
many persons, and notes of it had been taken, accustomed to insist and the method of
procured the document from those who teaching which I employ. He did not,
had written out the notes, and added or however, venture to bring in the book,
struck out whatever he chose, and changed and his assertions were refuted by them all
things as he thought right, and published it and he himself was convicted of forgery, and
abroad as if it were my work, but pointing thus the brethren were taught a lesson not
in triumphant scorn at the expressions which to give ear to such accusations. If then any
he had himself inserted. The brethren in one is willing to trust me at all — I speak as
Palestine, indignant at this, sent a man to in the sight of God — him believe what I
let
me at Athens to obtain from me an authen- say about the things which are falsely
tic copy of the work. L^p to that time I had inserted in my letter. But if any man
never even read it over again or revised it: it refuses to believe me, and chooses to speak
liad been so completely neglected and thrown evil of me, it is not to me that he does the
aside that it could hardly be found. Nevei*- injury he will himself be arraigned as a
—
:
theless, I sent it: and, God is witness that false witness before God, since he is either
I am speaking the truth, —
when I met the bearing false witness against his neighbour,
man himself who had adulterated the work, or giving credit to those who bear it."
and took him to task for having done so, Such are the complaints which he made
he answered, as if he were giving me satis- while still living, and while he was still
I did it because I wished to imable to detect the corruptions and falsifica-
'
faction :
prove that treatise and to purge away its tions which had been made in his books.
faults.' What kind of a purging was this that There is another letter of his, in which I
he applied to my dissertation ? such a purging remember to have read a complaint of the
asMarcion or his successor Apelles after him falsifying of his writings; but I have not a
gave to the Gospels and to the writings of the copy of it at hand, otherwise I could add to
Apostle. They subverted the true text of those which I have quoted a second testi-
.Scripture; and this man similarly first took mony in favour of his good faith and veracity
awav the true statements which I had made, direct from himself. But I think that I have
and then inserted what was false to furnish said enough to satisfy those who listen to
grounds for accusation against me. But, what is said, not in the interest of strife and
though those who have dared to do this are detraction, but in that of a love of truth. I
impious and heretical men, 3'et those who have shown and proved in the case of the
give credence to such accusations against us saintly men of whom I have made mention,
shall not escape the judgment of God. and of whose orthodoxy there is no question,
There are others also, not a few, who have that, where the tenor of a book is presum-
done this through a wish to throw confu- ably right, anything which is found in it con-
sion into the churches. Lately, a certain trary to the faith of the church is more prop-
heretic who had seen me at Ephesus and had erly believed to have been inserted by heretics
refused to meet me, and had not opened his than to have been written by the author:
mouth in my presence, but for some reason and I cannot think it an absurd demand that
or other had avoided doing so, afterwards the same thing should be believed in the case
composed a dissertation according to his own of Origen, not only because the argument is
fancy, partly mine, partly his own, and sent similar but because of the witness given by
it to his
disciples in various places I know himself
: in the complaints which I have
brought out from his writings: otherwise wc
^2 Thcss. ii, 1-3. must believe that, like a silly or insane per-
son, he has written in contradiction to him- manifest credibility of my contention, and its
self. truth open for all to see.
may lie
As to the possibility that the heretics may Hilary Bishop of Pictavium
'
was a be-
have acted in the violent manner supposed, liever in the Catholic doctrine, and wrote
such wîckedness may easily be believed of a very complete work of instruction wîth the
them. They have given a specimen of it, view of bringing back from their error those
which makes it credible in the present case, who had subscribed the faithless creed of
in the fact that they have been unable to keep Ariminum.' This book fell into the hands
off their impious hands even fiôm the sacred of his adversaries and ill wishers, whether,
words of the Gospel. Any one who has a as some said, by bribing his secretary, or by
mind to see how they have acted in the case no matter what other cause. He knew
of the Acts of the Apostles or their Epistles, nothing of this but the book was so falsified
:
how they have befouled them and gnawed by them, the saintly man being all the while
them away, how they have defiled them in entirely unconscious of it, that, when his
every kind of way, sometimes adding words enemies began to accuse him of heresy in the
which expressed their impious doctrine, some- episcopal assembly, as holding what they
times taking out the opposing truths, will un- knew they had corruptly inserted in his
derstand it most fully if he will rend the books manuscript, he himself demanded the pro-
of Tertullian written against Marcion. It is duction of his book as evidence of his faith.
no great thing that they should have corrupted It was brought from his house, and was
the writings of Origen when they have found to be full of matter which he re-
dared to corrupt the sayings of God our pudiated but it caused him to be excom- :
Saviour. It is true that some persons may municated and to be excluded from the
withhold their assent from what I am saying meeting of the synod. In this case, how-
on the ground of the difference of the ever, though the crime was one of unex-
heresies; since it was one kind of heresy ampled wickedness, the man who was the
the partisans of which corrupted the victim of it was alive, and present in the
Gospels, but it is another which is aimed at flesh and the hostile faction could be
;
in these passages which, as we assert, have convicted and brought to punishment, when
been inserted in the works of Origen. Let their tricks became known and their machi-
those who have such doubts consider that, nations were exposed. remedy was ap- A
as in all the saints dwells the one spirit of plied through statements, explanations, and
God (for the Apostle says, *" The spirits of similar things for living men can take :
the prophets are subject to the prophets," action on their own behalf, the dead can
and again, ^"We all have been made to refute no accusations under which they
drink of that one spirit") so also in all the labour.
;
heretics dwells the one spirit of the devil, Take another case. The whole collection
who teaches them all and at all times the of the letters of the martyr Cyprian is
same or similar wickedness. usually found in a single manuscript. Into
There may, however, be some to whom this collection certain heretics who held a
the instances we have given have less per- blasphemous doctrine about the Holy Spirit
suasive force because they have to do with inseited a treatise of Tertullian on the
Greek writers and therefore, although it is Trinity, which was faultily expressed though
;
a Greek writer for whom I am pleading, yet, he is himself an upholder of our faith and :
since it is the Latin tongue which is, so to from the copies thus made they wrote out a
speak, entrusted with the argument, and number of others; these they distributed
they are Latin people before whom you through the whole of the vast city of Con-
have earnestly begged me to plead the cause stantinople at a very low price men were :
of these men, and to show what wounds attracted by this cheapness and readily
they suffer by the calumnious renderings of bought up the documents full of hidden
their works, it will be satisfactory to show snares of which they knew nothing; and
that things of the same kind have happened thus the heretics found means of gaining
to Latin as well as Greek writers, and that credit for their impious doctrines through
men approved for their saintly character the authority of a great name. It happened,
have had a storm of calumny raised against 1 Poictiers.
them by the falsification of their works. I 2 There seem to be no means of throwing' light upon
this story. Hilary was not at the council of Ariminum, but
will recount things of still recent memory, at that of Seleucia, held the same year (359). On his return to
so that nothing may be to the Gaul in 361 he endeavoured, in various meetings of bishojis to
lacking reunite with the Homoousians those who had subscribed the
creed of Ariminum. (See Art. on Hilary Pictav. in Diet, of
Christ. Biography.) It may have been in one of these meetings
* I Cor. xiv, 32. > I Cor. that this scene occurred.
xii, 13.
426 RUFINUS.
however, tliat, sliortly after the publication, was brought forwartl the expression in
:
there were found there some of our cath<jlic question was found in it, but in a position
brothers who were able to expose this wicked where there had been an erasure and tlie :
fabrication, and recalled as many as they man who had brought forward such a manu-
could reach from the entanglements of error. script lost all authority, since the erasure
In this they parti)' succeeded. But there seemed to be the proof of malpractice and
were a great many in those parts who re- falsification. However, in this case as in
mained convinced that the saintly martvr one which I mentioned before, it was a living
Cyprian held the belief which had been man who was thus treated by a living man,
erroneously expressed by Tertullian. and he at once did all in his power to lay
I will add one other instance of the falsi- bare the iniquitous fraud which had been
fication of a document. It is one of recent committed, and to remove the stain of this
memory, though it is an example of the nefarious act from the man who was inno-
primeval subtlety, and it surpasses all the cent and had done no evil of the kind, and
stories of the ancients. to attach it to the real author of the deed, so
Bishop Damasus, at the time when a that it should
completely overwhelm him
consultation was held in the matter of the with infamv.
reconciling of the followers of Apollinarius Since, then, Origen in his letter complains
to the church,' desired to have a document own voice that he has suffered such
with his
setting forth the faith of the church, which things at the hands of the heretics who
should be subscribed by those who wished to wished him ill, and similar things ha\-e
be reconciled. The compiling of this docu- happened in the case of many other orthodox
ment he entrusted to a certain friend of his, amen among both the dead and the living, and
presbyter and a highly accomplished man,^ since in the cases adduced, men's writings are
who usually acted for him in matters of this proved to have been tampered with in a sim-
kind. When he came to compose the docu- ilar way what determined obstinacy is this,:
ment, he found it necessary, in speaking of which refuses to admit the same excuse when
the Incarnation of our Lord, to apply to him the case is the same, and, when the circum-
the expression "Homo
Dominicus." The stances are parallel, assigns to one party the
ApoUinarists^ took oflence at this expression, allowance due to respect, but to another in-
and began to impugn it as a novelty. The famy due to a criminal. The tioith must be
writer of the document thereupon undertook told, and must not lie hid at this point; for it
to defend himself, and to confute the ob- is impossible for any man
really to judge so
jectors by the authority of ancient Catholic unjustly as to form different opinions on cases
writers and he happened to show to one of which are similar.
; The fact is that the
those who complained of the novelty of the prompters of Origen's accusers are men who
expression a book of the bishop Athanasius make long controversial discourses in the
in which the word which was under dis- churches,' and even write books the whole
cussion occurred. The man to whom this matter of which is borrowed from him, and
evidence was offered appeared to be con- who wish to deter men of simple mind from
vinced, and asked that the manuscript should reading him, for fear that their plagiarisms
be lent to him so that he miofht convince the should become widely known, though, in-
rest who from their ignorance were still deed, their appropriations would be no re-
maintaining their objections. When he had proach to them if they were not ungrateful
got the manuscript into his hands he devised to their master.
a perfectly new method of falsification. He For instance, one of these men,** who
firsterased the passage in which the ex- thinks that a necessity is laid upon him,^ like
pression occurred, and then wrote in again that of preaching the Gospel, to speak evil
the same words which he had erased. He of Origen among all nations and tongues,
returned the paper, and it was accepted declared in a vast assembly of Christian
without question. The controversv about hearers that he had read six thousand of his
this expression again arose; the manuscript works. Surely, if his object in reading
these were, as he is in the habit of asserting,
'This was in 3S2, the year after the Council of Constan-
tinople. Jcionie had come from Constantinople to Rome with only to acquaint himself with Origen's faults,
tlie Kastern lUshops Kjiiphanius of Sahmiis in Cv|irns and
raulinusof Antiocn. His position atRnnie is dcscrfhed in the ten or twenty or at most thirty of these
words of his Ictur (cxxiii) to A(reruchia, c. 10. " I was assist- works would have sufficed for the purpose.
ing Damasus in matters of ecclesiastical literature, and .mswer-
ini;f tlie questions discussed in the Councils of the East and the
West." * This is hclicvcd to refer to
Epiphanius, whose anti-Orl-
*
Jerome. g'enistic sermon at Jerusalem in the year 394 fjrcatly irritated
s the ]?ishops John and UufinuSi
ApoUinaris, in hia reaction from Arianism, held that the " " c.
See Jerome Ep. li« and
Godhead. sup|dii-d tlio pl.ice of tliQ human soul in Christ. Affiiinst jfohn of Jerusalem 14,
Heucc * ^ '
their objection to this expression. Epiphanius. 81 Cor. iX| l6.

PREFACE TO TRANSLATIONS OF THE Uepl 'Apx^v. 427
But to read six is no longer

thousand books junction. If we find in these books anything
wishing to know man, but giving up

the discrepant to the Catholic faith, we suspect
ahnost one's whole life to his teaching and that it has been inserted by the heretics, and
researches. On what ground then can his consider it as alien from his opinion as it is
words be worthy of credit when he blames from our faith. If, however, this is a mis-
men who have only read quite a few of these take of ours, we run, as I think, no danger
books while their rule of faith is kept sacred from such an error for we oiu'selves, through
;
and their piety rmimpaired. God's help, continue unharmed by avoiding

What has been said may suffice to show what we hold in suspicion and condemn: and
what opinion we ought to form of the books further we shall not be accounted accusers of
of Origen. I think that every one who has our brethren before God (you will remember
at heart the interests of truth,not of contro- that the accusing of the brethren is the special
versy, may easily assent to the well-proved work of the devil, and that he received the
statements I have made. But if any man name of devil ' from his being a slandei'er).
perseveres in his contentiousness, we have no Moreover, we thus escape the sentence pro-
such custom.^ It is a settled custom among nounced on evil speakers, which separates
us, when we read him, to hold fast that those who are such from the kingdom of
which is good, according to the apostolic in- God.
1
Adapted from i Cor. xi, i6. 1
Aia/3oAos {diabolus) from hiafiaWoi to slander.
PREFACE TO THE TRANSLATIONS OF ORIGEN'S BOOKS

n ep t
9X G) V.
Addressed to Macarius^ at Pinetum^ A.D. jp/.
The Translation of the two first Books of the Ilfpt 'A^jwi' was issued soon after, or contemporaneously with
the Apology of Pamphilus. The Preface to them was intended to remove prejudices by showing that Jerome
(who though not named is clearly described) had been Rufinus' precursor in translating Origen. The compli-
ments paid to Jerome were no doubt sincere but the use made of his previous action can hardly be justified.
:
Rufinus knew well that Jerome's view of Origen had to some extent altered, that a disagreeable controversy had
sprung up at Jerusalem about him, in which he and Jerome had taken opposite sides: and that the animosity
aroused by this had with the greatest difficulty been allayed, and a reconciliation effected at the moment when he
had quitted Palestine. This Preface with the Translation of the TlapX 'Apx(^v was the most immediate cause of
the violent controversy and the final estrangement between Rufinus and Jerome.
I am aware that a great many of our ber": and he declared that Origen in his
brethren were incited by their longing for other books had surpassed all other men, but
Scriptural knowledge to demand from vari- in this had surpassed himself. What he
ous men who were versed in Greek litera- promises in this Preface is, indeed, that he
ture that they would give the works of will give to Roman ears not only these books
Origen to men who used the Latin tongue, but many others of Origen. But I find that
and thus make him a Roman. Among- these he is so enamoured of his own style that he
was that brother and associate of mine to pursues a still more ambitious object, namely,
whom this request was made by bishop that he shovdd be the creator of the book,
Damasus, and who when he translated the not merely its translator. I am then follow-
two homilies on the Song of Songs from ing: out a task begfun bv him and commended
Greek into Latin prefixed to the work a by his example but it is out of my power ;
preface' so full of beauty and so magnificent to set forth the words of this great man with
that he awoke in every one the desire of read- a force and an eloquence like his : and I
ing Origen and eagerly investigating
his have therefore to fear that it may happen
works. He said that

the soul of thatto through my fault that the man whom he
great man the words might well be applied :
justly commends as a teacher of the church
* "
The King has brought me into his cham- both in knowledge and in wisdom second
1 Translated among Jerome's works in this Series. only to the Apostles may be thought to have
*Cant. i,4. a far lower rank through my poverty of
428 RUFINUS.
langaiage. When I reflected on this I was have found in his books anything contrar}- to
incHncd to keep silence, and not to assent to the truth concernins: the Trinitv which he
the brethren who were constantly adjuring has in other places spoken of in a strictly
me to make the translation. But your in- orthodox sense, I have either omitted it as a
fluence is such, my most faithful brother foreign and not genuine expression or set it
Macarius, that even the consciousness of my down in terms agreeing with the rule of
unfitness is not sufficient to make me resist. faith which we find him constantly assenting
I have therefore yielded to your importunity to. Thci-e are things, no doubt, which he has
though it was against my resolution, so that I developed in somewhat obscure language,
might no longer be exposed to the demands wishing to pass rapidly over them, and as ad-
of a severe taskmaster ;
but I have done so on dressing those who have experience and
this condition and on this understanding, that knowledge of such matters ;
these cases I
in
in making the translation I sliould follow as have made the passage plain by adding
far as possible the method of my predecessors, words which I had read in other books of
and especially of him of whom I have ahêady his where the matter was more fully treated.
made mention. He, after translating into I have done this in the interest of clearness:
Latin above seventy of the books of Origen but I have put in nothing of my own; I
whicli he called Ilomiletics, and also a cer- have only given liini back his own words,
tain number of the "Tomes," proceeded to though taken from other passages. I have
]:)urge and pare away in Ids tianslation all explained this in the Preface, so that those
the causes of stumbling which are to be who calunmiate us should not think tliat
found in the Greek works; and this he did they had found in this fresh material for
in such a
way that the Latin reader will find their charges. But let them take heed what
nothing in them which jars with our faith. they are about in their perversity and con-
In his steps, therefore, I follow, not, indeed, teiitiousness. As for me, I have not under-
with the power of eloquence which is his, taken this laborious task (in which I trust
but, as far as may be, in his rules and that God will be my helper in answer to
method, that taking care not to promul-
is, your prayers) for the sake of shutting the
gate those things which are found in the mouths of calumnious men, but with the
books of Origen to be discrepant and contra- view of supplying material for the increase
dictory to one another. The cause of these of real knowledge to those who desired it.
variations I have set forth very fully for This only I require of every man who under-
your information in the Apology which takes to copy out these books or to read
Pamphilus wrote for the books of Origen, to them, in the sight of God the Father, the
which I have appended a very short treatise Son, and the Holy Ghost, and adjure him
'
showing by proofs which seem to me quite by our faith in the coming kingdom, by the
clear that his books have been in very many assurance of the resurrection of the dead, by
cases falsified by heretical and ill-disposed the eternal fire which is prepared for the
persons. This is especially the case with devil and his angels (even as he trusts that he
the books which you now require me to shall not possess as his eternal inheritance that
translate, namely, the Tlrpl 'Apxf^f^ which may place where there is weeping and gnashing
be rendered either Concerning First Princi- of teeth, and where their fire will not be
ples or Concerning Principalities. These quenched and their worm will not die)
books are in truth, apart from these ques- that he should neither add nor take away,
tions, exceedingly obscure and difficult for ;
that he should neither insert nor change,
in them he discusses matters over which the anything in that wliich is written but that
philosophers have spent their whole lives he should compare his copy with that from
without any result. But our Christian which it is copied and correct it critically
thinker has done all tliat lay in his power to letter for letter, and that he should not keep
turn to purposes of sound religion the belief by him a copy which has not received
in a creator and the order of the created correction or criticism, lest, if his copy is
world which they had made subservient to not thus distinct, the difficulty of the mean-
their false religion. Wherever therefore I ing may beget a still greater obscurity in the
'
See the Translation in this Volume.
mind of the readers.
PREFACE TO mprAp;^^^ — BOOK III. 429
PREFACE TO BOOK III. OF THE Ilfpfc 'h^x^v.
Rufinus had now come to Rome. The translation of B. III. and IV. had been made probably at Pinetum
early in 398. He
was already aware of the strong jfeelings aroused by his Translation of B. I. and II., and he
complains that parts of his worlc were obtained by Jerome's friends while still uncorrected, and used to his discredit
(Apol. i, 18-21, ii, 44) ; but he continued the work, prefixing to it the following Preface as his justification.
Reader, remember me in your sacred reference to the former books, and which I
moments of prayer, that I may be a worthy have observed in the present case also,
It was you, Maca-
follower of the Spirit. namely, not to set down in my translation
rius, by whose instigation, I might say by things evidently contradictory to our belief
whose compulsion, I translated the two first and to the author's opinions as elsewhere ex-
books of the liepl 'Ap^wv. I did it during pressed, but to pass them over as not genu-
Lent ;
and time your near presence, ine but inserted by others. On the other
at that
my Christian brother, and your fuller leisure, hand I have not, either in the former books
forced me also into fuller diligence. But or in these, omitted the novel opinions which
now that you are living at the opposite end he has expressed about the formation of
of Rome from me, and my taskmaster paj^s the reasonable creation, considering that it
his visits more seldom, I have taken longer is not in such things that the faith mainly
in unfolding the sense of the two last books. consists, but that what he is
aiming at is
You will remember that in my former pref- merely knowledge and the exercise of the
ace I gave you warning that some people faculties, and that possibly there may be
would be full of indignation when they found certain heresies which may have to be an-
that I had no harm to say of Origen and swered in this way. Only, in cases where
:
this, as I think you have found, has not been he may have chosen to repeat in these later
long in coming to pass. But if those demons books what he had said before in the earlier,
who excite men's tongues to evil speaking I have thought it expedient to cut out certain
have been already set on fire by that first portions for the sake of brevity.
part of the work, though in it the author had Those whose object in reading these books
not yet fully laid bare their devices, what is to gain knowledge, not to disparage their
will be the effect of this second part, in author, would do well to seek the aid of
which he is going to disclose all the secret men more skilled than themselves in inter-
labyrinths through which they creep into the j^reting them. For it is an absurd thing
hearts of men and deceive the hearts of the to get grammarians to explain to us the
weak and the frail.'' You will see disorder fictions of the poets' writings and the laugh-
springing up on all sides, and party spirit able stories of the comedians, and yet to
will be raised, and an outcry will spread all think that books which speak of God and
through the town, and Origen will be sum- the celestial powers, and the whole universe,
moned to the bar and condemned for his and which discuss all the errors of pagan
attempt to dispel the darkness of ignorance philosophy and of heretical pravity are
by the light of the Gospel's lamp. But all things which any one can understand with-
this will matter very little to those who are out a teacher to explain them. In this way it
endeavouring to hold fast the sound form of comes to pass that men prefer to remain in
the catholic faith while exercising their ignorance and to pronounce rash judgments
minds in the study of divine things. on things which are difficult and obscure
I think it necessary, however, to remind rather than to gain an understanding of them
you of the principle which I acted upon in by diligent study.

430 RUFINUS.
RUFINUS' APOLOGY IN DEFENCE OF HIMSELF.

Sent to A?iastasius, Bishop of the City of Rome.
This document was called forth liy accusations against Rufinus made, soon aftei" his accession, to Anastasius,
who held the Roman see from 498 to 503. The authority of the Roman Popes at this time was'not what it afterwards
became, and it is improbable that Anastasius should have summoned Rufinus, as some suppose him to have
done, from Aquileia, where he was living on confidential terms with the Bishop Chromalius, to come to Rome to
answer a formal accusation or to be judged by him. But since Rome was the centre of information, a
Christian would not wish to be ill-thought of by its Bishop. Those who accused Rufinus were the friends
of Jerome at Rome, especially the noble widow Marcella and the Senator Pammachius. They had endeavoured
to gain some condemnation of Rufinus from Siricius before his death in November 398; but Siricius befriended
Rufinus ("his simplicity was imposed on," according to Jerome).' On the election of Anastasius, however, in
399, they accused Rufinus of having, by his translation of Origen's Wtpl 'A/<^(jy introduced heresy into the Roman
church. Jerome thus speaks of Marcella, Ep. cxxvii. 10. " She was the cause of the condemnation of the heretics :
she brought witnesses who had been at a former time under their instruction, and thus imbued with error and
heresy; she showed how many there were who had been deceived; she had the volumes of the Tîpl 'Ap;i-<Jv
brought in, and pointed out the alterations which the Scorpion" had made in them: till at last letters were
written, and that more than once, summoning the heretics to come and defend themselves; but they did not dare
to come. So great was the force of conviction brought to bear on them that, to prevent their heresy being
exposed in their presence, they chose to stay away and be condemned." From the letter of Anastasius to John
of Jerusalem about Rufinus we gather that, while he strongly disapproved the translation of Origen, he left
Rufinus himself to his own conscience, and did not care to know what had become of him. The letter of
Rufinus, though called an Apology, bears no trace of being an answer to a summons or judgment of the Pontiff,
but merely a reply to statements which were likely to prejudice him in the Pontiffs opinion. The year in which
the Apology was written was 400 A.D.
I. It has been brought to my knowledge which I regard as a holy place, as a kind of

that certain persons, in the course of a con- divine sanctuary which does not admit any
troversy which they have been raising in evil thing. Rather, I desire that the con-
your IIoHness' jurisdiction on matters of fession I am about to make to you may be
faith or on other points, have made men- like a stick placed in your hands to (h-ive
tion of my name. I venture to beheve away any envious persons who may be
bark-
that your Holiness, who have been trained ing like dogs against me.
from your infancy in the strict principles of 2. faith, indeed, was
My sufficiently
the Church, has refused to listen to any proved when the heretics persecuted me.
calumnies which may have been directed I was at that time sojourning in the church
against an absent person, and one who has of Alexandria, and underwent imprisonment
been favourably known to you as united with and exile which was then the penalty of
you in the faith and love of God. Neverthe- faithfulness yet for the sake of any who may
;
less, since I hear it reported that my reputa- wish to put my faith to the test, or to hear
tion has been attacked, I have thought it and learn what it is I will declare it. I
right to make my position clear to your Holi- believe that the Trinity is of one nature and
ness in writing. It was impossible for me to godhead, of one and the same power and
do this in person. I have just returned to my substance; so that between the Father, the
family^ after an absence of nearly 30 years; Son and the Holy Ghost there is no diversity
and it would have been harsh and almost at all, except that the one is the Father, the
inhuman to come away again so soon from second the Son, and the third the Holy
those whom I had been so late in revisiting. Ghost. There is a Trinity of real and
The labour also of my long journey has living Persons, a unity of nature and sub-
left me too weak to begin the journey again. stance.
My object in this letter is not to remove 3. I also confess that the Son of God has
some stain of suspicion from your mind. in these last days been born of the Virgin
1
Jerome Letter cxxvii, 9.
The Scorpion is Jerome's name for Rufinus, especially after his death. He means that Rufinus had altered the too
*
palpable expressions of heresy, so that the more subtle exjircssions of it mij;ht g'ain acceptance.
' Rufinus uses the word "
fayeiites." Jerome in his Apology (ii, 2) scons at the notion that a man of Rufinus' age (about
55) could have parents livinjr, and supposes that he is making a false suggestion by using the word in the sense in which it
—
was vulgarly used that of relations generally, as it is now used in French.
RUFINUS' APOLOGY TO ANASTASIUS. 431
and the Holy Spirit that he has taken upon

:
opinions. Some of those whom I have
him our natural human flesh and soul that
;
read hold that the soul is infused together
'
in this he suffered and was buried and rose with the material body through the channel
again from the dead that the flesh in which
;
of the humanseed; and of this they give such
he rose was that same flesh which had been proofs as they can. I think that this was the
laid in the sepulchre; and that in this same opinion of Tertullian or Lactantius among the
flesh, together with the soul, he ascended Latins, perhaps also of a few others. Others
into heaven afl:er his resurrection from
: assert that God is every day making new
whence we look for his coming to judge the souls, and infusing them into the bodies
quick and the dead. which have been framed in the womb ; while
4. But, further, as to the resurrection of others again believe that the souls were all
our own flesh, I believe that it will be in its made long ago, when God made all things
integrity and perfection it will be this
; very and that all that he now does is
of nothing,
flesh in which we now live. We do not to plant out each soul in its body as it seems
hold, as is slanderously reported by some good to him. This is the opinion of Origen,
men, that another flesh will rise instead of and of some otliers of the Greeks. For
this; but this very flesh, without the loss of myself, I declare in the presence of God
a single member, without the cutting oft' of that, after reading each of these opinions, I
any single part of the body none whatever am up to the present moment unable to hold
;
of all its properties will be absent except its any of them as certain and absolute the ;
corruptibility. It is this which is promised determination of the truth in this question I
by the holy Apostle concerning the body leave to God and to any to whom it shall
:
It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incor- please him to reveal it. My profession on

it is sown in weakness, it is raised this point is therefore, first, that these several
ruption ;
in power it is sown in dishonour, it is raised opinions are those which I have found in
;
is sown a natural
in glory it
;
body, it is books, but, secondly, that I as yet remain
raised a spiritual body. This is the doctrine in ignorance on the subject, except so far as
which has been handed down to me by this, that the Church delivers it as an article
those from whom I received holy baptism in of faith that God is the creator of souls as
the Church of Aquileia; and I think that it well as of bodies.
is the same which the Apostolic See has by 7. Now as to another matter. I am told
long usage handed down and taught. that objections have been raised against me
5. I affirm, moreover, a judgment to because, forsooth, at the request of some of
come, in which judgment every man is to my brethren, I translated certain works of
receive the due meed of his bodily life, ac- Origen from Greek into Latin. I suppose
cording to that which he has done, whether that every one sees that it is only through
good or evil. And, if in the case of men ill will that this is made a matter of blame.
the reward is to be according to their works, For, if there is any offensive statement in
how much more will this be so in the case the author, why is this to be twisted into a
of the devil, who is the universal cause of fault of the translator.'' I was asked to ex-
sin? Of the devil himself our belief is that hibit inLatin what stands written in the
which written in the Gospel, namely, that
is Greek and I did nothing more than fit
text ;
both he and all his angels, will receive as the Latin words to the Greek ideas. If,
their portion the eternal fire, and with him therefore, there anything to praise in
is
those who do his works, that is, who become these ideas, the praise does not belong to
the accusers of their brethren. If then any me and similarly as to anything to which
;
one denies that the devil is to be subjected blame may attach. I admit that I put
to the eternal fires, may he have his part something of my own into the work as I ;
with him in the eternal fire, so that he may stated in my Preface, I used my own dis-
know by experience the fact which he now cretion in cutting out not a few passages ;
denies. but only those as to which I had come to

6. I am next informed that some stir has suspect that the thing had not been so stated
been made on the question of the nature of by Origen himself and the statement ap-
;
the soul. Whether complaints on a matter peared to me in these cases to have been
of this kind ought to be entertained instead inserted by others, because in other places I
of being put aside, you must yourself decide.
Traducem, properly, the layer, by which the vine is propa-
^
If, however, you desire to know my opinion gated, and hence the medium through which life is communi-
cated. This is the theory of the " traducianists " who thus
on the subject, I will state it frankly. I made the soul to be derived from the
parent by procreation.
have read a great many writers on this It is contrasted with that of the " creationists " who held that
each soul was separately created, and infused into the child at
question, and I find that they express divers the moment when life began.
432 RUFINUS.
had found the author state the who have made these translations
matter in a blamed
catholic sense. I therefore, before any such order was given, the blame
entreat you
holy, venerable and saintly father, not to must begin with those who took
the first
will to be raised step.
permit a storm of
ill
S. As for me, I declare in Christ's name

against me
because of this, nor to sanction
the employment of partisanship and of cal- that I never held, nor ever will hold, any
umny — weapons which ought never to be other faith but that which I have set forth
used in the Church of God. Where can above, that is, the faith which is held by
simple faith and innocence be safe if
they the Church of Rome, by that of Alexan-
are not protected in the Church? I am not dria, and by my own church of Aquileia and ;
a defender or a champion of Origen nor am which is also preached at Jenasalem

;
and if ;
I tile first who has translated his works. there is any one who believes otherwise,
Others before me had done the veiy same whoever he may be, let him be Anathema.
thing, and I did it, the last of many, at tlie But those who through mere ill will and
request of my brethren. If an order is to be malice engender dissensions and oflbnces
given that such translations are not to be among their brethren, and cause them to
made, such an order holds good for the stumble, shall give account of it in the day
future, not the past but if those are to be of judgment.
;
THE LETTER OF ANASTASIUS,

BISHOP OF THE CHURCH OF ROME TO JOHN BISHOP OF JERUSALEM
CONCERNING THE CHARACTER OF RUFINUS.
The letter of Anastasius to John of Jerusalem was written in the year 401 it iS spoken of in Jerome's
;
"
Apol. iii., c. 21, which was written in the first half of 402, as the letter of last year." Jerome intimates in the same
passage that it was only one of several letters of the same character which Anastasius wrote to the East. Rufinus
had not seen it, and refused to believe its genuineness. But there seems to be no reason for doubting this.
Anastasius had, at the earnest request of Theophilus of Alexandria, formally condemned Origenism. And
Rufinus' translations of Origen's Ilfyn 'A/ijwi' and of Pamphilus' Vindication of Origen, and his own book
on the Falsification of Origen's works were taken at Rome as a defence of Origenism generally. Rufinus,
however, appealed continually, and especially in his Apology to Anastasius, to the church of Jerusalem, where
he had been ordained. " My faith," he says, " is that which is preached at Jerusalem." Anastasius, therefore,
in condemning Origen would be understood as condemning Rufinus, and might also seem to condemn his
Bishop John of Jerusalem. This will account for the fulsome praises with which the letter opens. John,
moreover, had written "to consult" Anastasius about Rufinus, which probably implies some action in Rufinus'
interest; but the fact that Jerome knew the contents of the letter and Rufinus did not seems to show that Bishop
John had become more friendly with Jerome and less so with Rufinus.
I. The kind words of approval tliat
you heaven of your gi'eat forms part of spirit
have addressed, my dear Bishop, to your your own glory for it the majesty of your
: is
brother Bishop, a fresh mark of your long
is
episcopate, shining forth like the sun upon
tried aflection. is a
It high commendation the opposite quarter of the world, which has
which you confer upon me, a most lavish rec- reflected its own brightness upon us. And
ognition of my services. I thank you for this
you give me your friendship unreservedly ;
proof of your love and, following you at a

; you do not weigh me in the balance of criti-
distance in my littleness, I bring the tribute cism. If it is right for you to praise me,
of my words to honour the splendour of your must not your praise be echoed back to you.''
holiness and those virtues which the Lord I beg you therefore, for your own sake no
has conferred upon you. You excel all less than mine, that
you will not praise me
others so far, the splendour of your praise any more to my face. I ask this for two
shines forth so conspicuously, that no words reasons : if the praise is undeserved it must
which I can use can equal your deserts. Yet excite in your brother-bishop a sense of
your glory excites in me such admiration pain ;
if it must make him blush.
is tnie, it
that I cannot turn away from the
attempt to 3. Let me come to the
subject of your
describe it, even though I can never do so letter. Rufinus, about whom you have done
adequately. And, first, the praise which me the honour to ask my advice, must bring
you have bestowed on me out of the serene his conscience to the bar of the divine majesty.
LETTER OF ANASTASIUS ABOUT RUFINUS. 433
to see how he can approve him- my letter to Venerius our brother in the
him '
It Is for
self to God
as maintaining his true allegiance Episcopate, the character of which, written as
to him. It was in
my weakness but with great care and
3. As for Origen, whose writings he has diligence, you will realize by what I now
"
translated into our language, I have neither subjoin Whence, then, he who translated
:
formerly known, nor do I now seek to know the work has gained and preserves this as-
either who he was or what expression surance of Innocence I am not greatly
he may have given to his
thought. But troubled to know It fills me with no vain
:
as to the feeling left by matter on my alarm.

this I certainlv shall omit nothlnof which
own mind I should be glad to speak with may enable me to guard the faith of the
your holiness for a moment. The impression Gospel amongst my own people, and to
which I have received is this, —
and it has warn, as far as in me lies, those who form
been brought out clearly by the reading of part of my body, in whatever part of the
parts of Origen's works by the people of our \\ orld they live, not to allow any translation
City, and by the sort of mist of blindness of profane authors to creep In and spring up
which it threw over tliem, —
that his object amongst them, which will seek to unsettle
was to disintegrate our faith, which Is that the mind of devout men by spreading Its
of the Apostles, and lias been confirmed by the own darkness among I'.icm. Moreover, I
traditions of the fathei's, by leading us into cannot pass over In silence an event which has
tortuous paths. given me great pleasure, the decree Issued
4. I want to know what is the meaning of by ovxr Emperors,' bv which every one who
the translation of this work into the Roman serves God Is warned a;.;;nnst the reading of
tongue. If the translator Intends by it to Origen, and all who are convicted of reading
put the authcM- in the wrong, and to de- his Impious works are condemned by the
nounce to the world his execrable deeds, imperial judgment." In these words my
well and good. In that case he will expose forinal sentence was pronounced. .
to well-merited hatred one who has long 6. You are troubled by the complaint
laboured imder the adverse weight of public which people make as to our treatment of
opinion. But if by translating all these Rufinus, so that you pursue certain persons ^
evil thinsis he means to give his assent to with vague suspicions. But I will meet
them, and in that sense gives them to the this feeling of yours with an instance taken
world to read, then the edifice which he has from holv writ, namely, where It is said :
reared at the expense of so much labour "Man seeth not as God seeth for God ;
serves for nothing else than to make the looketh upon the heart, but man upon the
guilt the act of his own will, and to give the countenance." Therefore, my dearly be-
sanction of his unlooked for support to the loved brother, put away all your prejudice.
overthrow of all that is of prime importance Weigh the conduct of Rufinus In your own
in the true faith as held by Catholic Chris- unbiassed judgment ask yourself whether
;
tians from the time of the Apostles till now. he has not translated Origen's words into
5. Far be such teaching from the cath- Latin and approved them, and whether a
olic system of the Church of Rome. It man who gives his encouragement to \'icious
can never by any possibility come to pass acts coinmitted by another differs at all from
that we should accept as reasonable things the guilty party. In any case I beg you to
which we condemn as matters of law and be assured of this, that he is so completely
right. We have, therefore, the assurance separate from all part or lot with us, that I
that Christ our God, whose providence neither know nor wish to know either what
reaches over the whole world, bestows his he is doing or where he is living. I have
approval on us when we say that it Is wholly only to add that it is for him to consider
impossible for us to admit doctrines which whei'e he ma^' obtain absolution.
defile the church, which subvert its well-
tried moral system, which offend the ears of
all who are witnesses of our doings and
J
Appointed bishop of Milan in 400, in snccession to Sim.
lay the plicianus.
ground for strife and anger and dissensions.
2 Arcadius and Honorius.
"Probably the friends of Jerome at Rome, Pammachius

This was the motive which led me to write and Marcella.
VOL. ni. Ff
434 RUFINUS.
THE APOLOGY OF RUFINUS.

Addressed to Apron ia mi s^ i?i
Reply to jfcrotnc's Letter to Pa7)2inachhis^^ tvritten at
Aqiiileia A.D. 400.
IN TWO BOOKS.
In order to understand the controversy between Jerome and Rurmus it is necessary to look back over their
earlier relations. They liad been close friends in early youth (Jerome, Kp. iii, 3, v, 2.) and had together formed
part of a society of young Christian ascetics at Atpiileia in the years 370-3. Jerome's letter (3) to Rufinus in
374 is full of affection; in 381 he was placed in Jerome's Chronicle (year 378) as "a nK)nk of great renown," and
when, after some years, they were neighbours in Palestine, Rutinus witli Melania on the Mt. of Olives, Jerome
with Paula at liethlehem, they remained friends. (Ruf .\pol. ii. 8 (2) .) In the disputes about Origenism which
arose from the visits of Atcrbius (Jcr. Apol. iii, -iiT^^ and Epiphanius (Jerome Against John of Jerusalem, 11),
they became estranged, Jerome siding with Epiphanius and Rutinus witli John (Jer. Letter li, 6. Against John of
Jerusalem 11). They were reconciled before Rutinus left Palestine in 397 (Jer. Apol. i, i, iii, 1^. But when
Rufi-
nus came to Italy and at the request of Macarius'' translated Origen's Vluju 'A/jj^'-^^ the Preface which he prefixed
to this work was the occasion for a fresh and final outbreak of dissension. The friends of Jerome of whom Pam-
machius, Oceanus and Marcella were the most prominent, were scandalized at some of the statements of the book,
and still more at the assumption made by Rutnius that Jerome, by his previous translations of some of Origen's
works, had proved himself his admirer. They also suspected that Rufinus' translation had made Origen speak in
an orthodox sense which was not genuine and that heterodox statements had been suppressed. They therefore
wrote to Jerome at Bethlehem a letter (translated among Jerome's letters in this Series No. Ixxxiii) begging for in-
formation on all these points. Jerome in reply made a literal translation of the Tltpl 'A/>jwi', and sent it accom-
panied by a letter (Ixxxiv) in which he declared that he had never been a partisan of Origen's dogmatic system,
though he admired him as a commentator. He fastened on some of the most questionable of Origen's specula-
tions, his doctrine of the resurrection, of the previous existence of souls and their fall into human bodies, and the
ultimate restoration of all spiritual beings; his permission, in agreement with Plato, of the use of falsehood in certain
cases; and some expressions about the relation of the Persons of the Godhead which, at least to Western ears,
seemed a denial of their equality. He appealed to his own commentaries on Ecclesiastes and on the Ephesians to
show that he rejected these doctrines; and he urged that, even if he had once had too indiscriminate an admira-
tion of Origen, he had in later years judged more clearly.
In the main Jerome's defence was valid. But it demanded considerateness in his judges; and this quality
was absent in himself. He judged Origen's opinions harshly, and spoke of his views as poisonous (Letter Ixxxiv,
3); and, when we contrast the lenity of his former judgments on the same points with his present violence, it be-
comes evident that he was more concerned for his own reputation than for truth. Rufinus charges him (Apol. i.
c. 23 to 44) with maintaining, in his Commentaries on the Ephesians (written twelve years earlier in 388) to which
Jerome had appealed (P3p. Ixxxiv, 2) the views which he now denounced; and the charge, though urged too
far, is substantially made out. The opinions of Origen which he introduced into this Commentary about
the fall of souls out of a previous state of bliss into human bodies are set down with hardly a word of ob-
jection ch.i, v. 4), and his speculations on the Powers and Principalities of the world to come (ib. v. 21)
(comm. on
and on the of Lucifer and his angels to be sulijects of Christ's Kingdom (id. ii, 7) and their part in the final
rise
restoration of all things (id. iv, 16) are adopted as his own, thus giving some justification for Rutinus' attack (Apol.
i, 34-36. &c.). His defenceof himself therefore is hardly candid. And his allusions to his opponent are exasperating,
" who love me so well that
e.g. when he speaks (Letter Ixxxiv, i) of some persons they cannot be heretics with-
out me. " " I wonder that, while they speak in detraction of the flesh, they live carnally and thus cherish and
"
nourish delicately their enemy (Id. 8). He hardly argues fairly as to Rutinus' assertion that Origen's works had
suffered from falsification; and he is carried so far by his animosity that he denies the Apology of Pamphilus for
Origen to be by Pamphilus, though he had himself attributed it to him (De Vir. 111. c. 7. 5) and no one can doubt
that it is his. (See Diet, of Christ. Biog. Art. Pamphilus.)
But though writing thus for his friends generally, Jerome wrote at the same time a friendly letter to Rufinus
himself in answer, it would seem, to one from him, (Letter Ixxxi.) in which he speaks of their common friends,
and of the death of Rutinus' mother, and says that he has charged a friend whom he is sending to Italy to visit
Rufinus and assure him of his high esteem; and, while remonstrating with him for his Preface to the Flf/n' 'A/ijwi',
"
merely says I have begged my other friends to avoid a cjuarrel. I count on your sense of equity not to give oc-
casion to impatient persons; for you will not find every one, like me, able to take pleasure in praises framed to
'
suit a purpose."
Had this letter reached Rufinus, the ensuing controversy would have been avoided. But it never reached
him. was sent through Pannnachius, and he and Jerome's other friends kept it back, while they published the
It
letter sent them with Jerome's translation of the Vitpi 'A/)A'c""'. Rufinus, who was now at Aquileia, having left
Rome probably early in 399, wrote the Apology, addressing it to his friend and convert Apronianus at Rome.
'
F-ii. Sj. 2 Sec the'ri:iiisl;itinii of Uiilirms' l'ril';iccs giv<>ii ubnvi-, ;iiicl the notes prctixtd to them,
* Or J'\-igned praises
— figuratis laudibus.
APOLOGY — BOOK I. 435
BOOK I.
The following is an epitome of the argument :
1. I must submit to the taunts of my adversary as Christ did to those of the Jews.
2. Yet the substantial charges must be answered.
3. I praised him but he has wounded
me.
4. I am no heretic, but declare my faith,
that of my baptism.
5. I give a
further proof of my faith in the resurrection of the flesh.
6-9. The resurrection body is a spiritual body.
10. Origen's doctrines in the Hf/Jt 'Kpx^^-
11. What led to the translation.
12. 13. Pamphilus' Apology for Origen.
14. Preface to the Translation of the ITfpt 'Ap;i:wv.
15. Treatise on the Adulteration of the works of Origen.
16. The difficulties of translation.
17. Explanation of Origen's words "The Son does not see the Father."
18. Difference between seeing and knowing.
19. The Translation interpolated by Eusebius of Cremona.
20. Eusebius, if acting honestly, should have shown me what he thought dangerous.
21. Jerome's method of translation was the same as mine.
22. Jerome's reference to his Commentary on the Ephesians.
23. Jerome has not really changed his mind about Origen.
24. Women turned into men and bodies into souls.
25. The foundation (Karaj3o/Jj) of the world explained by Jerome as a casting down.
" own views.
26. Jerome, under the name of another," gives his
27. The fall of souls into human bodies is taught by Jerome.
28. Predestination.
29. "Another," who gives strange views, is Jerome himself.
" "
30. "Hopers" and fore-hopers.
31 and 30 (a). Jerome has confessed these views to be his own.
31 (a) and 32. Further identification of Jerome's views with Origen's.
33. The commentary on the Ephesians, selected by Jerome,
is his condemnation.
34, 35. Principalities and Powers.

36. Jerome's complaint of new doctrines may
be retorted on himself.
38, 39. Origin of men, angels, and heavenly bodies.
40, 41. The body as a prison.
42. All creatures, including the fallen angel, partaking in the final restoration.
43. Arrogance of Jerome's teaching.
44. If Origen is not to be pardoned, neither is Jerome.
I have read the document sent from the were before you." With this medicine I
East by our friend and good brother to a was content, and, as far as the matter con-
distinguished member of the Senate, Pam- cerned me, I had determined for the future
machius, whicli you have copied and for- to keep silence for I said within mj^self
; ,
' "
warded to me. It brought to my mind the If they have called the Master of the house
words of the Prophet: ^ " The sons of men Beelzebub, how much more them of his
whose teeth are spears and arrows and their household.'"' (that is, you and me, unworthy
tongue a sharp sword." But for these though we are) And, if it was said of
.
^ "
wounds which men inflict on one another him, He is a deceiver, he deceiveth the
with the tongue we can hardly find a physi- people," I mvist not be indignant if I hear
cian so I liave betaken myself to Jesus, the
;
that I am called a heretic, and that the name
heavenly physician, and he has brought out of mole is applied to me because of the
for me from the medicine chest of the Gos- slowness of my mind, or indeed my blind-
pel an antidote of sovereign power he has ness. Christ who is my Lord, aye, and who
;
assuaged the violence of my grief with the is God over all, was called ^"a gluttonous
assurance of the righteous judgment which man and a wine bibber, a friend of publicans
I shall have at his hands. The potion which and sinners." can I, then, be angr}'
*
How
our Lord dispensed to me was nothing else when I am called a carnal man who lives
than these words: ^"Blessed are ye when in luxury.^
men persecute you and say all manner of 3. Nevertheless, a necessity, as it were,
evil against you falsely. Rejoice and leap is laid upon me to reply, as a simple matter
for joy, for great is your reward in heaven, of justice I mean, because many, as I hear, :
for so persecuted they the Prophets which are likely to be upset by what he has written
> Matt. X, 25. 3 Matt, xi, 19.
1 Matt. 2 * 8.
Ps. Ivii, 4. V, II, 12. John vii, 13. Jerome Kp. Ixxxiv,
F f 2
43^ RUFINUS.
unless the true state of the case is laid before the censor, to be always coming up to set
them. I am compelled, against my resolu- things to rights. man who desires to clear A
tion and even my vows, to make reply, lest himself from the stains which have been cast
by keeping silence I should seem to acknowl- upon him, does not trouble himself, in the
answer which he is compelled to make,
edge the accusation to be true. It is, indeed,
in most cases, a Christian's glory to follow about the elegance and neat turns of his re-
our Lord's example of silence, and thereby ply, but only about its truth.
to repel the accusation but to follow this
; 4. At the very beginning of his work he
course in matters of faith causes stumbling says, "As if they could not be heretics by
blocks to spring up in vast numbers. It is themselves, without me." I must first show
true that, in the beginning of his invective that, whether with him or without him, we
he promises that he will avoid personalities, are no heretics then, when our status is :
and reply only about the things in question made clear, we shall be safe from having the
and the charges made against him but his infamous imputation hurled at us from other
;
for how men's reports. I was already living in a

profession in both cases
is false ;
can he answer a charge when no charge has monastery, where, as both he and all others
been made ? and how can a man be said to know, about 30 years ago, I was made
avoid personalities when he never ceases to regenerate by Baptism, and received the seal
attack and tear to pieces the translator of the of the faith at the hands of those sainth' men.
books in question from the first line to the Chromatins,' Jovinus^ and Eusebius,'' all of
last of his invective.? I shall avoid all pre- them now bishops, well-tried and highly
tence of saying less than I mean, and similar esteemed in the church of God, one of whom
subterfuges of hypocrisy which are hateful was
then a presbyter of the church imder
in God's sight; and, though my words may Valerian of blessed memory, the second was
he uncouth and my style unadorned, I will archdeacon, the third Deacon, and to me a
make my reply. I trust, and I shall not spiritual father, my teacher in the creed and
trust in vain, that my readers will pardon my the articles of belief. These men so taught
lack of skill, since my object is not to amuse me, and so I believe, namely, that the Father,
others but to endeavour to clear myself from Son and the Holy Spirit are of one God-
the
the reproaches directed against me. My
head, of one Substance a Trinity coeternal, :
wish is that what may shine forth in me may inseparable, incorporeal, invisible, incompre-
not be style but truth. hensible, known to itself alone as it truly is
3. But, before I begin to clear up these in its perfection: For "No man'' knoweth
I confess that he the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any
points, there is one in which
has spnken the truth In an eminent degree man the Father but the Son " and the Holy
;
:
when he says that he is not render- Spirit is he who " searcheth the deep things
"
namely, "
ing evil speaking for evil speaking. This, of God : that this Trinity, therefore, is
I say, is cpiite true for ;

it is not for evil without all bodily visibility, but that it is
speaking l)ut for speaking well of him and with the eye of the understanding that the
praising iiim that he has rendered reproach Son and the Holy Spirit see the Father even
and evil speaking. But it is not true, as he as the Father sees the Son and the Holy
left cheek to one who and further, that in this Trinity there
says, that he turns the Spirit ;
smites him on the right. It is on one who no diversity except that one is Father,
is
is stroking him and caressing him on the another Son and a third Holy Spirit. There
cheek that he suddenly turns and bites him. is a Trinity as touching the distinction of
1 praised his eloquence and his industry in persons, a imity in the reality of the Sub-
the work of translating from the Greek. I stance. We received, further, that the only
said notliing in derogation of his faith but begotten Son of God, through whom in the
;
he condemns me on both these points. He beginning all existing things were made,
must therefore pardon me if I say some whether visible or invisible, in these last days
things rather roughly and rudely for he ;
has took upon him a human body and Soul, and
challenged to a reply a man who has no was made man, and sufiered for oiu" salva-
great rhetorical skill, and who has not, and the third day he rose again from
as he tion ;
knows, the power to make one whom he

wishes to injure and to wound appear to Bp. of Aquilcia at the time of this Apology, and maintain-
1
friendly rchitions with both Jerome and Rufinus. (Ruf.

liavc received neitlier wounds nor injuries. ing
Pref. to Eusebius in this Volume. Jer. Ep. vii, Ix. 19, Pref.
Those who love this kind of eloquence must to Bks. of Solomon &c. &c.)
See Jerome Ep. vii. It is not known of what
2 cliiirch he
seek it in a man whom every light report was Bp.
stirs to fault-finding and vituperation, Brother of Chromatius. See an allusion to him
3 in Jerome,
up Ep. viii, and Ix, 19, His see is unknown.
and who thinks himself bound, as if he were * Mutt,
xi, 2-;.
^ I Cor.
ii, 10.
APOLOGY - BOOK I. 437
the dead in that very flesh which had been man by the spirit of the flesh. He indeed
hiid in the sepulchre and in that very same cannot expound it without bringing in an
;
flesh made glorious he ascended into the indecency. Nevertheless, I will set it forth
heavens, whence we look for his coming to in his hearing both more worthily and more
judge the quick and the dead. But fin-ther truly. Christ is the first fruits
of those that
we confess that he gave us hope that we too sleep;' he is also called the first begotten '-'
should rise in a similar manner, so that we from the dead as also the Apbstle says, ;
^ "
believe that oin" resurrection will be in the Christ is the beginning, afterward they that
same manner and process, and in the same are Christ's." Since then we have Christ as
form, as the resurrection of our Lord himself the undoubted first fruits of our resurrection,
from the dead that the bodies which we how can any question arise about the rest of
:
shall receive will not be phantoms or thin us? It must be evident that, whatever the
vapours, as some slanderously afhrm that we members, the hair, the flesh, the bones, were
in the same shall ^ve
say, but these very bodies of ours in which in which Christ rose,
we live and in which we die. For how can also rise. For this purpose he offered him-
we truly believe in the resurrection of the self to the disciples to touch after his resur-
flesh, imless the very nature of flesh remains rection, so that no hesitation as to his resur-
in it truly and substantially.^ It is then rection should remain. Since then Christ
without any equivocation, that we confess has given his own resurrection as a typical
the resurrection of this real and substantial instance, one that is quite evident, and (as I
flesh of ours in which we live. may say) capable of being felt and handled
5. Moreover, to give a fuller demonstra- by the "hand, who can be so mad as to think
tion of this point, I will add one thing more. that he himself will rise othenvise than as lie
It is the compulsion of those who calumniate rose who opened the door of the resurrec-
me which forces me to exhibit a singular tion? This also confirms the truth of this
and special mvstery of my own church. It confession of ours that, while it is the actual
is this, that, while all the churches thus hand natural flesh and no other which will rise,
down the Sacrament of the Creed in the yet it will rise purged from its faults and
form which, after the words "the remission having laid aside its corruption so that the ;
* "
of sins" adds the resurrection of the
'•'
of the
flesh," is true It is sown
Apostle :
saying
the holy church of Aquileia (as though the in corruption, it will be raised in incorrup-
Spirit of God had foreseen the calumnies tion it is sown in dishonour, it will be raised
;
which would be spoken against us) puts in in glory; it is sown a natural^ body, it will
a particular pronoun at the place where it be raised a spiritual body." Inasmuch then
delivers the resurrection of the dead instead
;
as it is a spiritual body, and glorious, and in-
of saying as othei's do, " the resurrection of corruptible, it will be furnished and adorned
the flesh," we say "the resurrection of this with its own proper members, not with
flesh." At this point, as the custom is at members taken from elsewhere, according to
the close of the Creed, we touch the fore- that glorious image of which Christ is set
head of this flesh with the sign of the cross, forth as the perpetual type, as it is said by
and with the mouth of this flesh, which we the Apostle " shall change the body
:
"^
Who
have so touched, we confess the resurrection ; of our humiliation, that it may be con-
that so we may stop up every entrance through formed to the body of his glory."
which the poisoned tongue might bring in its 7. Since then,
in reference to our hope of
calumnies against us. Can any confession the resurrection, Christ is set forth all through
be fuller than this? Can any exposition of as the archetype, since he is the first born of
the truth be more perfect? Yet I see that those who rise, and since he is the head of
this remarkable provision of the Holy Spirit every creature, as it is written,
^" is the Who
has been of no to us.
profit Evil and head of all, the first born from the dead, that
busy
tongues still find room for cavilling. Unless, in all things he might have the preemi-
"
says he, you name the members one by one, nence ;
how is it that we stir up these vain
and expressly designate the head with its strifes of words, and conflicts of evil sur-
hair, the hands, the feet, the belly, and that mises? the faith of the church
Does not
which is below the belly, you have denied consist in the confession which I have set
the resurrection of the flesh. forth above? And is it not evident that men
6. Behold the discovery of this man of are moved to accuse others not by difTerence
the new learning a thing which escaped the
! of belief, but by perversity of disposition?
notice of the Apostles when they delivered
6
the faith to the Church a thing which none
;
1 1 Cor. XV, 20. 4 I Cor.
XV, 4Z'4.
7
Phil, iii, 21.
2Rev. i,s.
^ animate. Col. i, 18.
of the saints knew till it was revealed to this 3 I Cor. XV, 23.
438 RUFTNUS.
At this point, however, in argning about the thev will rise, but in such sort as that they
resurrection of the ilesh, our friend, as his will enjoy all carnal delights and luxuries,
liabit is, mixes up what is ridiculous and and other pleasures of the body. What else,
farcical with what is serious. He says indeed, can this "bodily frailty" of yoin-s
:
mean except members given over to corrup-

" Some poorcreatures of the female sex among tion, appetites stimidated and liists inflamed.''
us arc fond of askinj^ what good the resurrection S. But sufTer it to be so, I beg you, as you
will be to them? They touch their breasts, and
are lovers of Christ, that the body is to be
stroke their beardless faces, and strike their thighs
and their bellies, and ask whether this poor weak in incorruption and without these conditions
body is to rise again. No. they say, if we are to be when it rises from the dead then let such :
like angels we shall have the nature of angels." thinsfs henceforward cease to be mentioned.
Let us believe that in the resurrection even
Who the poor women are whom he thus lawful intercourse will no longer exist be-
takes to task, and whether they are deserving tween the sexes, since there would be
danger
of liis attacks, he know's best. And if he that unlawful intercoin'se would creej) in
considers himself to be one of those who are if such
things remained present and unfor-
Itound to preach that it is not our part to What is the use of carefully and
gotten.
attack another out of revenge, ])ut that in " the
minutely going over and discussing
"
this histance he is right in attacking others You tell us
belly and what is below it .^
when they have given him no cause for re- that we live amidst carnal delights but I :
venge or if, again, he considers that it is perceive that it is your belief that we are not
;
no business of his to take care that weak to

give up such things even in the resurrec-
women of his company shovdd be subjected tion. Let us not deny that this very llesh in
to attacks only for real causes, and not for which we now live is to rise
again but
such false and fictitious reasons as these —
of neither let us make men think that the im-
:
all this, I say, he is himself the best judge.

perfections of the fiesh are w^rapped up in it
For us it is sufficient to act as he said that he and will come again with it. The flesh, in-
would act we shall not render evil for evil. deed, will rise, this
very flesh and not
:
But it is evident that the man who is angry another it will not
change its natiu'e, but
:
with a woman because she says that she it will lose its frailties and
imperfections.
hopes not to have a frail body in the resurrec- Otherwise, if its frailties remain, it catmot
tion is of the opinion that the frailties of the even be immortal. And thus, as I said, we
body will remain. Only, what then, we ask, avoid heresy, whether with you or without
are we to make of the words
of the Apostle :
you. For the faith of the Church, of which
"It is sown in weakness, it will be raised in we are the
disciples, takes a middle path
power it is sown a natural body, it will be between two dangers it does not deny the
; :
raised a spiritual body" ? Wliat frailty can you

reality of the natural flesh and body when it
suppose to exist in a spiritual body It is to rises from the
.''
dead, but neither does it assert,

rise in power how then is it again to be in contradiction to the Apostle's words,' that
;
If it is frail, how can it be in power.'' in the

kingdom which is to come corruption
frail.'*
Are not those poor women after all more will inherit therefore do not We
incorruption.
right than you, wdien they say that their assert that the flesh or body will rise, as you
bodily frailty cannot have dominion over put it, with some of its members lost or am-
them in the world beyond.^ should Why
putated, but that the body will be whole and
you mock at them, when they are only fol- complete, having laid aside nothing but its
lowing the Apostle's words
''
This corrupt-
corruption and dishonoiu' and frailty and also
:
ible nnist put on incorrupticjn, and this mor-

having amputated all the imperfections of
tal must put on immortality "? The
Apostles mortality: nothing of its own nature will be
never taught that the body which would rise
lacking to that spiritual body which shall
from the dead would be frail, but, on the rise from the dead
except this corruption.
contrary, that it would rise in power and in 9.
I have made answer more at length
glory. Whence comes this opinion which than I had intended on this single article of
you now produce ? Perhaps it is one ob- the resurrection, through fear lest by brevity
tained from some of yoiu" Jews,' which is I shoidd
lay myself open to fresh aspersions.
now to be promulgated as a new law for the
Consecjuently, I have made mention again
church, so that we may learn their ways: for and again not only of the body, as to which
in truth the Jews have such an opinion as and not
cavils are raised, but of the flesh :
"
this about the resurrection they belie\c that only of the flesh 1 have added " this flesh
;
; ;
and further I liave not of " this

'
Rufinus frequently taunts Jerome with having paid too spoken only
much liecd to the Jewish teachers from whom he learned
Hebrew. 1 Cor. x\, 50.
flesh" but of "this natural flesh;" I have how it came to pass that I attempted the
not even stopped here, but liave asserted that translation of this work in preference to any
not even the completeness of the several other, and I will do so in the fewest and
members would be lacking. I have only truest words. This is, no doubt, superfluous
demanded that it should be held as part of for you, my well-beloved son, since you
the faith that, according to the words of the know the whole affair as it occurred yet it ;
Apostle, it should rise incorruptible instead is desirable that those who are ignorant of it
of corruptible, glorious instead of dishonoured, should know the truth besides, both he and
:
immortal instead of frail, spiritual instead of all his followers make this a triumphant ac-
natural and that we should think of the cusation against me, that I promised in my
;
members of the spiritual body as being Preface to adopt one method of translation
without taint of corruption or of frailty. I but adopted a different one in the work itself.
have set forth my faith in reference to the Hence, I will make an answer which will
Trinity, the Incarnation of the Lord our serve not only for them, but for many besides
Saviour, to his Passion and Resurrection, his Vv^hose judgment is perverted either by their
second coming and the judgment to come. own malice or by the accusations which
I have also set it forth in the matter of the others make against me.
resurrection of our flesh, and have left noth- II. Some time ago, Macarius, a man of
ing, I think, in ambiguity. Nothing in my distinction from his faith, his learning, his
opinion remains to be said, so far as the noble birth and his personal life, had in hand
faith is concerned. a work against fatalism or, as it is called,
lo. But in this, he says, I convict you, Mathesis,' and was spending much necessary
that you have translated the work of Origen, and fruitful toilon its composition but he ;
in which he says that there is to be a restitu- could notdecide many points, especially
tion of all things, in which we must believe how to speak of the dispensations of divine
that not only sinners but the devil himself Piovidence. He found the matter to be one
and his angels will at last be relieved from of great difiiculty. But in the visions of the
their punishment, if we are to set before our night the Lord, he said, had shown him the
minds in a consistent manner what is meant appearance of a ship far off" upon the sea
by the restitution of all things. And Origen, coming towards him, which ship, when it
he says, teaches further that souls have been entered the port, was to solve all the knotty
made before their bodies, and have been points which had perplexed him. When he
brought down from heaven and inserted into arose, he began anxiously to ponder the
their bodies. I am not now acting on vision, and he found, as he said, that that
Origen's behalf, nor writing an apology for was the very moment of my arrival so that ;
him. Whether he stands accepted before he forthwith made known to me the scope
God or has been cast away is not mine to of his work, and his difiiculties, and also the
judge: to his own lord he stands or falls.' vision which he had seen. He proceeded to
But am compelled to make mention of him
I inquire what were
the opinions of Origen,
in a few words, since our great rhetorician, whom to be the most re-
he understood
though seeming to be arguing against him is nowned among the Greeks on the points in
really striking at me and this he does no
; question, and begged that I would shortly
longer indirectly, but ends by openly attack- explain his views on each of them in order.
ing me with his sword drawn and turns his I at first could only say that the task was
whole fury against me. I say too little in one of much difficulty: but I told him that
saying that he attacks me for indeed, in that saintly man the Martyr Pamphilus had
;
order to vent his rage against me, he does to some extent dealt with the question in a
"
not even spare his old teacher he thinks work of the kind he wished, that is, in
:
that in the books which I have translated he his Apology for Origen. Immediately he
can find something which may enable him begged me to translate this work into Latin.
to hurl his calumnies against me. Li addi- I told him several times that I had no prac-
tion to other things w^hich he finds to blame tice in this style of composition, and that my
in me he adds this invidious remark, that I power of wi'iting Latin had grown dull
have chosen for translation a work which through the neglect of nearly thirty years.
neither he nor any of the older translators He, however, persevered in his request,
had chosen. I will begin, therefore, since it begging earnestly that by any kind of words
is here that I am chiefly attacked, by stating that might be possible, the things which he
originally meant simply learning. It was then

1 This word
1 Rom. xiv, 4. applied in a special sense to mathematics. But the mathe-

' That is, Origen. Rufinus insinuates that Jerome owed matici under the later Roman Empire became identified with
and cared more for Origen than he chose to avow. astrologers.
440 RUFINUS.
know should be placed within his 'What the opinions of Origen are maybe gathered
longed to
did what he wished in the best from the tenor of this treatise. But as for those
reach. I
things in whiclihe is found to contradict himself,
language in my power but this only
in-
;
I will point out how this has come to pass in a few-
flamed him with greater desire for the fullwords -which I have added at the close of tliis
knowledge of the work itself from which, asPreface. Asforus,\ve believe what has been de-
he saw, the few translations which I had livered to us by the holy Prophets, namely: that
the holy Trinity is coeternal, and is of one power
made had been taken. I tried to excuse and substance and that the Son of God in these :
jnyself; but he urged me with vehemence, last days was made man and suffered for our sins,
taking God to witness of his earnest request

and, in that very flesh in Avhich he suffered, rose
to me not to refuse him the means which from the dead; and thereby imparted the hope of
a resurrection to the whole race of men. When
might assist him in doing a good work. It we speak of the resurrection of the tlesh, we do
was only because he insisted so earnestly, so not with as some
any subterfuges, slanderously
and it seemed clear that his desire was ac- aflirm we believe that the flesh which is to rise is
:
this very flesh in which we now live we do not

cording to the will of God, that I at length :
put one thing for another, nor when we say

acquiesced, and made the translation.
12. But I wrote a Preface to each of these
'
body, mean something diflerent from this flesh.
If, therefore, we say that the body is to rise
works, and in both, but especially in the again, we speak as the Apostle spoke; for this
Preface to the work of Pamphilus, which word body was the word which he employed Or :
was translated iirst, I set in the forefront an if, again, we speak of the flesh, our confession coin-
cides with the words of the creed. It is a foolish and
exposition of my faith, affirming that my calumnious invention to imagine that the human
belief is in accordance with the catholic Whether, then, we
body can be anything but flesh.
faith ; and I stated that whatever men might say that it is flesh according to the common faith,
iind in the original or in my translation, my or body according to the Apostle, which is to rise
share in it in no way implicated my own again, our belief must be held, according to the defi-
nition given by the Apostle, with the understanding
faith, and further, in reference to the Htpl that that which is to rise again is to be raised in
gave this warning. I Inid found that
'A/JA'Mi' I
power and in glory, an incorruptible and a spiritual
in these books some things relating to the body. While, therefore, we maintain the superior
faith were set forth in a catholic sense, just excellence of the body or flesh which is to be, we
must hold that the flesh which rises again will be
as the Church proclaims them, while in other
real and perfect; the actual nature of the flesh will
places, when the very same thing is in ques- be preserved, while the glorious condition of the
tion, expressions of a contrary kind are used. uncorrupted and spiritual body will not be im-
'"
I had thought it right to set forth these points paired. For so it is written Corruption shall'not
:
inherit incorruption." This is what is preached

in the way in which the author had set them at Jerusalem in the church of God, by its reverend
forth when he had propounded the catholic
bishop John this is what we with him confess :
view of them: on the other hand, when I and hold. If any one believes or teaches anything
found things which were contrary to the besides this, or thinks that we believe otherwise
author's real opinion, I looked on them as than as we have stated, let him be anathema.'
things inserted by othei's, (for he witnesses
If then any one wishes to have a .statement
by the complaints contained in his letter that
this has been done), and therefore rejected
of our faith, he has it in these words. And
whatever we read or affirm, or whatever
tliem, or at all events considered that I
translations we make, we do it without pre-
might omit them as having none of the to this faith of ours, according to the
"
godly edifying in the faith." It will not, judice of
I think, be considered to insert
words the apostle: "'"Prove all things,
superfluous Abstain from
hold fa.st that whicli is good.
tliese jjassages from my Prefaces, so that
be at hand for each statement. e\ery form of evil." '' And as many as
proof may
And furtlier, to prevent the reader from fall- follow this rule, peace be upon them and ;
the Israel of God."

ing into any mistake as to the passages upon
14. I wrote these words beforehand
as a
which I insert from other documents, I have,
.statement of mv faith, when as yet none of
where the quotation is from my own works,
these calumniators had arisen, so that it
placed a single mark against the passage,
should be in no man's power to say that it
but, where the words are those of my oppo-
was merely becau.se of their admonition or
nent, a double inark.^
of their compulsion that I said things which I
13. In the Preface to the Apology
had not believed before. Moreover,! promised
Pamphilus, after a few other remarks, 1
that, whatever the reciuirements of transla-
said :
tion might be, I would, while complying
with them, maintain the principles of my faith
1 Sec these Prefaces translated in the earlier part of this
Volume. in\ iolate. How then can any room be left
2
Corresponding to the single and double inverted commas
tised in this translation. 1 I Cor. XV, 50. !
I Thcss. V, 21, Z2; Gal. vi, 16.

Ai'OLOGY — BOOK I. 441
for evil, when the very first word of my con- 15. But let me add what comes after.
fession preserves and defends me from the My Preface continued as follows :
suspicion of holding any doctrine inconsis- '

The causes of these discrepancies I have more
tent with it? Besides, as I have said above, fully set forthin the Apology which Pamphilus
I have learned from the words of the Lord expressly wrote for the works of Origen, to which
that every one shall be or con- I added a very short paper in which I shewed by
justified
demned from his own words and not from proofs which appear to me quite clear, that his
books have been in very many places tampered
those of others. with by heretics and ill disposed men, and es-
'
But I wdl show how, in the Preface
pecially the very books which you ask me to trans-
which I prefixed to the books TLept 'A/j.^wy, I late, namely, the lle^t Ap^^wi', which may be
declared what was to be the regulative princi- rendered " Concerning Beginnings"'or" Concern-
ing Principalities," which are in any case most
ple of my translation, and will prove it, as in obscure and most difficult. For in these books
the former case, by quoting the words them-
Origen discusses matters on which the philosophers
selves: for it is right to quote from this doc- have spent their whole lives without finding out
ument also whatever is pertinent to the mat- the truth. In these matters, man's belief in a
ter in hand. I had made honourable mention creator and his reasoning about the created world
which had been made use of by the philosophers
of the man who now turns my praise of him
for the purposes of their own profanity, the Chris-
into an accusation against me, for his ser- tian writer turns to the support of the true faith.'
vices in having led the way and having
translated a great many works of Origen Here also I beg you to mark my words
before I had begun : I had praised both his carefully, and to observe that I said belief
'
eloquence as an expositor and his diligence in a Creator,' but '

reasoning about the
'
as a translator, and had said that I took him created world ; since what is said about
as my model in doing a similar work. And God belongs to the domain of faith, but our
then, after a few more sentences, I con- discussions about created things to the
tinued thus : domain of reason. I continued :
'
Him therefore we take as our model so far as in
'
Wherever, therefore, in his works we find erro-
us lies, not indeed in the power of his eloquence, neous definitions of the Trinity as to which he has
but in his method of doing his work, taking care in other places expressed liis views in accordance
not to reproduce things which are found in tlie with the true faith, we have either left them
books of Origen discrepant and contrary to his out as passages which had been falsified or in-
own true opinion.' serted, or else have changed the expression in
accordance with the rule of faith which the writer
again and again lays down.'
I beg the reader to observe what I have
said, and not to let this sentence escape him Have I here, I ask, written incautiously .-*
because of its brevity. What

was that Have I said that I expressed the matter
I said
I would not reproduce the things which according to the rule of our faith, which would
'
are found in the books of Origen discrepant have been

evidently going far beyond the
and contrary to his own true opinion.' I
scope of a translator whose duty was merely
did not make a general promise that I would to turn Greek into Latin.'' On the
contrary
not reproduce v/hat was contrary to the I said that I
expressed these passages accord-
faith, nor yet what was contrary to me or to ing to the rule of faith which I found again
some one else, but what was contrary to or and again laid down by Origen himself.
discrepant from Origen himself. My oppo- Moreover I added :
nents must not be allowed to propagate a

false statement against me by snatching at a I grant that, when he has expressed a thing
'
as a man does when he is writing for

part of this sentence and saying that I had obscurely,
those who have technical knowledge of the subject
promised not to reproduce anything which and wishes to go over it rapidly, I have made the
was contrary to or discrepant from my own sentence plainer by adding the fuller expression
belief. had been capable of such con-
If I which he had given of the same thing in some of
his other works which I had read. I did this sim-
duct, I certainly should not have dared to
make a public profession of it. If you find ply in the interests of clearness. But I have ex-
pressed nothing in my own words;
I have only
that this has been done in my work, you restored to Origen what was really Origen's
will know how to judge of it. But if you though found in other parts of his works.'
find that it has not been done, you will not
think that I am to blame, since I never gave 16. I should have thought that this state-
you any pledge which would bind me to ment, I mean the words, I have expressed
'
do it. nothing in my own words I have only re- ;
i See the translation of this document in this Volume. Or First Principles (De Principiis).
442 RUFINUS.
stored to Oriî^cn wliat was adjure him by our belief in the kingdom which
really Origen's,
foiiiul in other part of his works,'
is come, by the assurance of the resurrection
to
th<)U<^h fiom the dead, and by that eternal Jire -Mhicli is pre-
would of itself have been sufficient for ni\
pared for the dez'il and his angels, I adjure him, —
defence even before the most hostile jud<iês. as he would not have for his eternal portion that
Have I thrust myself forward in any way? place where there is weeping and gnashing of
Have I ever led men to expect that I should teeth, wheretheir worm dieth not and theirtofirethis is
not quenched, that he should add nothing

put in anythino^ of my own ? Where can
writing, take away nothing, insert nothing, and
thev find the words \vhich they j)reten(l that change nothing.'
I have said, and on \\ Inch they ground their
calunmious accusations, namely, that I ha\c Nevertheless, after I had warned them by
removed what was bad and put gootl words all these dread and terrible forms of adjura-
instead, while I had translated literally all tion, these men have not been afraid to be-
It is time, I think, that they come falsifiers and
that is good? corrtipters of my work,
should show some sense of shame, and though they profess to believe that the resur-
shoidd cease from false charges and from tak- rection of the flesh is a reality of the future.
ing up(jn themselves the office of the devil Why, if they even believed the simple fact
who is the accuser of thebrethen. Let them of the existence of God, they would never
listen words I have put in no words
to the '
set their hands to acts so injurious and so
of my own.' Let them listen to them again impious. I ask, ftirther, what line of my
and hear them constantly reiterated, I have '
Preface can be pointed to in which I have,
put in no words of my own I have only re- ; as my accuser says, praised Origen up to the
stored to Origen what was really Origen's, skies, or in which I have called him, as he
though found in other parts of his works.' once did, an Apostle or a Prophet, or any-
And let them see how God's mercy watched thing of the kind. I may ask indeed in
over me when I put my hantl to this work ; what other matter they find any ground of
let them mark how I was led to forebode the acctisation. I made at the outset a confes-
verv acts which they are doing. For my sion of my faith in terms which I think agree
Preface continues thus : in all respects with the confession of the
'
have given
this statement in my Preface for
I
Church. I made a clear statement of my
detractors should tiiink that they had canons of translation, which indeed in most
fear that my
found a fresh reason for accusing me.' respects were taken from the
model fur-
nished by the very man who now comes for-
When fresh charge I alluded to
I said a
ward accuser. I declared what was
the charge which they had previously made
as my
the purpose I set before me in making the
against the reverend l>ishop John for the translation. Whether I have proved capable
letter written by him ttj the reverend Jjishop
of fulfilling the task more oi- less completely
Theo])hilus' on the articles of faith: they pre- is, no doubt, a matter for
the judgment of
tended that when he spoke of the himian
those who read the work, and who may be ex-
bodv he meant something I know not what —
— ditlerent fnnn flesh. Therefore I spoke of pected to praise it or to ridicule it, but not to
make it a ground for acctisation when it is
a fresh charge. Take notice, then, I say, a one lan-
qtiestion of turning words from
of the conduct of these perverse and conten- with more or
guage into another less pro-
tious men.
priety.
I have undertaken this great labour, (which I
'
17. But I have said
that these men would
have only done at your entreaty) not with a view have been unable to iind grounds for accusa-
of shutting the mouths of my calumniators, which tion on the
points I have mentioned, how-
indeed is iin[)ossible unless God himself should do
those
ever they may take them, unless they had
but in order to give solid information to
appears to me
it,
who are seeking to advance in knowledge.' first falsified them. It
therefore desirable that the chief matter on
lût, to show you that I foresaw and fore- which hantls
they have laid their forgers'
told that they would falsify what I was writ- should be insertetl in this
Apology, lest they
ing, (observe what I said in the following should think that I am intentionally with-
passage : drawing it from notice because they after
ma}- making their own additions
Of this I solemnly warn every
'
one who to it allege it as
read or copy out these books, in the sight of God a ground of false accusation. In the bot)k
the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and which I translated there is a
passage in
Of Alexaiuiiia. He was at first friendly to Oriêiiisin, which I examine the tenets of those who
'
aftciwarils bitterlyopposed to it. John wrote to liini coinplain- believe that God has a bodily shape and
ing of the conduct of lipiphanius, and cxphiining his own
vic\vs. Sec Jerome's letter (Ixxxii) to Tlicophihis, and his who describe him as clothed with human
Treatise Against John of Jerusalem. In tlic latter of these
churjjes occur like those here noticed by Kufinus,
members uud dress. This is openly asserted
by the heretical sects of the Valentinians and 1 8. This is the chief passage which those
Aiithropoinorphites, and I see that those who who were sent from the East to lay snares
are now our accusers have been far too for me tried to brand as heretical, not only
ready to hold out the hand to them. Origen by perversely misunderstanding it, but by
in this passage has defended the faith of the falsifying the words. But I could see noth-
church against them, affirming that God is ing to suspect in it, as also in several similar
wholly without bodily form, and therefore passages of the writer I was translating, nor
also invisible; and then, following out his did I think that there was
any reason to leave
scrutiny in a logical manner, he says a few it out, since there was nothing said in it as
words in answer to the heretics, which I thus to a comparison of the Son with the Father,
translated into Latin.' but the question related to the nature of the
" But these assertions will Deity itself, whether in any sense the word
perhaps be held to
have little authority by those whose desire is to be visibility could be applied to it. Origen was
instructed out of the Holy Scriptures in the things answering, as I have said before, the heretics
of God, and who require that from that source who assert that God is visible because
they
should be drawn the proof of the preeminence of that he is corporeal, the faculty of sight
the nature of God over that of the human body. say
Consider whether the Apostle does not say the same being a property of the body ; for which
thing when he speaks thus of Christ:
* "
Who is reason the Valentinian heretics, of whom I
the image of the invisible God, the first born of spoke above, declare that the Father begat
every ci-eature." The nature of God is not, as and the Son was -begotten in a bodily and
some think, visible to some and not to others, for
visiblesense. He therefore shrank, I presume,
the Apostle does not say The image of God who
is invisible to men, or to sinners; but he
from the word Seeing as a suspicious term,
speaks
quite distinctly of the nature of God in itself, and says that it is better, when the question
where he says " The image of the invisible God." turns upon the nature of the Deity, that is,
^" No man hath seen
John also says in his Gospel, the relation of the Father and the Son,
God at any time," by which he distinctly declares upon
to use the word which the Lord himself
to all who can understand, that there is no being
to whom God is visible; not as if he were naturally definitely chose, when he said: "No man
visible and, like a being of attenuated substance, knoweth the Son save the Father, neither
escaped and eluded our glance but that, in his doth any know the Father save the Son."
;
own nature it is impossible for him to be seen. He

But perhaps you will ask me my opinion as to the thought that all occasion which might be
to the afoiêsaid heresies would be shut
Only begotten himself. Well, if I should say that given
even to him the nature of God is invisible, since out if, in speaking of the nature of the Deity
it is its very nature to be invisible, do not dismiss he used the word Knowledge rather than
my answer as if it were impious or absurd, for Vision. ' Vision might seem to afford the '
I will at once give you my reason for it. Observe

that seeing is a different thing from knowing. See-
heretics some support. The word Knowl-
ing and being seen belong to bodies to know and edge on the other hand preserves the
;
true re-
to be known belong to the intellectual nature. lation of Father and Son in one nature never
Whatever then is merely a property of bodies, this to be set
we must not attribute to the Father or the Son but apart and this is specially con-
;
firmed by the authoritative language of the

;
that which belongs to the nature of Deity governs

the relations of the Father and the Son. More- Gospel. Origen thought also that this mode
over, Christ himself in the Gospel
*
did not say of speaking would ensure that the Anthropo-
*'
No man seeth the Son but the Father nor the morphites should never in any way hear God
Father but the Son," but *' No man knoweth the of as visible. It did not seem to me
Son but the Father, neither doth any one know spoken
the Father but the Son." By this it is clearly right that this reasoning,
since it made no
shown that what is called seeing and being seen in difference between the persons of the Trinity,
the case of bodily existence is called knowledge in should be completely thrown on one side,
the case of the Father and the Son their inter- :
though indeed there were some words in the
course is maintained through the power of knowl-
edge not through the weakness of Greek, which perhaps were somewhat in-
visibility.
Since, therefore, an incorporeal nature cannot cautiously used, and which I thought it well
properly be said to see or to be seen, therefore in to avoid using. I will suppose that readers
the Gospel it is not said either that the Father is hesitate in their judgment whether or
seen by the Son or the Son by the Father but that
may
not even so, it is an argument \'\'hich can be
each is known by the other. And if any one
should ask how it is that it is said * " Blessed are employed with effect against the aforesaid
the pure in heart for they shall see God," I think heresies. I will even grant that those who
practised in judging of words and their

that this text will confirm my assertion still more. are
For what else is it to see God with the heart than, sense in matters of this kind and
who, besides
according to the explanation I have given above, are God-fearing men, men
to understand Him with the mind and to know being experts,
Him ? " who do nothing through strife or \ain glory,
'
Book I. c. 1. 2 Col.
whose mind is equally free from envy and
riepi 'Apxiov i, IS.
«Johni, i8. <Matt. « Matt. V, g.
favour antl prejudice may say that the point
444 RUFINUS.
is of little value either for edification or for Zezreelite for the sake of the vineyard, and
the conilâting of heresy; even so, is it not sent word to the wicked elders to urge
competent for them to pass it over and to against him a false indictment, saying that
leave it aside as not valid for the repulse of he had blessed, that is cursed, God and the
our adversaries? Suppose it to be super- king. I know not whether of the two is to
fluous, does that make it criminous? How l)e accounted the happier, she who sends tlie
can we count as a criminal passa<i^c one command or they who obey it in all its
w^hich asserts the equality of the Fatlier the iniquity. These matters are serious such a ;
Son and the Holy Spirit in this point of in- crime, as far as I know, is hitherto all but
visibility? I do not think that any one can unheard of in the Church. Yet there is
really think so. I say any one for there is something more to be said.
: What is that?
no evidence that an\thin£r contained in niv you ask. It is this, that those who are guilty
writin<i^s is offensive in the eves of my ac- should become the judges, that those who
cusers; for, if they had thouj^lit so, they plotted the accusation should also jironounce
vvoidd have set down my words as they the sentence. It is, indeed, no new thing
stood in my translation. for a writer to make a mistake or a slip in
19. But what did they actually do? Con- his words, and in my opinion it is a venial
sider what it was and ask yourself whether fault, for the Scripture also says, " In many
'
the crime is not unexampled? Recall the things we all stumble if any stumbleth not :
" But
passage which says :
perhaps you will in word the same is a perfect man." Is it
ask me my opinion as to the Only-begotten thought that some word is wrong? Then
liimself. Well, if I should say that even to let it be corrected or amended, or, if expedi-
him the nature of God is invisible, since it is ency so require, let it be taken out. But to
its
very nature to be invisible, do not dismiss insert in what another man has written
my answer as if it were impious or absurd, things he never wrote, to put in false
for I will at once give you my reason for it." words for no other purpose than to defame
Well, in the place of the words which I had your brother, to corrupt his writings in
" I will at once
written, give you my reason order to attach a mark of infamy to the
for it" they put the following words: "Do
author, and to insinuate your ideas into tlie
not dismiss my answer as if it were impious ears of the multitude so as to throw con-
or absurd, for, as the Son does not see the fusion into the minds of the simple and all ;
Father, so the Holy Spirit also does not see this with the object of staining a man's
the Son." If the man who did this, the man reputation among his fellows I ask you ;
who was sent from their monastery to whose work this can be except that ol him
'
Rome as the greatest expert in calumny, had who was a liar from the beginning, and
been employed in the forum and had com- who, from accusing the brethren, received
mitted this forgery in some secular business the name of Diabolus, which means accuser.
every one knows what would be the conse- For when he to whom I have alluded
"''
quence to him according to the public laws, recited at Milan one of these sentences
when he was convicted of the crime. But which had been tampered with, and I
now, since he has left the secular life, and cried out that what he was reading was
has turned his back upon business and en- falsified, he, being asked from whom he
tered a monastery, and has connected himself had received the copy of the work said that
with a renowned master, he has learned a certain Avoman named Marcella had
from him to leave his former self-restraint given it him. As to her, I say nothing,'
and to become a furious madman he was whosoever she may be. I leave her to her
:
quiet before, now he is a mover of sedition own conscience and to God. I am content
:
he was peaceable, now he jirovokes war : with God's own witness and with yours.
instead of concord, he is the promoter of When I say yours, I mean your own and
strife. For faith he has learnt perfidious- that of Macarius himself, the saintly man
ness, for truth forgery. He would, you may for whom I was doing that work : for both
well think, have been the complete exemplar read my papers themselves at the
of you
of wickedness and criminality of this kind, even before they had been completed,
first,
if you had not had before you the image ofand you have by you the completely cor-
that woman Jezebel." She is the same who rected copies. You can bear witness to
made up the accusation against Naboth the what I say. The words " as the Son does
not see the Father, so also the Holy Spirit
Jcronie's friend Kusebius o-f Cronionii, of whom Rufinus
1
comiilains ;is having talicn occasion from this old friendship to

purloin and falsify his MSS. Sec below c. 20, 21.
'
James iii, 2.
2 Marcella. See below in this chapter. Also, Jerome Letter 'Eusebius of Cremona, Jerome's friend »nd emissary,
cxxvii, c. 9, 10. alluded to above in this chapter.
APOLOGY— BOOK I. 445
"
does not see the Son not only were never uous if he decided, on the strength of a single
written by me, but on the contrary I can paragraph, that a writer had given his ad-
point out the forger by whom they were herence to a heresy which in the thousand
written. If any man says that as the Father or so other paragraphs of his work he had
does not see the Son, so the Son does not combated ? But the circumstances of the
see the Father or that the Holy Spirit does case are by themselves sufficient to shew the
not see the Father and the Son as the Father truth to anyone who has his wits about him.
sees the Son and the Son and the Holy For if this man had really found the pas-
Spirit, let him be anathema. For he sees, sage in question in my papers, and had felt
and sees most truly only, as God sees God a difiiculty in what he read, he would of
;
and the Light sees the Light not as flesh course have brought the documents to me
;
sees flesh, but as the Holy (Spirit sees, not and have at once asked for explanations, since,
with the bodily senses, but by the powers of as you well know, we were living as neigh-
the Deity. I say, if
any one denies this, bours in Rome. Up to that time we often saw
let him be anathema for all eternity. But, one another, greeted one another as friends,
" He that troubles
'
as the Apostle says, you and joined together in prayer and therefore ;
shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be." he would certainly have conferred w ith me
30. I remember indeed that one of these about the points which appeared to Ifim ob-
people, when he was convicted of having jectionable he would have asked me how
;
falsified this passage, answered me that it I had translated them, and how they stood
was so in the Greek, but that I had, of in the Greek.
purpose, changed it in the Latin. I do not, 31. I am sure that he would have felt
indeed, treat this as a serious accusation, that he had enjoyed a triumph if he could
because, though what they say is untrue, have shown that through his representations
yet, even supposing that the words did I had been induced to correct anything that
stand so in the Greek, and I had changed I had said or written. Or, if he had been
them in the Latin, this is nothing more than driven by his mental excitement to expose
I had said in my Preface that I should do. the error
publicly instead of correcting it, he
If I had done this with the view of making certainly would not have waited till I had
an expression which in the Greek was cal- left Rome to attack me, when he might have
culated to make men stumble run more faced me there and put me to silence. But
suitably in the Latin, I should have been he was deterred by the consciousness that he
acting only according to my expressed pur- was acting falsely and therefore he did not ;
pose and plan. But I say to my accusers bring to me as their author the documents
:
You certainly did not find these words in which he was determined to incriminate,
the Latin copies of my work. Whence then but carried them round to private houses, to
did it come into the papers from which he ladies, to monasteries, to Christian men one
was reading? I, the translator, did not so by one, wherever he might make trouble by
write it. Whence then came the words which his ex parte statements. And he did this just
you who have got no such words of mine when he was about to leave Rome, so that
turn into a ground of accusation? Am
I to he might not be arraigned and made to give
be accused on the ground of your forgeries ? an account of his actions. Afterwards, by the
I put the matter in the plainest possible way. directions, as I am told, of his master, he
There are four books of the work which I went about all through Italy, accusing me,
translated and in these books discussions stirring up the people, throwing confusion
;
about the Trinity occur in a scattered way, into the churches, jDoisoning even the minds
almost as much as one in each page. Let of the bishops, and everywhere represent-
any man read the whole of these and say ing my forbearance as an acknowledgment
whether in any passage of my translation tiiat I was in the wrong. Such are the arts
such an opinion concerning the Trinity can of the disciple. Meanwhile the master, out
be found as that which they calumniously in the East, who had said in his letter to
'
•'
represent as occurring in this chapter. If Vigilantius Through my labour the
such an opinion can be found, then men may Latins know all that is good in Origen and
believe that this chapter also is composed in are ignorant of all that is bad," set to work
the sense which they pretend. But if in the upon the very books which I had trans-
whole body of these books no such difter- lated, and in his new translation inserted all
ence of the persons of the Trinity exists that I had left out as untrustworthy, so that
anywhere, would not a critic be mad or fat-
'Jerome, Iêtter Ixi, c. 2; a passage which slinws that
Jerome IkuI adopted much the same method as Rutinus ia
1 Gal. V, 10. translatiiiii' Origen.
44^ RUFINUS.
now, tlie contrary of what he had boasted accepting his opinions have left this world
has come to pass. The Romans by his and gone into the presence of the Lord.
labour know all that is bad in Origen and They hold the opinion about Origen which
are ignorant of all that is good. By this they had learnt from the statements of this
means he endeavours to draw not Origen man, and the}' departed in hope that, accord-
only but me also under the suspicion to tliis man's assurance, thev would
of injT
and he goes on unceasingly sending tind him there as a master second only to the
heresy :
out these dogs of his to bark against me in Apostles but if we are to trust his present
;
every city and village, and to attack me with writings, they liave found him in a state of
their calumnies when I am quietly passing condemntition, among the impious heretics
on a journey, and attempt every speakable and the heathen. Is this man now to turn
to
anil unspeakable mischief against me. What round from his former contention, and to
" For some
crime, I ask you, have I committed in doing say, thirt}' years I have been, in
what you have done ? If you call my studies and in my writings, praising
exactly
me wicked for following your example, Origen as equal to the Apostles, but now I
what judgment must you pronounce upon pronounce him a heretic.''" How is this.-'
yourself.''
Has he come upon some new books of his
22. But now I will turn the tables and which he had never read before.^ Not at
put my accuser to the question. Tell me, O all. It is from these same sayings of Origen
great master, if there is anything to l^lame that he formerly called him an Apostle and
in a writer, is tlie blame to be laid on one now calls him a heretic. But it is impossible
who reads or translates his works.'' Heaven that this should really have been so. For
forbid, he will say; certainly not why do either he was right in his former praises,
;
you try to circumvent me l)y your enigmatical and

his judgment has since been perverted
questions Am not I myself both a reader by some kind of extreme ill feeling, and in
.''
and a translator of Origen Read my trans- that case no attention is to be paid to him
.'' ;
lations and see if you can find any one of his or else his former praises were mistaken,
peculiar doctrines in them especially any of and he is now condemning himself, and in
;
those which I now mark for condemnation. that case what judgment does he think others
When driven to the point he says will pass upon him, when, according to the
:
words of the Apostle,' he passes condemna-

" If
you wish thoroughly to see how abhorent tion on himself.
the very suggestion of such doctrines lias always 23 {a). But, "Surely," he says, "this
been to me, read my Commentaries on the Epistle
judgment is done away with since I have re-
of Paul to the Ephesians, and you will see from
what I have written there what an opinion I formed pented." Not so fast ! We all err, it is
of him from reading and translating his works." >

true, and especially in word and we all ;
may repent of our errors. Btit can a man

I ask, can we accept this man as a great do penance, and accuse others, and judge
and grave teacher, who in one of his works and condemn them, all in the same moment.''
praises Origen and in another condemns That would be as if a harlot who had
iiim? who in his Introductions calls him a abstained from her harlotry for a night or
master second only to the Apostles, but now two, should feel called upon to begin writ-
callshim a heretic ? What heretic, I ask, was ing laws in favour of chastity, and not only
ever called a master of the churches.'' " It to enact these laws, but to proceed to throw
is true, was wrong about this; down the monuments of all the women who
he replies, I
Init why do you go on
'
bringing up this un- have died, because she suspected that they
fortunate Preface against me.'' Read my had led lives like her own. You do penance
Commentaries, and especially those which for having formerly been a heretic, and you
I liavc designated." Is there any one who do right. But what has that to do with me
will think this satisfactory.? He
never was a heretic at all.'' You are
has who
composed a great many books, in almost all right in doing penance for your error: but
of which he trumpets forth the praises of the true way of doing penance is, not by
Origen to the skies : these books tlnough accusing others but by crying for mercy,
all tliese years have been read and are being not by condemning but by weeping. For
read by all men many of these readers after what sincerity can there be in penitence
:
when the penitent makes a decree of indul-

iTlie words arc not quoted literally from Jerome's letter to
Pammuchius and Oceaiuis (Kp. Ixxxiv. c. 2) the passage gence for himself } He who repents of
referred to; hut they give the sense fairly well. See also the what he has spoken ill does not cure his
letter to \'i<jilantius (Ixi. c.2).
'^Pnv/'iiti iinculam. That is, the Preface to Origen's Song of
Songs, in wliich he says that Origen has not only Knr|)assi(l
every one else, but also in this work has surpassed himself.
»
Perhaps from i Cor. xi, 29, or Rom. xiv, 23.
APOLOGY— BOOK I. 447
wound by speaking again, but by keeping of ? Besides, has any woman gone so far as
ill
silence. For thus written:

it is "Thou to say what you write, namely, that women
'
hast sinned, be at peace." But now 3'ou are to be turned into men and bodies into
first bring yourself in a criminal, then you souls? If bodies are to be turned into spirits,
absolve yourself from your crime, and fortli- then, according to you, there will be no
with change yourself from a criminal into a resurrection not only of the flesh l)ut even of
judge. This may be no trouble to you who the body, which you admit to be the doctrine
thus mock at us, but it is a trouble to us if even of those whom you have set down as
we sutler ourselves to be mocked by you. heretics. Where are we to look an\- more
23. But let us come to these two Commen- for the body, if it is reduced to a spirit? In
taries which he alone excepts from the general that case everything will be spirit, the body
condemnation and renunciation which he will be nowhere. And again, if the wives
pronounces upon all the rest of his works are to be turned into men, according to this
;
we shall see with what modesty and self- suggestion of yours, that there is to be no
restraint he conducts himself in these: difference of sex whatever, by which I sup-
Remember that it is by these alone that he pose you mean that the female sex will en-
has chosen to prove that he is sound in the tirelv cease, being converted into the male,
faith, and that he is altogether opposed to and the male sex will alone remain I am ;
Origen. Let us examine then as witnesses not sure that you would have the permission
these two books which alone of all his of the women to speak here on behalf of
writings are satisfactory to him, namely, the their sex. But, even suppose that thc\- grant
thi'ee books of his commentary on the you this, then with what consistency can }'ou
Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, and the argue that the male sex is any longer neces-
single book (I think) on Ecclesiastes. Let sary, when the female is shown not to l)e
us for a moment look into the one which necessary? for there is a natural bond which
comes forward first, the Commentary on the unites the sexes in mutual dependence, so
Epistle to the Ephesians. Even here I that, if one does not exist, there is no need
recognize in his arguments the influence of of the other. And further, if it is man alone
him who is as his fellow, his partner and who is to receive at the resiu-rection the form
his brother mystic, to use his own expression." of clay which was originally given in para-
And first of all, as to these poor weak dise, what becomes of that which is written,
women about whom he makes himself
'
" He made them male and
female, and
merry, because they say that after the resur- blessed them " ? And then, if, as both you
rection they will not have their frail bodies, yourself say, and also these poor women
since they will be like the angels. Let us whom you arraign, there is neither man nor
hear what he has to say about them. In the woman, how can bodies be turned into souls,
third book of his Commentaries on the or women into men, since Paradise does
Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, on the not allow the existence of either sex, nor
passage in which it is said, '"He who does the likeness of angels, as you say, ad-
loveth his own wife loveth himself, for no mit it? And I marvel how you can demand
man ever hated his own flesh " after a few from others a strict opinion upon the contin-
;
other remarks, he says : uance of the diversity of sex when you your-
self, as soon as you begin to discuss it, find
" Let us men then cherish our wives and let our
yom-self involved in so many knotty questions
souls cherish our bodies in such a way as that the that to evolve
wives be turned into men and the bodies into
yourself out of them becomes
may How
much more right would
spirits, and that there may be no difference of sex, impossible.
but that, as among the angels there is neither male your action be if you were to imitate us
nor female, so we who are to be like the angels niay whom you blame in such matters as these
begin here to be what it is promised that we shall and allow God to be the only judge of them,
be in heaven." as is indeed the truth. It would be far better
can for you to confess your ignorance of them

34. How, I ask, you, seeing that yoiu*
Commentaries contain such doctrines, put than to write things which in a little while
them forward to pro\'e your soundness in the you have to condemn. I should like to ask
accuser whether he can conscientiously
faith, and to confute those ideas which you my
reprove ? How do yom* words tend to re- say that he would ever have found, I do not
in any, even the least, work of mine, l)ut
prove those women whom we have spoken say
even in any familiar letter which I might
1
Possibly a kind of paraphrase of our Lord's words to the
woman taken in adultery. John viii, ii. have written carelessly to a friend, such
<Tufinv(TT>/r, that is one who partakes with us in the myste-
s
ries; hence, initiiited into the same secret, or special npinions.

3 1
Ephes. V, 2S. Gen, i, 27.
448 RUFINUS.
things as that bodies were to be turned into also the novelty of the sense, and because, as
and wives into men, were it not that some one has said, the Greeks have a larger dis-
spirits
course and a happier tongue than ours. We must
he had put thcni forward as if he wished
explain the force of the word by some sort of jieri-
them to be inserted in brazen letters on the
phrasis. Karuiio?./'/ is properly used when something
gates of cities, and recited in the forum, in is thrown down and is cast from a
higher into a
the Senate house and in front of the rostra. lower place, or else when anything is taking its
If he had foiuid any such thing in my writ- beginning. Hence those who' lay the first foim-
dations of future houses are said Karaii^.i/.i/Ktvat,
ings, imagine liow many heads of accusation that is to have thrown down the first foimdations.
he would have set down, how many vohnnes Paul thus used the word to show that God framed
he would have compiled, how he would be all things out of nothing: he assigned to Ilim not
assailing me with all the arms and shafts of

a creation nor a building up, nor a making but a
that teeming breast of his; how he would Karafid'/i/, that is, a beginning of a foundation.
He wishes to show that there was not some otlu-r
have said: " I tell you that he is deceiving
thing antecedent to creatures, and out of which
you by speaking of the resurrection of the creatures were formed, as is held hy the Manicliaiiiis
he denies the resurrection of the and other heretics, who begin with a maker and a
bod}-, for
flesh ; or even if he confesses the resiu'rcc- material, but that all things were made out of
tion of the flesh he denies that of the mem- nothing. But, as to our election to be holy and
without blemish before him, that is, before God,
bers and the sex but, if you do not believe
:
previously to the making of the world, of which the
me, behold and see the very words of his Apostle speaks, this belongs to the foreknowledge
letter, in which he says that bodies are to be
of God, to whom all future things are as if they
were already done, and all things are known before
turned into souls and wives into men." Yet,
they come into being: as Paul is predestinated in
when you write this, we are not to call you the womb of his mother, and Jeremiah before his
a heretic, but are to give satisfaction to you birth is sanctified, chosen, and confirmed, and, as a
as though you were our master. And as for tvpe of Christ, is sent to be a prophet of the
those women whom you have attacked with nations."
your indecent reproaches, they will, when 26. So far he has set forth a
they stand before the judgment seat of Christ, single
exposition of the passage but on whose
bring forward what you have taught them in ;
these Commentaries as well as the things authority he wishes us to receive this in-
which you have since written, with insults terpretation he has not made clear. What
which show that you had forgotten yourself he has done is to make -void this first in-
;
and both the one and the other will be read terpretation by what comes after : for he
" Btit there is
out there, where the favour of men will have goes on: another, who tries
shew that God is just." He therefore
to
ceased, and the applause for which you pay
points out that by that first exposition the
by flattery will be
silent, and they will be
justice of God is not vindicated, which of
judged together with their author for these course is
words and deeds of yours before Christ the contrary to the faith and he goes :
on through the mouth of this 'other,' wliose

righteous judge.
assertions he evidently wishes to exhibit as
25. But now let us go on to discuss what
he writes further as to God's judgment,' for being what is everywhere held for catholic
this too is a matter of the faith. We shall and indul)itable, to gi\e a testimony l)y \vhich
he will, as he asserts, seek to show that (lod
tind that as he alters the faith about the
resurrection of the flesh in
is
just. Let us see then what this other '
other points, so
he does in reference to God's judgment. In
man says, who proclaims the justice of
'
the first book of the Commentaries on the

God.
Ep. of Paul to the Ephesians, he deals with " Another
man," he says, " who seeks to vindi-
that passage in which the Apostle says cate the justice of God, argues that it is not accord-
:
" Even as he chose us in him before the

ing to his own pre-judgment and knowledge, but
foundation of the world that we should be according to the merit of the elect that God's
choice of men is determined; and he says that,
holy and without blemish before him." On before the creation of the visible world, of sky and
this he says :
earth and seas and all that they contain, there
existed other invisible creatures, among which
" For the foundation of the world the Greek has also were souls; and that these souls, for reasons
Krt-a/Jo/l^f Kdcfiov, The word Karafio?:.// does not known to God alone, were casi dozvn into this vale '
mean the same which we understand hy foimda- of tears, this place, of our mournful ])ilgrimage,
tion. We, therefore, shall not attempt to render antl that this is shewn by the prayer uttered by a
a word for a word, which is here impossihlc holy man of old who, having his habitation fixed
on account of the poverty of oin- language and here, yet longed to return to his original abode :
"Woe is me that my sojoiu'ning is prolonged, that

1
I have my habitation among the iniiabitants of
înpstt'ones. Examinations orinquisitions. Itspemshere
to meanthe method which God follows in clistinj»:iiishing
between individuals. 1
(caToôAi)
''
foundation," means literally" casting down."
" Such are the doctrines which are to

Kedar," my soul has long been a pilgrim," and
'
27.
ao-ain "Owretched man that I am, who will de- be found in these works of yours which you
^ and in
lit-er me from the body of this death ?" have written,
single out from all that you
another place "It is better to return and be with
" Before I was brought and which you desire men to read over
Christ,"^ and elsewhere,
again to the prejudice of all the rest.
It is
low, I sinned;'"* and other words ofa
like char-
acter." in these very Commentaries that these doc-
trines are written. There was, you say, an
This relates, they say to the souls' condi- invisible world before this visible one came
tion before they were cast doxvn into the into being. You say that in this world, along
world. The reader of this will be apt to with the other inhalDitants, that is the angels,
say, Master, you seem to tell us, yet do not there were also souls. You that these
say
really tell us,
who these men are who say souls, for reasons known to God alone, enter
this, that the souls of men existed before
into bodies at the time of birth in this visible
Then world those souls,
they were cast down
into the world.
you say, who in a
:
he will reply, " Was

I not right in saying
former age had been inhabitants of heaven,
that you were blind, and no better than a now dwell here, on this earth, and that not
mole? Did I not say before, that they are without reference to certain acts which they
those who assert that God is just,
—
by had committed while they lived there. You
which, if you had any sense at all, you say further that all the saints, such as Paul
would understand that I mean myself for I and others like him in each generation were
:
am not such a heretic as not to include my- predestinated by God for the purpose of re-
self among those who vindicate the justice of them by their preaching to that
calling
God, which indeed all must do who have habitation from which they had fallen and :
the least tincture of good sense." Then they all this war-
you support by very copious
will reply, "Tell us, then, master, tell us, ranties of
Scripture. But are not these state-
what it is that these men say, and you ments precisely those for which you now
among them ? We understand that you say arraign Origen, and for which alone
that before the souls were cast down into the
you demand that he should be condemned?
world, and before the world, which was What other' than him who says such things '
made up of souls, had been cast down to- as these do you condemn in your writings?
the
into
gether with its inhabitants abyss, And
yet if these statements
are to be con-
God chose Paul and those like him, who demned, as you now urge, you will first
were holy and undefiled. But if men are pronounce judgment on these statements,
chosen, they are chosen out of a great nuin- and then find that you have condemned your-
ber; there must be many In a worse
con- No other refuge re-
self by anticipation.
dition out of whom the election is made. mains for
you. There is no room
for any
However, just as in the Babylonian cap- of these "twists and turns for which you
tivity, when
Nebuchadnezzar carried away blame others: for it is
just when you
are
the people into Chaldjsa, Ezekiel and Daniel and have been converted,
doing penance
and the Three Children, and Haggai and when
you have been corrected and put
Zechariah were sent with them, not because in the
but that way of amendment, that you have
they deserved to become captives, stamped these books with fresh authority,
to those who were
they might be a comfort to prove to us by their means what your
carried away; so also, in that 'casting which ought
opinion was as to the doctrines
down' of the world, those who had been to be condemned and therefore what you :
chosen by God before the world was, were have there written must be taken as if we
sent to instruct and train the sinful souls, so heard now the state- making
you distinctly
that through their preaching, might ments contained in them. Yet in these very
these,
return to the place from which they had books make the statements
fallen; and this is what is
meant by the which you yourself But
* " you say are to be condemned.
words of the eighty-ninth Psalm Lord no :
will it is not I that make them.
you say ! :
thou hast been our refuge in generation and It is the 'other' who thus speaks, that is, of
in oflspring, before the mountains were es-
course, the man who I now declare ought
to
tablished, or the earth and the world were be condemned. Well, let us recall, if you
made " that is to say, that before the world line in which you
;
please, that particular
was made, and a beginning was made of the change the person of the speaker, that we
generation of
was a
all things, God refuge see who is whom as
may it you represent
to his saints."
building up this strange theory. You say,
1 Ps. cxx, S.
*Ps. cxix, (37. then, that it is
'
another,' who is endeavour-
2
8
Rom. vii, 24. Bin our numbering, Pe. xc.
ing to show that God is who says these
just,
Phil, i, J3.
VOL. III. g
450 RUFINUS.
thinsfs which wc have set down just above. leading a good life or a bad, one of labour or self-
indulgence, would be of little account if we did not
It"
you say that this 'other' who by this as- believe in the judgment of God which is to come,
sertion of his proves God to be just is sepa- so also the difference of conditions under which
rate and divers from yourself, what then, I men are born would impugn the justice of God
ask, is your own opinion? Must we say unless they were the results of the soul's previous
that you deny that God is just? Oh, great deserts. For, if we do not accept this view, they
the good pleasure of God nor
'
say, it cannot be
'
Master, you who see so sharply, and are so '

'
'
to the praise of his glory and grace that he should

hard upon the moles that ha\e no eyes }ou :
have chosen some before the foundation of the
seem to have got yourself into a most im- world to be holy and undefiled, and to partake of
the adoption through Jesus Christ, and should
possible position, where you are shut in on have appointed others to the lowest position and
every side. Either you must deny that God to everlasting punishment; he could not have loved
other than, and
Jacob before he came forth from the womb and
is
just by declaring yourself
contrary to, him who says these things, or if hated Esau before he had done anything worthy of
hatred, unless there were some antecedent causes
you confess God to be just, as all the Church which would, if W'C knew them, prove God to be
does, then it is you yourself who make the
just."
assertions in question in which case the
;
sentence which you pass upon another falls 29. Whirt can be more distinct than this
upon you, you are thrust through with your statement? What could possibly be thought
own spear. I think that this is enough for or said whether by Origen or by any of those
your conviction before the most righteous whom you say that you condemn, which
judges whose judgment anticipates that of would be clearer than this, that the inequality
God not that they would condemn the man
: of conditions which exists among those who
who sees the mote in his brother's eye but are born into this world is ascribed to the
does not see the beam in his own ; but they justice of God? You say that the cause of
would try to bring him to a better mind and the salvation or perdition of each soul is to
to true repentance. be found in itself, that is, in the passions and
28. But it is possible that this particular dispositions which it has shown in its pi'e-
passage may have escaped his observation, vious life in that new Jerusalem which is the
althousfh he thou"-ht that he had revised these mother of us all. "But this too," he will
books so as to make them perfectly clear, and say no doubt, "is not said by myself. I
put them forward as giving a profession of described it as the opinion of another more- :
his faith, to the prejudice of all the rest. Let over, I used the expression
'
they seize upon
"
us see then what are his opinions in other the opportimity.' Well, I do not deny that
parts. In the same book when he comes to yoti make it appear that you are speaking of
the passage where it is written "According another. But you have not denied that this
to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise man about whom you are speaking is in agree-
of his glory," ho makes these remarks ment and accord with you : you have not said
among others : that he is in opposition or hostility to you.
For, when you use this formula of another'
'
" Here certain men seize

upon the opportunity to in reference to one who is really opposed to
introduce their peculiar views they believe that
you, you habitually, after setting down a few
:
before the foundation of the world, the souls ofmen

dwelt in the heavenly Jerusalem with the angels,
of his words, at once impugn and overthrow
and with all the other celestial powers. They think them you do this in the case of Marcion,
:
that it would be impossible, in accordance with the Valentinus, Arius and others. But when, as
good pleasure of God, and the praise of his glory in this instance, you use, indeed, this formula
and of his grace, to explain the fact that some men
of anotlier,' but report his words fortified by
'
are born poor and barbarous, in slavery and weak-

ness, while others are born as wealthy Roman citi-
the strongest assertions and by the most
zens, free and with strong health that some are ;
abundant testimonies of Scripture, is it not
born in a low, some in a high station, that they evident even to us who are so slow of under-
are born in different countries, in dilTerent parts of
standing, and whom you speak of as moles,'
'
the world unless there are some antecedent causes

:
for which each individual soul had its lot assigned

that he whose words you set down and do
according to its merits. Moreover, the passage not overthrow, is no other than yourself, and
which some think that they understand, (though that we have here a case of the figure well
they do not) the passage of the Epistle to the known to rhetoricians, when they use another
Romans which says, ^ " Hath not the potter a right
man's person to set forth their own opinions.
over the clay from the same lump to make one part
a vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour ?
" Such figiu'csare resorted to by rhetoricians
these men take as supporting this same view; for when they are afraid of oflending particular
they argue that, just as the distinction between people, or when they wish to avoid exciting
1
ill-will against themselves. But, if you think
Talpaa oculis Cantos. Virg, Georg. i, 1S3.
* Uoiii. ix, 21. Ithat you have avoided blame by putting for-
ward ' '

as the author of these state-
another who that ' other
'
was of whomhe had
" But, as
ments, how much more free from it is he spoken before. He therefore says,
whom you accuse. For his mode of action it stands, the addition of the preposition
is much more cautious. He is not content 'before' leads us to explain it
according to
with merely saying, " This is what others the ideas which we argued in a former place
say," or "so some men think," but, "As to tobe necessary." You see, he means that
this or that I do not decide, I only suggest," we, and not some other, no one knows
it is
" If this seems to who, as you may have thought, who in the
and, any one more proba-
ble, let him hold to it, putting the other former place argued thus, when we were ex-
He has been very careful in his " Who hath blessed us
aside." pounding the words
statements, as you know and yet you sum- ;
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
mon him to be tried and condemned. You places in Christ." It was to meet the case
think that you have escaped because you of the less intelligent persons, who might
speak of another
'
'
but the points on which
: think that what was there said was spoken
you condemn him are precisely those in which by some one else, to prevent any error on the
you follow and imitate him. point remaining in the minds of those whom
to read these books so that
30. But let us proceed in our study of he had begged
these Commentaries; otherwise, in dwelling they might see what his opinion of Origen
too long upon a few special points, we may was, that he now acknowledges this opinion
be prevented from taking notice of the greater as his own, and, no longer speaking of
number. In the same book and the same pas- ' another,' says what we have quoted be-
sagfe' are the words "To
the end that we fore ; namely, that, as God had before blessed
should be unto the praise of his glory, we us with all spiritual blessing in Christ in the
who had before hoped in Christ." His com- heavenly places, and had chosen us before
ment is : the foundation of the world ; so also we
are said to have trusted in Christ at that
•'
If it had been simply said We have trusted in former time in which we were elected and
'
Christ,' and there had not been the prefix before,' predestinated and blessed in heaven. He
'
which stands in the Greek tzpotjIttlkote^, the sense himself as it seems to me, has
would be quite clear, namely, that those who have therefore,
^ his own testimony, absolved me fi'om all
hoped in Christ have been chosen in due order by
and liave been predestinated according to the pur- suspicion of speaking a calumny when I say
pose of him who orders all things according to the that that
' '
is no than him-
' '
other other
counsel of his own will. But, as it stands, the addi- self.
tion of the preposition '
before' compels us to ex-
30 (a). But, I undertook to shew some-
plain it according to the same ideas which we
former place to be necessary for the thing
of more importance still in what fol-
argued in a
explanation of the passage, "Who hath blessed us lows. After he had said that we had hoped
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ
before, and that in the time before
in Christ, even as he chose us in him before the
the foundation of the world and before we
foundationof the world, that we should be holy and
without blemish before him:" namely, that God were born in our bodies, we had been blessed
had blessed us before in heaven with all spiritual and chosen in heaven, he again introduces
blessing, and had chosen us before the world was that 'other' of his, and says "Another, :
framed; and that thus we are said to have hoped in who does not admit this doctrine that we had
Christ 'before,' that is, in the time when we were
elected and predestinated and blessed in heaven."
a previous existence and had hope in Christ
before we lived in this body, would have us
But let this for what follows is
understand the matter in his own way." In
31. pass,
of more importance. I thank God that he this passage this 'other,' whoever he maybe,
has relieved me from a very serious burden has put forth all his ill savour. Let him tell
of suspicion. Perhaps I seemed to some us then he means by this ' other whom '
people to be acting contentiously and calum-

who does not admit this opinion that before
when insinuated to we lived in this body we both existed and
niously I that, according
a figure of rhetoric, when he spoke of hoped in Christ for which he requires us to —
'another' he meant himself. But to pre- condemn Origen. does he wish us
'
Whom
vent all further doubt from resting in the to understand by this other } Is it some
'
minds of his hearers, he has himself declared one opposed to himself.'' What do you say,
that it is so. Like a truly good teacher, who great master } You are pressed by that two-
would not wish any ambiguity about his horned dilemma of which you are so fond of
to your disciples. For, if you say
sayings to remain in the minds of his pupils, speaking
he has been so good as to shew quite clearly that by this 'other' who does not admit
that souls existed before they lived in the
'
Eph. i. 12. 2
Reading
'
sorte
'
as in the Comra. itself. body you mean yourself, you have betrayed
g
452 RUFINUS.
the secret which in the previous passages heretic both in his treatises and in hundreds
was concealed. It is now found out that of letters sent to all parts of the world. Let
you by your own confession are that other us not follow his example, but rather that of
who have fashioned all the doctrines of the patriarch David, who, ^\•hcn he had sur-
which you now demand the condemnation. prised his enemy Saul in the cave and miglit
But if we are not to believe you to be the have slain him, refused to do so, but spared
'
'
other of the former passage, so that the him. This man knows well how often I
doctrines which you now impugn may not have done the same by him, both in word
be ascribed to }ou, we have no right to con- and deed and if he does not choose to con-
;
sider you in tliis case to be the 'other' who fess it, he has it fixed at least in his mind and
does not admit that our souls existed before conscience. I will pardon him then, though
we lived in bodies. Choose either side you he never pardons others, but condemns men
like as the ground of your acquittal. This for their words without any consideration or
other,' whom you so frequently bring in, charity; and for the present I will let him
'
are we to understand by him yourself or some come out from this pit, until he falls into
one else.'' Do you wish that he should be that other, from which all of us together will
thought by us to be a catholic or a heretic.'' be unable to deliver him, however much we
Is he to be acquitted or condemned.'* If that may wish and strive. He has to explain how
'other' of yours is a catholic, the man who comes to pass that, in the first passage,
it
said in the former passage that before this where that doctrine was being asserted which
visible world our souls had their abode among sought to vindicate the justice of God, he
the angels and the other heavenly powers in really meant to speak of some one else, and
the heavenly places in Jerusalem which is that that person was the one whom he now
above, and that they there contracted those wishes to have condemned yet in the second ;
dispositions which caused the diversities of passage, where the speaker says the oppo-
their birth into the world and of the other site and does not admit what has been said
conditions to which they are now subject, before, the other whom he speaks of
'
'
then these must be esteemed to be catholic means himself. It is possible that he may
doctrines, and we know that it is an impiety feel sure that this was what he meant, but
to condemn what is catholic. But if you call that he was not able to make it plain in writ-
Let us Sfive him the benefit of the
'
this '
other a heretic, you must also brand inof.
as a heretic the other who will not admit doubt, and assume that in this latter passage
'
'
that souls existed and hoped in Christ before the 'other' is himself, and that it is he who
they were born in the body. Which way does not admit the doctrine which holds that
can you get out of this dilemma, my master.'' before our life in the body began our souls
Whither will you break forth.'' To what existed and hoped in Christ. I will quote
place will you escape.'' Whichever way you the entire passage, and prosecute a fresh and
betake yourself, you will stick fast. Not only diligent inquiry to see what it tends to. He
is there no avenue by which you can with- savs thus :
draw yourself there is not even the least

;
"Another who does not admit this doctrine that
breathing space left you. Is this all the
before our life in the body began our souls existed
profit you have gained from Alexander's
and trusted in Christ, changes the sense of the
Commentaries on Aristotle, and Porphyry's passage so as to mean that, in the advent of our
Introduction.'' Is this the result of the train- Lord and Saviour, wlien in his name every knee
'
ing of all those great Philosophers by whom

shall bow, of things heavenly and earthly and
infernal, and every tongue shall confess that
you tell us you were educated, with all their
Greek and and into Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,
learning, Latin, Jewish when all things shall be made subject to him, there
the bargain.'' Have they ended by bringing will be some who are made subject willingly, but
you into these inextricable straits, in which others only by necessity and that those who before
;
his in his majesty have hoped in him will

you are so pitifully confined that the very be tocoming the praise of his glory; that these therefore
Alps could give you no refuge ? are called *
Fore-hopers; but that those who are
31 {a). But let us spare him now. We
only found to believe through necessity, when even
nnist bend to our examination of the books the devil and his angels will be unable to reject
;
for, to use an expression of his own, a great Christ as King are to

be called simply Ilopers.
work leaves no time for sleep though indeed and that they are not for the praise of hissince glory.
we
;
And this we see partly fulfilled even now,
he himself spares nobody, and does not so can between the reward of those who
distinguish
much use reasonable speech as lash with follow God willingly and those who follow Him
the scourge of his tongue whomsoever he
pleases and any one who refuses to flatter
1 Phil,
;
ii, 10, II.
2
Jerome uses the Greek word TrpoijXrriKOTa?. It seems btwt
him must expect to be branded at once as a to coin a new one to represent the peculiar idea.
through necessity. But,' whether by pretence or in us to condemn in others what you teach
truth, let Christ be proclaimed only let each of yourself in private.
:
For, of course, if you
them understand, both the Hopers and the Fore- are now that other who do not admit the
'
'
hopers, that for the difterence of their hope they

will receive different rewards."
doctrine which holds that our souls existed
in heaven before they were joined to bodies,
32. In this passage all room for doubt you are undoubtedly the man who not only
is removed. In the former passage you promise pardon to the devil and his angels
said that those who before hoped in Christ and all unbelievers but also undertake that
are those who, before they were born in they shall be endowed with rewards of the
bodies in this visible world, dwelt in heaven second order. But if you deny this second
and had hope in Christ. But, to prevent doctrine, you must be the author of that
thisbeing supposed to be your own doctrine, which we discussed.
first And I wonder
you introduced another interpretation, that those able and learned men who read
namely, that at that time when every these writings of his about which he now
knee shall bow to Jesus as Lord, the uni- writes in commendation, should laugh at me
versal creation, of things heavenly, earthly because he calls me a mole, and should not
and infernal, will consist of persons subjected feel that he is all the while thinking of them
to him in two different ways, some willingly, much more as moles, for not seeing that the
some by necessity. You add that all the things I have pointed out are imbedded
in his
saints, who now believe on him through books. For, if he thought that they could
the word of preaching are subject to him understand as well as read, he would never
willingly, and that these are called
Fore- have requested them to get a copy of those
hopers, that is those who have
beforehand books with a view to the condemnation of
hoped in Christ: but that those who are the very things which their master
there
are those who teaches; for these very things which he
subject to him by necessity
have not believed now through the preach- urges us to condemn are most plainly and
ing of the word, but who then will
no manifestly contained in them. I have shewn,
chosen
longer be able to deny him, such as the devil at all events, that he himself in these
and his angels, and those who with them Commentaries of his asserts the doctrines
have been obliged by necessity to believe which he desires to have condemned in
:
and that all these, and amongst them the another man's books, namely, that souls
devil and his angels, who shall afterwards existed in heaven before they were born in
believe, shall not be called Fore-hopers, bodies in this world, and that all sinners
and
because that name belongs to those who unbelievers, together with the devil and his
believed in Christ before, and hoped in him angels, will, at the time when every knee
willingly, whereas these others only
did so shall bow. to Jesus of things heavenly and
afterward and by necessity and you add that, things earthly and things infernal, not only
:
also be summoned to
consequently, they will receive diflerent receive pardon, but
rewards. But you assign rewards, though receive the second order of rewards.
even to It is indeed a thing so unheard of to
they may be inferior ones, to all, 34.
those who now do not believe, that is, the believe that a man can pronounce condem-
devil and his angels and, though now you nation on the fabric which he himself has
;
hold the mere opinion, not the mature reared, that I doubt not it will with difficulty
judgment, of another worthy
of condemna- win credit and I feel that what you desire
;
tion who thinks it possible that the devil is that I should, if possible, produce from
no
may one day have a respite from punishment, his writings instances of this so clear that
him into the kingdom of God to room whatever may be left for doubting that
you bring '
;
receive the second reward. This also you is, passages in which that ' other of which
wish us to understand, that, as it matters not he is so fond is not named at all ;
and this I
whether Christ is preached in truth or by will do. In this same book he declares his
necessity, so it is of
no consequence whether belief that, in the end of the age,' Christ
we believe by necessity or willingly. and his saints will have their throne above
33. These are the things which we learn the demons In such a way that the demons
from the Commentaries to which you direct^ themselves will act according to the will of
us. These are the rules for the confusion Christ and his saints who reign over them.
of our faith which you teach us. You wish In commenting upon the passage where the
* "
aees to come
That in the ages
Apostle says,
iPhil. 5, 18.
s
Regulas confusionis fidei. Another reading- is Confes-
But probably
"
Rufinus meant to give point "to his ex-
1
Sceculi; usually translated by
'the end of the world,'
sionls. ^
for the well known words Rule of which, however, hardly gives the true meaning.
pression bysubstituting
" Rule of confusion of faitli." »Eph. ii, 7.
faith,"
454 RUFINUS.
he might show the exceeding riches of his for imitation to his disciples, but that he sup-
grace iri kindness toward us in Christ Jesus," ports them by large and frequent assertion.
after a few other remarks, he says : Let us see what it is that he teaches us in
these the most approved of his Commen-
"We who formerly were held bound by the law taries. In this same book he teaches that
of the infernal place, and, through our vices and there is for men the possibility of both rising
sinswere given over both to the works of the flesh and falling, not in the present age only but
and to punishment, shall now reign with Christ
and sit together with him. But we shall sit, not in that which is to come. On the passage in
in some kind of low place, but' above all Princi- which the words occur: "Far above all
palities and power and Dominion, and every name Principality and Power and Might and Do-
that is named not only in this age but in the age
minion, and every name that is named not
to come. For, if Christ has been raised from tlie in this age but in that which is to come,"
dead, and sits at tlie right hand of God in heavenly only
places, far above all Principality and Power and
he has the following among other remarks :
Dominion, and above every name that is named, not

only in this age but in the age to come, we also "If, however, there are Principalities, Virtues,
must of necessity sit and reign with Christ and sit Powers and Dominions, they must necessarily
above those things above which he sits. But the have subjects who fear them and serve them and
careful reader will at this point make his inquiry gain power from their strength and this gradation ;
and say: What.'' is man then greater than the of offices will exist not only in the present age but
angels and all the powers of heaven? I make ans- in that which is to come; and it must be possible
svver, though it is hazardous to do so, that the that one may rise through these various stages of
Principalities and Powers and Mights and Domin- advancement and honour, while another sinks,
ions, and all names that are named not only in this that there will be risings and fallings, and that our
age but in that which is to come must refer (since spirits may pass under each of these Powers, Vir-
all things are subjected to the feet of Christ) not tues, Principalities, and Dominions one after the
to the good part of them but the opposite; the other."
Apostle means by these expressions the rebellious
angels, and the prince of this world, and Lucifer I will address the Master in one of
who once was the morning star, over whoin in the 36.
end of the age the saints must sit with Christ, who his own phrases.' Why, after nearly four
con^municates this privilege to them. These Powers hundred years, do you give such teachings
are now infernal powers, abusing their freedom as these to the Latin people with their peace-
for the worst purposes, wandering everywhere and able and do you in-
simple minds 1
Why
running together down the steep places of sin. flict on unaccustomed ears
But when they have Christ and the saints sitting new-sounding
on thrones above them, they will begin to be ruled words, which no one finds in the writings of
according to the will of those who reign over the Apostles.'' I beseech you, spare the ears
them." of the Romans, spare that faith which the
Apostle praised.* Why do you bring out
Surely there is no ambiguity remaining in public what Peter and Paul were unwill-
here the passage needs no one to bring out
ing to publish.'' Did not the Christian world
its
;
points. He says in the most distinct exist without any of these things until not —
tenns, without bringing in the person of any as you say I made my translations, but up to
other,' that the rebclHous angels and the the time when you wrote what I have
'
prince of this world, and Lucifer who once quoted, that is till some fifteen years ago .''
was the morning star, will in the end, when For what is this teaching of yours, that in the
Christ sits and reigns over them with his world to come there will still be
risings and
saints, be fellows and sharers, not only of his fallings, —
that some will go forward and
kingdom but also of his will for to act ac- some go back.'' If that be true, then what
;
cording to the will of Christ and of all his you say, that in this world life is either ac-
saints is to have arrived at the highest blessed-
quired or lost, is not true unless it has some ;
ness, and the perfection which we are taught occult meaning. I do not find that you re-
in the Lord's Prayer to ask of the Father is
pent of any of these doctrines which these
none other than this, that his will may be commentaries contain. Again, you teach
done in earth as it is in heaven. that the Church is to be understood as being
35. But I beg you to listen patiently as I one body made up not of men only but of
follow him in his continual rccm-rencc to angels and all the powers of heaven. You
these same doctrines — not indeed in all that he
say in commenting on the passage of the
of for it is so much that I should same '" And
says them, book, in which the words occur
have to write many volumes if I tried to ex- gave him to be head over all the Church,"
haust it — but as much as will satisfy the a little way down: "The Church maybe
reader that it is not by chance that he slips understood as consisting not of men alone,
into these notions which he now proposes but also of
angels, and of all the powers, and
1
^
Jerome, Letter Ixxxiv, S> *
Rom. i, S. '
£ph. i, as.
reasonable creatures." Again, you say that "We must hold that men are by nature chil-
body of humilia-
' '
dren of wrath because of this
souls, because in that former life they knew tion and 2 'body of death,' and because
^
t'lt; ' '
God, now know him not as one previously heart of man is disposed to evil from his youth.'"
unknown, but as though after having for-
gotten him they came to recognize him Again, on the opinion that there is first a
again. These are the words used in a pas- creation of the soul and afterwards a fashion-
sage of the same book :
ing of the body he says (at the same passage,
a long way down)
"The words which he uses "In the knowledge of
him"' some interpret by recalling that between "And observe carefully that he does not say,
-yvfiaig and 'eirtyvuaii; (Gnosis
and Epignosis) tliat We are his forming and fashioning, but
' We "• '
is, between knowing and recognition there

is this '
are his making.' For fashioning implies the fact

'
difference, that Knowing has reference to things of man's

origin from the slime of the earth: but
which we did not know before and have since be- from liis origin according to the image
'
do with making'
gun to know, while Recognition has to and similitude of God. And this distinction is
those things which we afterwards remember. Our confirmed by the words of the iiSth Psalm
* "
Thy
souls, then, they say, have a kind of apprehension hands have made me and fashioned me." Mak- '
of a former life, after they have been cast down has the first place, fashioning' comes after.''
'
into human bodies, and have forgotten God their ing'

Father; but now we know him by revelation, accord-
^ "
All the ends of this
Are there any other things which he
ing to that which is written :
world shall remember and turn to the Lord

"
and wishes us to condemn.? He has only to
;
there are many similar passages." mention them, and we can draw them out
from his own books, or rather from the
38.^ Now, as to the expression which
he bottom of his own heart. For instance. We
" Some I think it has been
uses, persons say," are to condemn as a pestilent assertion that
made clear by what I have previously said, the nature of human souls and of angels is
" some
that, when he says persons say" or the same. But let us see what his own
" Another and does not controvert the in the
says," opinion is on this point as given
is he
opinions which are thus introduced, it books whicli he specially puts before us as
himself who is this 'certain' or 'other' and
containing the pattern of his profession
person. And this is proved by the numerous his rule of faith. Turn to the passage, ^ " He
cases which I have pointed out in which he came and
preached peace to them which
expresses opinions agreeing with these with- were afar off and to them that were nigh."
out the introduction of any such person. We
His comment on this first expounds the
must consider therefore in each case whether words of
Jews and Gentiles, and then goes
he expresses any dissent from the other.' on
'
For instance, an opinion is put forward that

" This
the stars and the other things that are in has been said in accordance with the
heaven are reasonable beings and capable of Vulgate^ translation. But, if a
man reads the
words of the Apostle when he says of Christ,
sinning. We must see, therefore, what his ^
"Making peace through the blood of his cross for
own opinion is on this point. Turn to his those that are in earth and for those that are in
" He heaven" and the rest that is said in that place, he
note, in this book," upon the passage
must reign till he hath put all his enemies will not consider that it is we who are called the
Israel are intended by those afar off,' '
under his feet."* You will find, some way spiritual who are called 'Israel
and that the Jews, merely
down, the words :
after the fleshare those who are nigh.' He will
' '
and
" modify the whole meaning of the passage,
It be observed that no one is without sin,
may apply it to the angels and the heavenly powers
that stars are not clean in his sight,® and
Even the and to human souls, and as implying that Christ
earth and
Every creature trembles at the coming of the by his blood joined together things in
things in heaven which before were
Creator. Hence it is not only things on earth but at variance.
also things in heaven which are said to have been who brought back the sheep which had grown
cleansed by our Saviour's cross." sickly upon the mountains to be
with the rest, and
put back the last piece of money among those
which had before been safe."
Again, as to the opinion that it is because
of their being in this body of humiliation or
men
are called children of 39. You observe how much difference he
body of death that
makes between the souls of men and the
wrath, he says, in commenting on the words'
'
We were the children of wrath, even as angels. Merely the difference between the
others.' (Comm. on Ephes. on this verse, 1 Phil, iii, 21. *
Workmanship Eng. Ver. Eph. ii, 10.
some way down.) 2 Rom. vii, 24.

^ With us Ps. cxix, 73.
«
3 Gen. viii, 21. Eph. ii, 17.
1
Eph. i, 17.
^ I Cor. XV, 25. 7 That is, commonly used, or
the old Latin Version, then
sPs.xxii, 27. Job XXV, s. Vulffata. was superseded by Jerome's Version, which in
It
8 There is no chapter numbered 37.
'
Eph. ii, 3. its turn became the Vulgate.
8
" Comm. oil Eph. i, m. Col. i, 30, slightly altered.
45^ RUFINUS.
one sheep and the others, between one with what face you can mock, as we lately
drachma and the rest. But he adds some- saw you, so pleasantly, or rather not pleas-
but scurrilously, at those poor
further; he says: antly at all
thing more, a little way
women who,
striking their bellies and thighs,
"As to what the Apostle sajs, " That he might said that they should not after the resurrec-
create in himself of two one new man, so making tion have those frail bodies but would be
peace," though it seems to be even more applicable like the ansjels and have a life like theirs.
than the former passage to the case of Jews and
Gentiles, it may be adapted to our understanding
You reprove with bitter raillery these poor
of the passage in this way We may suppose him women for saying the very things which are
:
to mean that man, who was made after the image now
produced as passages from these .selected
and similitude of God, is after his reconciliation to Commentaries of Do not think
receive thesame form which the angels now have yours. you
and has lost: and he calls him a new man
lie
this is somewhat asto accuse
if a man were
because he is renewed day by day, and is to dwell another of while he had the very thing
theft,
in the new world." that had been stolen concealed in the bosom
of his toga and as if, after inveighing
;
The souls of men then, differ, according to against the supposed thief in a long and mag-
him, from the angels as sheep from sheep or as nificent peroration, after bringing forward
drachma from drachma and men will have ; witnesses and taking the oath in due form,
that form hereafter which the angels now he should have the stolen article extracted
have, but which tnen once had and had lost. from his toga which he supposed himself to
If then there is no difference between them have convicted another of stealing.
in nature, in shape or in form, I wonder There is another point. You find fault with
that our learned man is not ashamed to con- others because, when questions are asked
demn another person for saying what he thein about such matters, they do not answer
himself has said, and especially when you at once, but hesitate and use gestures rather
observe that this is an exposition not of the than words. Yet you say that the Apostle
Vulgate rendering but of the real meaning does mtich the same, at least, that he '
insin-
of the Apostle. But see what is added uates' something of this kind in his Epistle
fiuther in the same place. He presently to thoughtful men. If Paul does not plainly
says: declare these things, but 'insinuates' them,
" And the creation of the new man will be
and this not to everybody but only to thought-
fully ful people, why do you, whom we are bring-
and completely perfected when things in heaven
and things in earth shall be joined in one, and we ing to see your errors, laugh at us poor
have access to the Father in one spirit, in one creatures when we say about things which
feeling and mind. There is something similar the Apostle has not plainly declared either
suggested by Paul to all thoughtful readers in that we do not know, or that we stand in
another Epistle (though some do not receive it as
his), in these words
" All
these, having had wit-
:
' doubt, and that, since we do not get a full un-
ness borne of their faith, received not the promise, derstanding but a hint of his meaning, we do
God having provided some better thing for us, not declare but suggest an explanation. If the
that apart from us they should not be made per-
fect.'' For this reason the whole creation- groans things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard,
and travails with pain in sympathy with us who
and which have not entered into the heart
of man have been revealed to you if you
groan in this tabernacle, who have conceived in ;
the womb by the fear of God,-* and are in grief and have attained to that which is perfect, and that
wait for the revelation of the sons of God and it ;
you shout which is in part is done away for ;
waits to be delivered from the vanity of the and make aloud and proclaim the truth,
bondage to which it is now subject; so that there
quite plain the things which you say the
may be one shepherd and one dock, and that the
Apostle insinuates,' since not only what he
'
petition in the Lord's Prayer may be fulfilled,

" "
insinuates but what he asserts, as you tell
Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven."
us, now falls under your ban. All these
We are to understand then that things in things on which you now desire us to pro-
heaven and those on earth, that is, Angels nounce anathema are those which you had
and men, formerly had one form and one ascribed to the Apostle in your exposition of
sheepfold, and that so it will be in their his words, and had taught as contained in
future restoration, since Christ will come to the scope of his statements.
make both into one flock, and men are to be 40. There are one or two tnore things on
what angels now are, and what they, that which he wishes condemnation to be passed.
is their souls, previously were. I ask then, One is this that these men say that the body
:
> Heb. » Rom. isa prison, and like a chain round the soul ;
xi, 39, 40. viii, 22.
îii a timore Dei in utero concepimus
' . The expression and that they assert that the soul does not
Is meant to carry out the metaphor of the word «rv»'<u6tcet
depart, but "returns to the place where
" travailctli it
together."
APOLOGY — BOOK I.
457
originally was. Let me give quotations to further back on this point Such is the .^
show his opinion on this point also. In the power of effi-ontery. However, let it be as
second book of these Commentaries, on the he chooses ; I
" For this put aside the truth of the
passage cause, I, Paul, the prisoner matter and accept his own terms; but he will
of Jesus Christ," he says, a little
way dqwn ; still be convicted. I will refer on the matter
" The now in hand to the second book of these
Apostle in several passages calls the body at the passage
' "
the chain of the soul, because the soul is kept shut Commentaries, Giving dil-
up as it were in a prison; and thus we may speak igence
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the
of Paul being kept close in the bonds of the
body bond of peace. There is one body and one
and does not return to be with Christ, so that his
spirit, even as ye were called in one hope of
preaching to the Gentiles maybe perfectly accom-
plished."
your calling." After several remarks, he
proceeds :
And
again book of these Com-
in the third
"The question arises how there can be one hope
mentaries, on the words, " for which I am of our calling, when in the Father's house there are
an ambassador in chains," after some dis- many mansions to which we reply that the
'
king- :
cussion of the passage, he speaks in the char- dom of heaven is the one hope of our calling, as
acter of that other' which is himself:
'
being the one house of our Father's but that in one
house there are many mansions or rooms. For
there is one
" Another contends that he glory of the sun, another of the moon,
^
speaks thus because another of the stars. But certainly it is possible
of the body of our humiliation and the chain with that there is a deeper meaning, namely, that in the
which we are encompassed, so that we ^ know not consummation of the world, all things are to be
yet as we ought to know, and see by means of
''
restored to their primitive condition, and that then

a mirror in a riddle: and that he will be able to
we shall all be made one body, and formed anew into
disclose the mysteries of the Gospel only when he
the perfect man, and that thus the Saviour's Prayer
has cast off this chain and gone forth free from his will be fulfilled in us, ^ Father, grant that, as thou
'
prison. Yet perhaps even in chains that man may and I are one, so they also may be one in us.' "
be considered as free who has his conversation in
* "
heaven, and of whom it may be said You are :
42. I have given you one instance in

not in the prison nor in the flesh, but in the spirit,
if so be that the spirit of God dwelleth in which he has expressed his own opinion
you."
without any ambiguity on the universal
And in the Commentary on Paul's Epistle resurrection. I will give one more, and
to Philemon, at the place where he
^ "
says with this bring to an end the first book of
Epaphras my fellow-prisoner greeteth my Apology. His statements, indeed, on
you," some way down he says this point are innumerable.
: The one I select
is on the passage where it is written :
" " From whom all the
Possibly, however, as some think, a more
^
recondite and mysterious view is set before us, body, fitly framed and
knit together through that which every joint
namely, that the two companions had been cap-
tured and bound and brought down into this vale supplieth according to the working in due
of tears." measure of each several part, maketh the
increase of the body unto the building up of
41. You see how he represents these itself in love." He begins thus :
opinions as things which are held as a kind

" In the end of
of esoteric mystery by certain persons, of things, when we shall have all
whom, however, he is one, as we have face to face, and shall have

begun to know God
shewn over and over again only, he uses come the measure of the age * of the ful- to
:
ness of Christ, of whose fulness we all have
this figure of speech so that he
may escape received,* so that Christ will not be in us in part
the imputations attached to this mystic gnosis. but wholly, and, leaving the rudiments of babes,
You see, he will tell us, how the matter we shall have grown into the perfect man, of
stands. You would never think of Jlttribut- whom the Prophet saj's, ® " Behold the man whose
name is the East," and whom John the Baptist
ing to me the opinion that all things are announces in the words ' *' After me cometh a man :
eventually to be restored to one condition, who has come to be* before me, for he was before
and to be made up again into one body. I me " then by the concurrence in a common faith, ;
and in a common recognition of the Son of God,

beg you not to impute this to me. If I say whom now
that an opinion is another man's, let it be through the variety of men's minds we
cannot know and recognize with one and the same
another's ; if you afterwards find any opinion faith, the whole
body, which before had been
written down v^îthout any 'other' person disintegrated and torn into many parts, will be
being thrown in, you will be right in ascrib- joined and fitted together, and brought into one;
so that there will be but one administration, and
ing it to me. What
then.-* are to lose we
the fruit of all the trouble we have taken 1
Eph. iv, 3. »
Eph. iv, 16.
'John xvii, 21 slightly altered.
*
Eph. iv, 13. The Greek word means either age or stature.
>
Eph. vi, 20.
' I Cor. viii, 2. * Rom. viii, 9. fijohni, 16. 6 Zech. vi, 12. The Branch, Eng. Ver.
' * I «
Col. iii,21. Cor. xiii, 12. Philem. 23.
'
John i, 30.
*
Ante me /actus est.
458 RUFINUS.
one and the same operation, and an absolute yourself request them to read them such :
perfection of the one age,' whereby the whole sayings, I mean as these that all rational :
body will grow equally, and all its members accord- creatures, as can be iinagined by taking a
ing to their measure will receive an increase of age.
But this whole process of up-building, by which single rational animal as an example, are to
the body of the church is increased in all its mem- be formed anew into one body, just as if the
bers, will be completed by mutual love. We can members of a single man after being torn
understand the whole mass of rational creatures by
the example of a single rational animal apart should be formed anew by the art of
and ;
whatever we say of the single creature, we maybe yEsculapius into the same solid body as
sure will be applicable to every creature. Let usbefore that there will be among them as
:
imagine this creature, then, to have had all its amongst the members of the body various
limbs, veins and flesh so torn apart that neither offices, which you specify, but that the body
bone should cleave to bone nor muscle be
will be one, that is, of one nature this one :
joined to muscle, that the eyes lie in one place

apart, the nose in another, that the hands are bod>' made up of all things you call the
placed here and the feet thrown out there, and the original church, and to this you give the
rest of the members are in a similar way dispersed name of the
and divided. Then let us suppose that a physician
body of Christ and further you ;
that one member of this church will be

arrives on the spot, of such skill as to be able to say
imitate the acts of as told in the the apostate angel, that is, of course, the
yEsculapius,
stories ot the heathen, to raise up a new form,
and devil,who is to be formed anew into that
the new man Virbius.'' will be necessary for
It which he was first created that man in the :
him to restore each member to its own place, to same way, who is another of the members,
couple joint to joint, and to replace the various will be recalled to the culture of the garden
parts and glue them together, so as to make
the body one again. So far this single compari- of Eden as its original husbandman. All
son has carried us. But now let us take another say one after the other,
those things }ou
typical case, so as, by a similar illustration to make without
in the person of that
bringing
clear that which we wish to have understood. A other whom
you usually introduce when
' '
child is growing up; moment by moment, though

the process is hidden from us, he is tending to you speak of such matters cautiously, and
perfect maturity. His hands enlarge, his feet like one treading warily, so as to make men
undergo a proportional increase; the belly, though think that you had some hesitation in decid-
we cannot see it, is filled, the shoulders widen matters so secret and abstruse.
unmarked by the eyes, and all the members in ing Origen
each part grow according to their measure, but in indeed, the
man whose disciple you do not
such a way that they evidently increase not for deny that you are, and whose betrayer you
themselves but for the body. So will it be in the confess yourself to be, always did this, as
time ot the restitution of all things, when the true we But
see, in dealing with such matters.
physician Jesus Christ, shall come to restore to as if you were the angel speaking by
health the whole body of the church which is now yoti,
the mouth of Daniel or Christ by that of
dispersed and torn. Every one, according to the
measure of his faith and his recognition of the Paul, give a curt and distinct opinion on
Son of God (it is called recognition because he each
point, and declare to the ears of mortals
first knew him and afterwards ceased from knowing
all the secrets of the ages to come. Then
him), will receive his proper place, and will begin "
to be what he once had been not : yoti
that, according speak thus to us: multitude of the O
to another opinion which is a heresy,^ all will be faithful, place no faith in any of the ancients.
placed in one condition,'' that is, all restored to the If Oriijen had some thoucrhts about the more
condition of Angels, but that every member will secret facts of the divine purposes, let none of
be perfected according to its measure and office
you admit them. And similarly if one of the
:
for instance, that the apostate angel will begin to

be that which he was originally made, and man Clements said any such things, whether he who
who had been cast out of the garden of Eden will was a disciple of the apostle or he of the church
be brought back to cultivate the garden again. of Alexandria who was the master of Origen
But all these things will be so constituted that
himself; yes even if they were said by the
they will be joined to one another by mutual love,
each member rejoicing with its fellow and being great Gregory of Pontus, a man of apostolic
gladdened by its advancement; and so the church virtues, or by tlie other Gregory, of Nazianzus,
of the first born, the body of Christ, will dwell in
'
and Didymus the seeing prophet, both of
the heavenly Jerusalem which the Apostle in them whom the world has
my teachers, than
another place calls the mother of the Saints."
possessed none
deepl}' taught in the more
All these have erred as
faith of Christ.
43. These things which you have said
are read by all who know Latin, and you
Origen has erred but let them be forgiven, ;
for I too have erred at times, and I am now

Or stature, see above. behaving myself as a penitent, and ought to
•
>
Formerly Hippolytus. See the stnry in Ovid, Mot. xv, 544.
3
Or,
"
accordiiif^ to another heresy
'"— Jiixta aliam h<xre-
be forgiven. But Origen, since he said the
îm. Sec Jcr. Apnl. i, 27.
<
Lit. age. The word may come either from taking the
wrong meaning of the Greek word for Stature, or may be a
1
Didymus, the blind teacher of Alexandria. Jerome who
synonym for the word ,ôn, which would here mean a range admired him, though he was a disciple of Origen, delights in
or order of being. falling him, in contrast to his blindness, the Seer,
same things which I have said, shall receive trine as you call it which you then professed.
no forgiveness though he has done penance ; Besides, who will ever mend his ways on
nay, for saying the things which we all have account of your penitence, when that very
said, he alone shall be condemned. He it is document, in which you are at once the
who has done all the mischief he who ; penitent, the accuser and the judge, sends
betrayed to us the secret of we say or your readers back to those same doctrines as
all that
write, of all which makes us seem to speak those which they are to read and to hold.
learnedly, of all that was good in Greek but Lastly, even if these things were not so, yet
which we have made bad in Latin. Of all you yourself, after your penitence, have
these let no man listen to a single one. stopped up every avenue of forgiveness. You
Accept those things alone which you find in say that Origen himself repented of these
aiy Commentaries, and especially in those doctrines, and that he sent a document to
on the Epistle to the Ephesians, in which I that effect to Fabian who was at that time
have most painfully confuted the doctrines Bishop of the city of Rome and yet after ;
of Origen. researches have reached this this repentance of his, and after he has been
My
result, that you must believe and hold the dead a hundred and fifty years, you drag
resurrection of the flesh in this sense that him into court and call for his condemnation.
men's bodies will be turned into spirits and How
is it possible then that you should re-
their wives into men and that before the ceive forgiveness, even though you repent,
;
foundation of the world souls existed in since he who before was penitent for emitting
heaven, and thence, for reasons known to those doctrines gains no forgiveness? He
God alone, were brought down into this w^rote just as you have written he repented :
valley of tears, and were inserted into this as you have repented. You ought there-
body of death that, in the end of the ages fore either both of you to be absolved for
;
the whole of nature, being reasonable, will your repentance, or, if you refuse forgiveness
be fashioned again into one body as it was in to a penitent (which I do not desire to see
the beginning, that man will be recalled into you insist upon), to be both of you equally
Paradise, and the apostate angel will be condemned. There is a parable of the Gos-
exalted above Peter and Paul, since they, pel w^hich illustrates this. woman taken A
being but men, must be placed in the lower in adultery was brought before our Lord by
position of paradise, while he will be re- the Jews, so that they might see what judg-
stored to be that which he was originally ment he would pronounce according to the
created and that
;
all shall together make up law. He, the merciful and pitying Lord,
the Church of the first born in heaven, and, said: "He that is without sin among you
while placed each let him first cast a stone at her." And then,
in his separate office, shall
be equally members of Christ but all of it is said, they all departed. The Jews, im-
:
them taken together will be the perfect body pious and unbelieving though they were, yet
of Christ. Hold then to these things, my blushed thi-ough their own consciousness of
faithful and discreet disciples, and guard guilt
'
since they were sinners, they would
;
them as my vmhesitating definitions of truth not appear publicly as executing vengeance

;
but for the same doctrines pronounce your on sinners. And the robber upon the cross,
condemnation upon Origen so you will do said to the other robber who was hanging
;
well. Fai-e ye well." like him on a cross, and was blaspheming,

44. You do all this, you know well enough, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing we are in
laughing at us in your sleeve and you pro- : the same condemnation ? " But we condemn
fess penitence merely to deceive those to in others the things of which we ourselves
whom you write. Even if your penitence are conscious yet we neither blush like the
;
is sincere, as it should be, what is to become Jews nor are softened like the robber.
of all those souls who for so many years
1
have been led astray by this poisonous doc- John viii, 9.
460 RUFINUS.
RUFINUS* APOLOGY.
BOOK II.
1. Jerome says that the defenders of Origan are united in a federation of perjury.
of the texts about a secret federation
2. Jerome's commentaries on Ephesians follow Origen's interpretation
to whom higher truths are to be told.
3. But I follow Christ in condemning all falsehood.
4. Jerome has not only allowed perjury but has practised it.
5. His treatise on Virginit)' (Ep. xxii to Eustochium) defames all orders of Christians.
6. In his anti-Ciceronian dream he promised never to read or possess heathen books.
7. Yet his works are filled with quotations from them.
"
8. In his " Best mode of Translation he relies on the opinions of Cicero and Horace.
9. He confesses his obligations to Porphyry^
8 (2). Jerome at Bethlehem had heathen books copied and taught them to boys.
9 (2). He condemns as heathenish unobjectionable views which he himself holds.
10 (2). He spoke of Paula impiously as the mother-in-law of God.
11. Such impiety is unpardonable.
12. Jerome's boast of his teachers, Didymus and the Jew Baranina.
13. His extravagant praises of Origen.
14. Preface to Origen on Canticles.
15. Preface to Commentary on Micah.
16. Book of Hebrew Names.
17. A story of Origen.
18. Pamphilus the Martyr and his Library.
19. Jerome praises Origen but condemns others for doing the same.
20. Jerome praises the dogmatic as well as the expository works of OrigeOf
21. Contrast of Jerome's earlier and later attitude towards Origen.
22. The Book of Hebrew Questions.
23. Jerome's attack upon Ambrose.
24. Preface to Didymus on the Holy Spirit.
25. Jerome attacks one Christian writer after another.
26. His treatment of Melania.
27. I never followed Jerome's errors, for which he should do penance.
27 a. But I followed his method of translation.
28. Jerome condemning me condemns himself.
in
29. He shew Origen to be heretical, yet condemns me.
says I
30. His pretence that the Apology for Origen is not by Pamphilus needs no answer.
31. Others did not translate the Ilfpi 'Ap,t'"'i' because they did not know Greek.
32. Jerome's translation of the Scriptures impugned.
33. Authority of the LXX.
34. Has the Church had spurious Scriptures?
35. Danger of altering the Versions of Scripture.
36. Origen's Hexapla Its object. —
37. St. Paul's method of dealing with erring brethren.
38. How Jerome should have replied to Pammachius.
39. The Booksagainst Jovinian.
40. translation of the Tihpl 'Apx'''" was meant to aid in a good cause.
My
41. 42, 43. Recapitulation of the Apology.
44. An appeal to Pammachius.
45, 46. my translations of Origen had created offence, but Jerome's not.
Why
47. A
Synod, if called on to condemn Origen, must condemn Jerome also.
In the first book of my Apolo^jy I have dealt and a very grave accusation, which has, like
with the accusations of doj^niatic error which the former, to be cut down by the scythe of
he endeavours unju.stly to fix upon others, and truth. It is this. He says that certain '
have, by producing his own testimony, persons have joined themselves to Ori<ren
turned them back against him. In the in a secret society of peijury, and that the
second book, I shall be able, now that 1 forms of initiation are to be found in the
^
have settled and put aside the matters which Sixth book of his Miscellanies and that:
have to do with controversies of faith, more 1 Letter

Ixxxiv. 3 (end).
confidently to reply to him on the other Stroniateis, meaninfr collections of short essnvs on im-
2
portant subjects, disconnected, nnd thrown out like things

heads of his accusation. For there is another scattered or strewn on the ground.
APOLOGY — BOOK II. 461
this mystery has been detected by no one Observe, I beg you, look carefully and
but himself through all this space of time. see whether in all this passage there is
I should only excite his ridicule were I to any one else but himself on whom the
declare, even with an oath, that I was an condemnation can fall. If his adver-
entire stranger to such a secret society of saries were looking for an opportunity
pei-jury. The road by which I propose to of convicting and destroying him on the
reach the declaration of the truth is more ground of what he has written, what
direct it is
:
by proving, which I can do other course could they take, and what other
quite easily, that I have never possessed testimonies could they wish to produce
those books nor borrowed them from others against him than these which he produces
to read. Not only cannot I defend myself against himself as if he were pleading
from an accusation the meaning of which I against another If it were sought to pro- .''
do not know, but I do not see how a matter nounce a condemnation against him, his own
can be made the subject of a charge against letter would suffice. You have only to
me as to which I do not even know what change the name the test of the accusation ;
it is, or whether it exists at all. I only know suits no one but himself alone. What he
that my accuser declares that either Origen calls on us on the one hand to condemn, he
wrote or his disciples hold, that, when the exhorts us on the other hand to follow :
" He
that speaketh truth with what he asserts, that he reproves : what he
Scripture says"
his neighbour the words apply to a neighbour hates, that he does. happy must be his How
only in the sense of one of the initiated, a disciples who obey and imitate him !
member of this secret society : and again 3. He has endeavoured, indeed, to brand
that the Apostle's words " speak wisdom us We
with the stain of this false teaching by
among them that are perfect" and the speaking to some of our brethren, and he
words of Christ "Give not that which is repeats this by various letters, according to
holy unto dogs, neither cast ye your pearls his recognized plan of action.
It is nothing
before swine," imply that truth is not to be to me what he may write or assert, but,
communicated to all. since he raises this question about a doctrine
2. Let us see what my adversary himself of perjury, I will state my opinion upon it,
says on this point in those Commentaries and then leave him to pass judgment upon
which he has selected. In the second book, himself. It is this. Since our Lord and
in commenting on the words '"Wherefore, Saviour says in the Gospels
" It was said to
putting away lying, speak every man truth them of old time. Thou shalt not forswear
to his neighbour, for we are members one thyself, but shalt pay to the Lord thy vows,
" '
of another" (after a short introduction) he but I say unto you, Swear not at all I say ;
speaks as follows : that every, one who teaches that for any
cause whatever we may swear falsely, is
" Hence Paul himself, who was one of the
per- alien from the faith of Christ and from the
" We
fect, says in another Epistle speak wisdom of the catholic church.
among them that are perfect."
^
This then is what unity
and secret 4. But I shoidd like, now that I have
is commanded, that those mystic things,
which are of divine truth, should be spoken by
full satisfied my own account, and sup-
you on
each man to his neighbour, so that day unto day ported opinion by an anathema, to make
my
may utter speech and night to night shew knowl- this plain to you further, that he himself
edge,^ that is, that a man should show all those declares that in certain orgies and mystical
clear and lucid truths which he knows to those to
whom the words can be worthily addressed " Ye :
societies to which he belongs perjury is
On the other hand, practised by the votaries and associates.
*
are the light of the world."
he should exhibit everything involved in darkness That is a certain and most true saying of our
and wrapped up in the mist of symbols to others " ^
who are themselves nothing but mist and darkness, God, By their fruits ye shall know them,"
those of whom it is said " And there was darkness
and this also "A tree is known by its
^
under his feet,"* that is, of course, under the feet fruits." Well he says that I have ac-
:
of God. For on Mount Sinai Moses enters into cepted this doctrine of peijury. If then I
the whirlwind and the mist where God was and it is ; have been trained to this practice, and this
written of God, " He has made darkness his secret
evil tree has indeed its roots within me, it is
place."
^
Let each man then thus speak truth in a
mystery to his neighbour, and not give that which' impossible but that corresponding fruits
is holy to dogs nor cast his pearls before swine; should have grown npon me, and also that
but those who are anointed with the oil of truth, I should have gathered some society of
them let him lead into the bridechamber of the
mystic associates around me. As regards
spouse, into the inner sanctuary of the King."
myself whom alone he seeks to injure by all
1 * Matt. Vj 14. " Ps. xviii, II.
Eph. IV, 25.
iv,
» I Cor. ii, 6.
.
8
Ps, xviii, 9. » Matt, vii, 6.
s Ps. xix, 3. 1 Matt. V, 33, 34. * Matt, vii, 16-20.
»
Luke vi, 44.
462 RUFINUS.
that he writes, I will not bear witness to It would be a shame even to recount the in-
myself, nor will I say that there are cases of decent attacks w^hich he makes upon the
necessity in which it is right to swear for :
Presbyters and the deacons. I will, how-
I wish to avoid reproach through timidity if ever, give the beginning of this violent invec-
not through prudence and, at all events, if
; tive, by which you may easily imagine what
I fail in obedience to the command, I will a point he reaches in its later stages.'
acknowledge my error. I will therefore
make no boast of this. But, whether I have "There are some," he says, "of my own order,
who only seek the office of Presbyter or deacon so
erred or acted prudently, he at all events can that they may have more license to visit women.
lay his finger on no act of mine by wdiich he They care for nothing but to be well dressed, to be
can convict me. But I can shew from his well scented, to pre\ent their feet from being loose
and bulging. Their curly hair bears the mark of
writings, that he not only holds this doctrine
the crisping iron; their fingers sparkle with rings;
of perjury, but practises this foul vice as a
and they walk on tiptoe, for fear a fleck of mud
sacred duty. I will bring nothing against from the road should touch their feet. When you
him which has been trumped up by ill will, see them, you would take them for bridegrooms
as he does against me but I will produce
;
rather than clerics."
him and his writings as witnesses against him-
He then goes on to hurl his reproaches
self, so that it may be made clear that it is not
his enemies who accuse but he who convicts against our priests and ministers, specifying
their faults, or rather their crimes; and to
himself.
When he was at Rome he represent the access allowed them to married
5. living
' ladies not only in a disgraceful light, but so
w^rote a treatise on the preservation of vir-
as to seem positively execrable and after :
ginity, wdiich all the pagans and enemies of

God, all apostates and persecutors, and who- having cut to pieces with his satirical defa-
mation the whole race of Christians, he does
ever else hate the Christian name, vied with
not even spare himself, as you shall presently
one another in copying out, because of the
hear,
infamous charges and foul reproaches which
it contained against all orders and degrees 6. For I will now return, after a sort of
us, against all who profess and call digression, to the point I had proposed, and
among for the sake of which it was necessary to
themselves Christians, in a word, against the
and also because this man mention this treatise. I will shew that per-
universal church ;
declared that the crimes imputed to us by jury is looked upon by him as lawful, to such
a point that he does not care for its being de-
the Gentiles, which were before supposed
tected in his writings. In this same treatise
to be false were really true, and indeed that
much worse things were done by our people he admonishes the reader that it is wrong to
than those laid to their charge. First, he study secular literature, and says," "What
defames the virgins themselves of whose has Horace to do with the Psaltery, or Vir-
virtue he professed to be writing, speaking gil with the Gospels, or Cicero with St.
of them in these words :
^ Paul ? Will not your brother be oflended if
he sees you sitting at meat in that idol's tem-
" Some of them
change their dress and wear the ple.'"' And then, after more of the same
costume of men, and are ashamed of the sex in
which they were born; they cut their hair short, kind, in which he declares that a Christian
and raise their heads with the shameless stare of must have nothing to do with the study of
eunuchs. There are some who put on CiHcian secular literatm-e, he gives an account of a
jackets,^ and with hoods made up into shape, revelation divinely made to him and filled
make themselves like horned owls and night birds, with fearful threatenings upon the subject.
as if they were becoming babies again."
He reports that, after he had renoimced the
There are a thousand such calumnies, and world, and had turned to God, he neverthe-
worse than these, in the book. He docs not less was held in a tight grip by his love of
even spare widows, for he says of them,^ secular books, and found it hard to put
" away his longing for them.^
They care for "nothing but the belly and
what is next it and he adds many other
;
obscene remarks of this kind. As to the Suddenly I was caught up in the spirit and
dragged before the judgment seat of the Judge;
whole race of Solitaries, it would take too and here the light was so bright, and those who
long to give the passages written by him in stood around were so radiant, that I cast myself
which he attacks them with the foulest abuse. upon the ground and did not dare to look up.
Asked who and what I was I replied I am a '
1 See Eustochium. In it Jerome pointed out

letter xxii. to Christian.' But He who presided said: 'Thou
the worldlincss of professing Christians, and the inconsistcn-
liest thou art a follower of Cicero and not of Christ.
cies and hypocrisies of many of the clergy and monks. ;
2 Letter xxii. c. 27 (end). For where thy treasure is there will thy heart be
3 Of goats' hair, used by soldiers and sailors.
* » Id. c. 2S. » Id. 29 (end). » Id. 30,
Letter xxii. c. 29 (middle).
also.' Instantly I became dumb, and amid the ion, thus incurring the condemnation of
strokes of the lash —
for He had ordered me to be our
Apostle (not his, for those he whom
scourged —
I was tortured more severely still by
calls his' are Flaccus and Tully) '
who
the fire of conscience, considering with myself "
says,
that verse ' In the grave, who shall give thee He who
judges is condemned if he eat."
'
thanks?' Yet for all that I began to cry and to In that treatise, which tells us that no works
bewail myself saying :
'
O of any kind reasonably admit of a rendering
Have mercy upon me,
Lord; have mercy upon me.' the sound of Amid
word for word (though he has come round
the scourges this cry still made itself heard. At
last the bystanders, falling down before the knees now to think such rendering reasonable)' he
of Him who presided, pnayed that He would have inserts whole passages from a work of
pity on my youth, and that He would give
me space Cicero.^ But had he not said, has "What
to repent of my error. He might still, they urged, Horace to do with the
Psalter, or Maro with
inflict torture upon me, should I ever again read
the Gospels, or Cicero vvîth the Apostle.^
the works of the Gentiles. Under the stress of that
awful moment I should have been ready to make Will not your brother be offended if he sees
even still larger promises than these. Accordingly you sitting in that idol temple.^" Here of
I made oath and called upon His name, saying course he himself in guilty of idola-
brings
Lord, if ever again I possess worldly books, or if
'
ever again I read such, I have denied thee.' On try ; for if reading causes offence, much
more does writing. But, since one who
was dismissed, and returned to
taking this oath, I
the upper world. turns to idolatry does not thereby become
wholly and completely a heatlien unless he
7.
You observe how new and terrible a first denies Christ, he tells us that he said to
form of oath this is which he describes. The Christ, as he sat on the judgment seat with
Lord Jesus Christ sits on the tribunal as his most exalted angel ministers around him,
are assessors, and plead for " If I ever hereafter read or possess any
judge, the angels
him and there, in the intervals of scourgings heathen books, I have denied thee," and now
;
and he swears that he will never he not only reads them and possesses them,
tortures,
again have by him the works of heathen not only copies them and collates them, but
authors nor read them. Now look back over inserts them among the words of Scripture
the are dealing with, and tell me itself, and in discourses intended for the edi-
work we
whether there is a single page of it in which fication of the Church. What I say is well
he does not again declare himself a Cicero- enough known to all who read his treatises,
nian, or in which he does not speak of
'
our and But it is just like a
requires no proof.
Tully,' our '
Flaccus,' our Maro.' As'
to man who is »
trying to save himself from such

and a
.
Chrysippus and Aristides, Empedocles gulf of sacrilege and perjury, to make up

all the rest of the Greek writers, he scatters some excuse for himself, and to say, as he
their names around him like a vapour or does: "I do not now read them, I have a
halo, so as to impress his readers
with a tenacious
memory, so that I can quote vari-
sense of his learning and literary attainments. ous passages from different writers without
Amongst the rest, he boasts of having read a break, and I now merely quote what I
the books of Pythagoras. Many learned learned in my youth." Well if some one :
men, indeed, declare these books to be non- were to ask me to prove that before the sun
extant but he, in order that he may illus- rose this morning there was night over the
:
trate every part of his vow about heathen au- earth, or that at sunset the sun had been
thors, declares that he has read
even those
shining all day, I should answer that, if a
which do not exist in writing. In almost all man doubted about what all men knew, it
his works he sets out many more and longer was his business to shew cause for his doubts,
quotations from these
whom he calls his not for me to shew cause for my certainty.
'
own than from the Prophets and Apostles Still in this instance, where a man's soul is at
'
who are ours. Even in the works which he stake, and the crime of peijury and of im-
addresses to girls and weak women, who de- pious denial of Christ is alleged, a condem-
sire, as is right, only to
be edified by teaching nation must not be
thought to be a thing of
out of our Scriptures, he weaves in illustra- course, even though the facts are known and
tions from 'his own' Flaccus and Tullius understood by all men. We are not to imi-
and Maro. ^
tate him who condemns the accused before
8. Take the treatise which he entitles they have undergone any examination and ;
" On the best mode of translating," though not"

only without a hearing, but without
there is nothing in it except the addition of summoning them to appear; and not only
the title which is of the best, for all is of the unsummoned, but when they are already
worst and in which he proves those to be He that doubteth A.V.
Vulg. Rom.
;
1 Discerns it. xiv, 23.
heretics with whom he is now in commun- 2 In the translation of the lUpi 'ApX'^" made by Jerome for
Pammachiiis and Oceanus, he rendered word for word.

* 8 Letter Ivii. 5. •
1
Cicero, Horace and Virgil, Letter Ivii. .
464 RUFINUS.
dead and not only the dead, but those whom

; Greek language and literature. All these
he had always praised, till then; and not thingscame after his oath, after that solemn
only those whom he had praised, but whom engagement had been made. It is of no use
he had followed and had taken as his mas- for us to argue in such a case. It will at
ters. We must fear
judgment of the the once be said to us Man, you are wrong,
:
Lord, who says "Judge not and ye shall God

'
not mocked, and no syllogisms spun
is
not be judged," and again, " With what out of the books of Alexander will avail with
measure ye mete it shall be measured to you him. think, my brother, it was an ill-
I
again." Therefore, though it is really super- omened event that you submitted to the In-
fluous, I will bring against him a single wit- troduction of Porphyry. Into what has that
ness, but one who must prevail, and whom faithless man introduced you .'' If it is into
he cannot challenge, that is, once more, him- the place where he is now, that is the place
self and his own All can attest where there is weeping and gnashing of
writings.
what I say in reference to this treatise of his ;
teeth for there dwell the apostate and the
;
and my assertion about it seems to be super- enemies of God and perhaps the peijurers
;
fluous but I must make use of some special

; will go there too.
testimony, lest what I say should seem unsat- 10. You chose a bad introducer. If you
isfactory to those who have not read his will take my counsel, both you and I will by
works. preference tin"n to him who introduces us to
9. When he wrote his treatises against the Father and who said No man cometh ' '
Jovinian, and some one had raised objections unto the Father but by me.' I lament for
to them, he was informed of these
objections you, my brother, if you believe this and if ;
by Domnio, that old man whose memory yoti believe it not, I still lament that you
we all revere and in his answer to him ' he
; hunt through all sorts of ancient and anti-
said that it was impossible that a man like quated documents for grounds for suspecting
him should be in the wrong, since his knowl- other men of perjury, while perjury, lasting
edge extended to everything that could be and endless with all its inexplicable impiety,
known: and he proceeded to enumerate remains upon your own lips. Might not
the various kinds of syllogisms, and the these words of the Apostle be rightly applied
^ "
whole art of learning and of writing (of to you Thou that art called a Jew and
:
course supposing that the man who found restest in the law, and makest thy boast in
fault with him knew nothing about such God, being instructed out of the law, and
things) He then goes on thus ^
. . trustest that thou thyself art a leader of the
" blind, a light of them that sit in darkness, an

It was foolish, it appears, in me to think that
instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes,
I could not know all these things without the phil-
osophers, and to look upon tlie end of the stylus
who hast a form of knowledge and of the
which strikes out and corrects as better than the truth in the law : Thou therefore, that
end with which we write. It was useless for me, teachest others, teachest thou not thyself.'*
*
it seems, to have translated the Commentaries of Thou that sayest a man should not commit
Alexander, and for my learned master to have
adultery, dost thou commit adultery.^ Thou
brought me into the knowledge of Logic through
the 'Introduction' of Porphyry; and, putting aside that preachest that a man should not steal,
humanistic teachers, there was no reason why I dost thou steal.'' Thou that abhorrest idols,
should have had Gregory Nazianzen and Didymus
as my teachers in the Scriptures."
dost thou commit sacrilege" that is per- —
and most im-
jury.'' And, what comes last
" The name of God is
This, you observe, is the man who said to portant, blasphemed
the Gentiles through you," and your
Christ, I have denied thee if ever I am among
found to possess or to read the works of the love of strife.
heathen. He might, one would think, at 8 (2). will pass on to clear up We
another of the charges, if only he will con-
all events have left out
Porfohyry, who was
fess under the stress of his own consciousness
Christ's special enemy, who endeavoured as
of wrong that he has been convicted both
far as in him lay to completely subvert the
of perjury and of making a false defence.
Christian religion, but whom he now glories
if he attempts to deny what I
in having had as his instructor in his Intro- Otherwise,
I can produce as witnesses any number
duction to Logic. He cannot put in the say,
of my brethren, who, while living in the
plea that he had learned these things at a
former time for, before his conversion, he cells built by me on
the Mount of Olives,
:
and I equally were wholly ignorant of the copied out for him most of the Dialogues
of Cicero. I often, as they wrote them out.
1 Matt, vii, I, 2. Ep.I. 3Ep. 1. I.
*
Verti. Possibly used like Versare for
'turning over the
leaves/
'
making constant use of,'
1
John xiv, 6.
* Rom. ii, 17-3^.
had in my hands quaternions' of these Dia- created and that this must be after long
;
logues and I looked them over myself, in rec-

; pimishment equal to the length of all the
ognition of the fact that he gave them much ages, which God inflicts on each creature in
larger pay than is usually given for writings the spirit not of one who is angry but of one
of other sorts. He himself also came to see who corrects, since he is not one who is
me at Jerusalem from Bethlehem, bringing extreme to mark iniquity and that, his de-
;
with him a book which contained a single sign like a physician being to heal men, he
Dialogue of Cicero, and also one of Plato's will place a term upon their punishment.
in Greek he will not pretend to deny hav-
;
Whether in this you spoke truly, let God
ing given me that book, and having stayed judge anyhow such views seem to me to
;
some time with me. But what is the use of contain little of impiety against God, and
delaying so long over a matter which is nothing at all of heathenism, especially if
clearer than the light.'' To all that I have they were jDut forward with the desire and
said this addition is to be made, after which intention of finding some means by which
all further comment is superfluous that after the justice of God might be vindicated.
;
he had settled in the monastery at Bethle- 10 (3). I would not, therefore, have you
hem, and indeed not so long ago, he took distress yourself overmuch about these
the office of a teacher in grammar, and ex- points, nor expose yourself needlessly either
plained his own Maro and the comedians to penance or to condemnation. But there
'
'
and lyrical and historical writers to young is a matter of real importance, as to which
boys who had been entrusted to him that he I can neither excuse nor defend you namely, ;
might teach them the fear of the Lord so a statement openly made by you which is
:
that he actually became a teacher and pro- not only heathenish but beyond all heathen-
fessor in the knowledge of those heathen ism and impiety the statement in the —
authors, as to whom he had sworn that if treatise which I have inentioned above,'
he even read them he would have denied that God has a mother-in-law. Has anything
Christ. so profane as this or so impious been said even
9 (3). But now let us look at the other by any of the heathen poets? It would be a
points which he blames. He says that the foolish question to ask whether you find any-
doctrines in question are of heathen origin, thing of the kind in the holy Scriptures. I
but in this judgment he condemns himself. only ask whether 'your' Flaccus or Maro,
He calls these doctrines heathenish yet he whether Plautus or Terence, or even whether
;
himself incorporates them into his wôrks. any writer of Satires among all their unclean
He here makes a mistake. Still, we ought and immodest sayings has ever uttered such
to stretch out the hand to him, and not to an outrage against God. No doubt you
press him too far for it is only because he were led astray by the fact that the girl to
:
soars so completely above the world on the whom you addressed the treatise was called
^
wings of his eloquence, and is borne along the bride of Christ and hence you thought :
by the full tide of invective and vituperation that her mother according to the flesh mis:ht
that he forgets himself and his reason loses be called the mother-in-law of God. You
its
place. Do not be so rash, my brother, as did not recollect that such things are said
to condemn yourself unnecessarily. Neither not according to the order of the flesh, but
you nor Origen are at once to be set down according to the grace of the spirit. For a
among the heathen if, as you have yourself woman is called the bride of Christ because
said, you have written these things to vindicate the word of God is united in a kind of
the justice of God, and to make answer to mystic wedlock with the hvmian soul. But if
those who say that everything is moved by the mother of the girl in question is related to
chance or by fiite if, I say, it is from your
: Christ by this spiritual connexion, she herself
wish to show that God's providence which should be called the bride of Christ, not
governs all things is just that you have said the mother-in-law of God. As it is, you
the causes of inequality have been acquired might as well go on to call the father of the
by each soul through the passions and feel- girl God's fiither-in-law, and her sister his
ings of the former life which it had in heaven sister-in-law, or to call the girl herself God's
;
or even if you said that it is in accordance daughter-in-law. The fact is, you were so
with the character of the Trinity, which is anxious to appear completely possessed of
good and simple and unchangeable that every
creature should in the end of all things be 1
Ep. xxii. c. 20.
2 The word "Z>(?/" has
restored to the state in which it was first crept in, apparently, wrongly. If it
stands the meaninj^ would be, 'To whom you were teaching
the word of God,' or the allusion may be to Ps. xlv, 10, with
1
îiaterniones rmy mean '
seta of four.* It seems more which the Iêtter to Eustochiuni beg'ins, '
Hearken O
'
likelv to Ul- UbCil for ;i
'
Ciiliur of four sheets. daughter so shall the King- desire thy beauty.'
VOL. III. Hh
466 RUFINUS.
the eloquence of Plautus or of Cicero, that show which is worthy of their teaching or their
you forgot that the Apostle speaks of the training. He indeed, has not in his whole
whole church, parents and children, niotiiers life stayed more than thirty days at Alexan-
and tlaughters, brothers and sisters, all to- dria where Didymus lived yet almost all ;
gether, as one virgin or I)ride, when he says, through his lôoks he boasts, at length and at
I determined this very thing, to present you large, tliat he was the pupil of Didymus the
'''
as a chaste virgin to one man, which is seer, that he had Didymus as his initiator,'
Christ." But you boast that you follow not that is, his preceptor in the holy Scriptures ;
Paul's but Porphyry's Introduction, and, and the material for all tliis boasting was
since he wrote his impious and sacrilegious acquired in a single month. But I, for the
books against Christ and against God, you sake of God's work, stayed six years, and
have fallen, tlirough his introduction, into again after an intcr\al for two more, where
this abyss of blasphemy. Didymus lived, of whom alone 30U boast,
11. If, then, you really intend to do an act and where others lived who were in no way
of repentance for those evil speeches of inferior to him, but whom you did not know
yours, if you are not merely mocking us by even by sight, Serapion and Menites, men
saying this, and if you are not in your heart who are like brothers in life and character
such a lover of strife and contention that you and learning; and Paul the old man, who
are willing even to defame yourself on this had been the pupil of Peter tiie Martvr ;
sole condition that you may be able thereby and, to come to the teachers of the desert,
to besmirch another; if it is not in pretence on whom I attended frequently and earnestly,
but in good faith that you repent of what Macarius the disciple of Anthony, and the
you have said amiss, come and do penance other iSlacarius, and Isidore and Pambas, all
for this great and foul blasphemy; for it is of them friends of God, who taught me those
indeed blasphemy against God. For if a things which they themselves were learning
man oversteps the mark by speaking errone- from God. What material for boasting
ously of mere creatures, this is not such a
should I have from all these men, if boast-
very execrable crime, especially if he does ing were seemly or expedient! But the
it, as you say, not with a set purpose of truth is, I blush even while I weave togetlicr
blasphemy, but in seeking to vindicate the these past experiences, which I do with the
justice of God. But to lift up your mouth intention, not of showing you, as you put
against the heaven is a grave oftence to it, that my masters did not do justice to my
;
speak violence and blasphemy against the talents, but, what I grieve over far more,
Most High is worthy of death. Let us that my talents have not done justice to my
bestow our lamentations upon that which is masters.
hard to cure for what man is there who has
;
But it is foolish in me to enumerate these
tlie jaundice,^ and is in danger both of looks holy Christian men. It is not of tliem that
and life, who will complain loudly because he is thinking when he savs that he has not
of a little hangnail on his foot or because a like me been "
his own teacher. It is of
scratch made with his own finger wdiich Barabbas whom, unlike me, he took as
his teacher from the Synagogue, and of
easily yields to remedies, is not yet cured?
12. I think very little, indeed, of one Porphyry by whose introduction he and not
I had his introduction into Logic. Pardon
reproach which he levels against me, and
think it hardly worthy of a reply that, me for this that I ha\e preferred to be
;
namely, in which, in recounting the various thought of as an unskilled and unlearned

teacliers whom he hired, as he says, from man rather tlian to be called the disciple of
the Jewish sj'nagogue, he says, in order to Barabbas. For, when Christ and Barabbas
" I have not been
give me a sharp prick, my were oll'ered for our choice, I in my sim-
own teacher, like some people," meaning plicity made choice of Christ. You, it
me of course, for he brings the whole appears, are willing to join your shouts with
those who say, '"Not this man but Barab-
weight of his invective to bear against me
from beginning to end. Indeed, I wonder bas." And I should like to knovv' what
that he should have chosen to make a point Porphyry, that friend of yours who wrote
of this, when he had a greater and easier his blasphemous books against our religion,
matter at hand by which to disparage me, taught you ? What good did you get from
either of those masters of whom you boast so
namely this, that, though 1 stayed long among
many eminent teachers, yet I have nothing to much, the one drawing his inspiration from
1 The word is <jivon in Greek, Ka6))y>;T)J?.
' 2 Cor. xi, 2. -The luiino oi" Jerome's Jcwisli tcaclier of Hebrew, which
2 Morbus reifius ; used variously for jaunilicc and leprosy. Rufiiius here w;is ISaraninu, Letter l.\.\xiv. c. 3.
(îcrverts,
See Jcr. Iîl'e ot'Hilarion, c. 3^. '
John -wiii, 40.
the idols which represent demons, the other, kinds. First come the Extracts or Notes, called in
as you tell us, from the Synagogue of Satan. Giêek Scholia^ in which he shortly and
summarily
touches upon the things which seemed to him ob-
Nothing, as far as I see, but what they knew scure or to present some difliculty. The second
themselves. From Porphyry you gained kind is the Hoiniletics, of which the present com-
the art of speaking evil of Christians, to mentary is a specimen. The third kind is what he
strike at those who live in virginity and called Tomes, or as we say Volumes. In this
part of
his work he gives all the sails of his
continence, at our deacons and presbyters, genius to the
and to defame in your published writings, breathing winds; and, drawing off from the land,
he sails away into mid ocean. I know that you
every order and degree of Christians. From wish that I should translate his writings of all
that other friend of yours, Barabbas, whom kinds. I have before mentioned the reason
why
this is impossible; but I promise you this, that if,
you chose out of the synagogue rather than
through your prayers, Jesus gives me back my
Christ, you learned to hope for a resurrec-
health, I intend to translate, I will not sa^' all, for
tion not in power but in frailty, to love the that would be rash, but very many of them; on
letter which kills and hate the spirit which this condition, however, which I have often set
gives life, and other more secret things, you, that I should provide the words and you the
which, if occasion so require, shall after- secretary."
wards due time be brought to light.
in
But why should I prolong this discus- 14. Take, again, the Preface to the Song
13.
of Songs :
sion ? I shall take no notice of his re-
proaches and railings I shall make no

;
"To the most holy Pope Damasus. Origen in
answer to his violent attacks, that daily task his other books has surpassed all other men: in
of his, for which Porphyry sharpened his the Song of Songs he has surpassed himself The
pen. For I have chosen Jesus, not Barab- work consists of eleven complete volumes, and
reaches a of nearly twenty thousand lines.
bas, for my master, and he has taught me In these helengthdiscusses first the version of the Sep-
to be silent when reviled. I will come to
tuagint; then those of Aquila, Symmachus, and
the point where I will shew how much truth Theodotion, and last of all a Fifth Version which
there is in the excuses for himself and the he states that he discovered on the coast of Acti-
accusations against me which he has heaped um, and this he does so grandly and so freely that
it seems to me as if the words were fulfilled in liim
together. He
says
'
that it is only in two which
say, '"The king has brought tne into his
short Prefaces that he ever was known to bedchamber." It would require a vast amount of
have praised Origen and that his praise ex- time, of labour, and of money to translate a work
;
tended only to his work as an interpreter of so great and of so much merit into the Latin
language. I therefore leave it unattempted; and
Scripture, in which nothing is said of doc- have merely translated, and that without
elegance,
trine or of the faith, and that in those pai'ts but
correctly, these two Tracts which he composed
of his works which he has himself translated in ordinary language for babes and sucklings. I
there is absolutely nothing advanced of the give you a mere taste of his opinions, not a full
kind which he now reproves in the interest of meal but enough to make you realize what is the
;
worth of his greater works, when the smaller give

the Synagogue rather than that of the edifi-
you so much pleasure."
cation of Christians. It ought, one would
think, be enough to put him to silence, that 15. Also in the Preface of his Commen-
those very things which he set forth in his own
tary on Micah, which was written to Paula
books he blames in those of others never- and
Eustochium, he says, after some few re-
;
theless, let us see how far these other asser- marks :

'
tions of his are true. In the Preface to the
commentaries of Origen on Ezekiel, con- "As to what they say, that it is not right for me
tained in fourteen homilies or short orations, to rifle the works of Origen, and thereby to defile
the writings of the ancients, they think this a tell-
he writes thus to one Vincentius :
ing piece of abuse; but it is, in my opinion, the
" It is a highest praise, since I am seeking to imitate those
great thing which you ask of me, my who are
friend, that I should translate Origen into Latin,
approved not only by us, but by all
men."
and present to the ears of Roinans a man of whom thoughtful
we may say in the words of Didymus the seer, that
16. Again, in the Preface to his book on
he was a teacher of the churches second only to
the Apostles." the meaning of Hebrew names, he says,
some way down :
And a little way on he adds :
"
For fear that, when the edifice has been com-
"
your information that Ori- pleted, the last touch, so to speak, should be want-
I will briefly state for
gan's works on the whole of Scripture are of three ing, I have explained the words and names of the
New Testament, partly through a wish to follow
'
Letter Ixxxiv, 2.
the steps of Origen, whom all but the ignorant
- See this Preface trniT^latcd amonp;' Jerome's works in this
Serici. I Cant, 1,4.
il !i 2
468 RUFINUS.
acknowledge to have been the greatest teacher of called an Apostle or a Prophet, and to be
the churches next to the Apostles. Among the And in the
rest of the illustrious monuments of his genius is
praised even to the heavens.
the labour which ho has bestowed upon this, de-
same way, if there are passages in whicli I
to have praised Origen's learning, all
happen
siring to complete as a Christian what Philo as a
Jew had left undone." praise is just of this kind.
my This man
rouses all this alarm in you because of such
17. Once more, in his letter to Mavcella expressions of mine but he maintains that ;
he says :
'
it is unjust to bring up similar expressions
"
Ambrose, who supplied the paper, the money against him when they occur in his own
and the secretaries by the aid of which our Adaman- writings. But, since he does not choose to
tius*^ and Chalcenterus-^ completed his innumer- stand on equal terms with us before the tri-
able books, in a certain letter written to the same bunal of opinion, but condemns us on mere
person from Athens, declares that he never had a while he himself does not hold
suspicion,
meal, when Origen was present, without some-
himself bound even by his own handwriting
thing being read, and that lie never went to bed
;
without having some brother read aloud from the since he, I say, does not think it necessary
holy Scriptures. This he said he continued day in such a matter to observe the rule of holy
and night, so that prayer waited upon reading and
Scripture which demands that each man
reading upon prayer." should be judged without respect of persons ;
I will make answer for myself, not accord-

iS. Lastly, take the following from an-
other letter to Murcella ing to the demands of justice, but according
He says to me " If you
:
to his wishes. :
"The blessed Martyr Pamphilus, whose life have translated Origen, you are to be blamed ;
Eusebius the Bishop of Crcsarea set forth in some but I, even if I have said the very things for
three volumes, wished to rival Demetrius Phale- which I blame him, have done
well, and
reusand Pisistratus, in his zeal to establish a library
be read and held as true. If
these oujjht to
of sacred books he sought out all through the
:
world representative works of great minds, which you have praised his talents or his knowledge,
are their true and everlasting monuments; but you have committed a crime if I have
;
most of all he acquired at great expense all the

praised his talents, it goes for nothing."
books written by Origen, and gave them to the 30. Well then he says," Give me an in-
;
church at Cicsarea. This library was afterwards
but Acatius and later on stance in which I have so praised him as to
partly destroyed ;
Euzoius, Bishops of that church, endeavoured to defend his system of belief." You have no
reestablish it in parchment volumes. The last of right to ask this, I reply yet I will follow ;
these recovered a great many works, and left us an where

you lead. There is a certain writing
inventory of them, but he shews that he could not of his in which he '
find the Commentary on the hundred and twenty- gives a short catalogue of
sixth Psalm and the Tract on the Hebrew letter the works which Varro wrote for the Latins,
Pe, by the fact that he does not mention it. Not and of those which Origen wrote in Greek
that so great a man as Adamantius passed over for the Christians. In this he says :
anything, but that, through the negligence of his

successors it did not remain to times within our
Antiquity marvels at Marcus Terentius Varro
memory." because of the countless books which he wrote for
Latin readers; and Greek writers are extravagant
19. But perhaps you will say to me: in their praise of their man of brass, because he
" do you fill your paper with this has written more works than one of us could so
Why
superfluous matter? Does even my friend much as copy. But since Latin ears would find a
list of Greek writers tiresome, I shall confine myself
say tliat it is a crime to name Origen, or to to the Latin Varro. I shall try to shew that wê of
give him praise for liis talents.'' If Origen is to-day are sleeping the sleep of Epimenides and
proclaimed as such and so great a man,' devoting to the amassing of riches the energy
'
this makes us the more anxious to be told which our predecessors gave to sound if secular
whether he is in other passages spoken of as learning.
Varro's writings include forty-five books of
'
an apostolic man,' or ' a teacher of the
antiquities, four concerning the life of the Roman
churches,' or by any similar expressions people.
which appear to commend not only his But why, you ask me, have I thus mentioned
talents but his faith." This then shall be Varro and the man of brass.? Simply to bring to
notice our Christian man of brass, or, rather,
done. It was indeed for this purpose that I your man of adamant Origen, I mean whose zeal — —
produced the passage where he speaks of for the study of Scripture has fairly earned for him
him as such and so great a man,' bccatise this latter name. Would you learn what monu-
'
it was, if I am not mistaken, in the Preface

ments of his genius he has left us.' The following
list cxhil)its them. His writings comprise thirteen
this laudatory expression is used about him
books on Genesis, two books of Mystical Homilies,
that he also claims the right of Origen to be notes on E.\odus, notes on Leviticus . also . .
' Letter xliii, 1.

2 Indomit:iMc or made of adamant.
'
lnJLr;iLiL;.il)le; lit. Brazen. bcjwcUcd. >
Letter xxxiii.
f
more justice be condemned by your own

single books, four books on First Principles, two with
books on the Resurrection, two dialogues on the
same judgment than he by that of others." Would
subject.
you, do you think, have given credit to that
Would you not have thought it
And, after enumenxting all his works as if prophet.-^
more likely that he was mad than that you
making an exact index, he added what
follows :
would ever come to such a pass.'' The fact
that in controversies of this kind there
is
So you seethe labours of this one man have
no thought of sparing a friend if only an
sur- is
passed those of all previous writers both Greek and enemy can be injured. But you go beyond
Latin. Who has ever managed to read all that he even this
has written? Yet what reward have his exertions point you do not spare yourself in :
to ruin not your enemies but

brought him? He stands condemned bv his bishop, your attempt
Demetrius, only the bishops of Palestine, Arabia, your friends.
Phoenicia, and Achaia dissenting. Imperial Rome 33. In the Preface to his book on Hebrew
consents to his condemnation, and even convenes
a senate to censure him, not —
as the rabid hounds
Qiiestions, after many other remarks, he
—
who now pursue him cry because of the novelty says :
or heterodoxy of his doctrines, but because men " I

could not tolerate the incomparable eloquence and say nothing of Origcn. His name (if I may
knowledge, which, when once he opened his lips, compare small things to great) is even more than
made others seem dumb. my own the object of ill will, because though fol-
the common version in his Homilies which
I have written the above
quickly and incautiously, lowing
the of a lantern. You will see were spoken to common people, yet in his Tomes,
by light poor why, that
if you think of those who is, in his fuller discussion of Scripture, he
to-day represent Epi-
curus and Aristippus. yields to the Hebrew as the truth, and though sur-
rounded by his own forces occasionally seeks the
foreign tongue as his ally. I will only say this about
21. Now suppose that while yoti were him, that I should gladly have his knowledge of the
writing this, as you tell us you did, quickly Scriptures even if accompanied with all the ill-will
not cautiously, by the poor glimmering light which clings to his name, and that I do not care a
of a lantern, some Prophet had stood by you straw for these shades and spectral ghosts whose
" O nature is said to be to chatter in dark corners and
and had cried out writer, suppress
;
be a terror to babies."
those words, restrain your pen for the time ;
is coming and is not far oft' when I really can no longer wonder or complain
you will
make a schism and separate yourself from of his unfriendly dealings with me since he
the church and, in order that you may find
; has not spared such men, such great men.'
'
a colorable excuse for this schism, you will For another man whom he tears to pieces is
begin to defame these very books which you Ambrose that Bishop of sacred memory.
now make out to be so admirable. You will In what manner, and with what disparage-
then say that the man whom you call your ment he attacks him, I will show in a similar
own Brazen-heart,' and whose name yoti are way from one of his Prefaces, in which,
just about to write down as Adamantine nevertheless, he praises Origen. It is the
because of the merit of his praise-worthy Preface to Origen's homilies on Luke ad-
labours, did not write books for the edifica- dressed to Paula and Eustochium.
tion of the sotil but venomous heresies.
This man, further, whom you rightly de- A few days ago you told me that you had read
some commentaries on Matthew and Luke, of
scribe as not having been condemned bv
which one was equally dull in perception and ex-
Demetrius on the ground of his belief, who pression, the other frivolous in expression, sleepy
you say was not accused of bringing in strange in sense. Accordingly, you requested me to trans-
doctrines, you will then pronounce worthy of late without such trifling, our
Adamantius' 39 hom-
ilies on as are found in the
I/Uke, just they original
execration because of his strange doctrines ;
Greek I replied that it was an irksome task and a
:
as to what you are writing about mad dogs mental torment to write, as Cicero phrases it, with
bringing feigned charges against him, you another man's heart, not one's own but yet I will
:
will yourself feign the same: and the Senate undertake it as your requests reach no higher than
of Rome as you call it, you will then stir up this. The demand which the sainted Blresia once
made at Rome, that I should translate into our
against him as you complain that they now
language his twenty-five volumes on Matthew, five
do by your letters of admonition, your on Luke and thirty-two on John is beyond my
vehement attestations, and satellites flying in powers, my leisure and my energy. You see
all directions. This is the rettu-n that you what weight your influence and wishes have with
me. I have laid aside for a time my books on
will make to your admirable Brazen-heart for
Hebrew Questions to use my energies which your
all his labours. Therefore beware how you
judgment holds fruitful in translating these com-
write now, for, if you write as you are doing mentaries which, good or bad, are his work, and
and afterwards act as I have said, you will not mine especially as I hear on the left of me
the raven
:
—
that ominous bird —
croaking and
1 Chalcenterus as above. mocking in an extraordinary way at the colours of
470 RUFINUS.
allthe other birds, because of his own utter black- cast him down even to the infernal
ness. And so, before he change his note, I con- region ;
fess that these treatises are Origcn's recreation no

and how he speaks of the city of
fiu-ther
less tiuin dice arc a hoy's very dillcrcntarc the seri-

: Rome, which now through the grace of God is
ous jiursuits of his manhood and of his old age. If reckoned by Christians as their capital, words
my pro]>osal meet Avith your approbation, if I am which were only applicable when its inhab-
still able to undertake the task, and the Lord if itants were a nation who were heathens and
grant me opportunity to translate them into Latin,
so that I may complete the \vork I haye now de- who were persecutors.
princes
ferred, you will then be able to see, aye, and all who The Prefiice is that for the treatise of
24.
speak Latin will learn througiiyou, the massof valu- Didymus on the Holy Spirit. It is addressed
able knowledge of which they have hitherto been ig- to Taulinianus, and is as follows.
norant, but which they have now begun to acquire.
Besides this I have arranged to send you shortly
" While I was an inhabitant of
Babylon, a settler
the commentaries on Matthew of that eloquent in the hind of the purple harlot, and lived under
man Ililarius, and of the blessed martyr Victori- the law of the Qiiirites, I attempted to write some
nus, which, dilferent as their style may be, one poor slulY about the Holy Spirit and dedicated tlie
spirit has enabled them to Avrite these will give
:
work to the Pontiff of that city. When on a sudden
you some idea of the study which our Latins also that pot which Jeremiah saw after the almond rod '
have in former days bestowed upon the Holy began to seethe from the face of the North and ;
Scriptures. the whole senate of the Pharisees raised a clamour

and no mere imaginary scribe but the whole faction
of the ignorant as if I had declared war against
33. You see by this what his opinions are
about Ori^'cn and also about Ambrose. If them, laid their heads together against me. I
therefore returned with all speed to Jerusalem, like
he shouhl deny that his strictures apply to a inan going back to his home, and, after having
Ambrose, which every one knows, he will lived in sight of the cottage of Romulus and the
-
be convicted in the first place by the fact Lupercal with its naked games, I am now in
that there is a Commentary of his on Luke sight of Mary's inn and the Saviour's cave. And so,
Paulinianus my deaj- brother, since the aforenamed
which is current among the Latins, and none Pontiff Damasus, who had impelled me to under-
by any other hand. But secondly he knows take this work, now sleeps in the Lord, it is here
that I possess a letter of his in which, while in Judea that I warble the song which I could not
he discharges others, he makes his strictures sing in a strange land, provoked thereto by you
and by Paula and Eustocliium those handmaids of
fall upon Ambrose. But, since that letter Christ whom I revere, and aided by your prayers;
contains certain more secret matters, I do for this land which bore the Saviour is more
not wish to see it published before the right august to me than that which bore the man who
time and therefore I will corroborate what
;
slew his brother.^ I have in the title ascribed the
work to its true authors for I preferred to be known
I
say by other proofs similar to it. Li the
as the translator of another man's work than to
meantime let this be counted as demonstrated imitate certain people and, like the ungainly jack-
by what I have said alcove, that he extols daw, deck myself in another bird's plumage. I
read some time ago the treatise of a certain person
Origen's writings as in every way admirable,
and declares that if he translates them, the
' on the Holy Spirit, and I recognized then, accord-
Roman tongue will then recognize what a ing to the sentence of Terence,'' bad things in Latin
taken from good things in Greek. There is noth-
store of good it had hitherto been ignorant of
ing in it of close reasoning, nothing downright
and now has begun to understand,' that is and manly, such as draws us into assent even
the twenty six books on JMatlhevv, the five against our will, but all is flaccid and soft, sleek
on Luke, and the thirty two on John. These and pretty, picked out with the rarest colours. I5ut
Didynuis,'' my oAvn Didymus, who has the eves of
are the books to which he gives the hicfhest the bride in the Song of Songs, those eyes which
honour; and in these absolutely everything Jesus bade us lift up upon tlie whitening fields,
is to be found which is contained in the looks alar into the depths, and has once more given
books on Uei>l 'Apx''-)'', the groundwork of his us cause to call him, as is our wont, the Seer
Prophet. Whoever reads the work will recognize
charges against me, only set fortli with greater the plagiarisms of the Latins, and will despise the
brcadtli and fulness. If then he promises derivative streams, as soon as he begins to drink at
that he will translate these, why does he con- the fountain head. He is rude in speech, yet not
demn me for a similar course.'' But now I in knowledge;* his
very style marks him as one
like the apostle as well by the grandeur of the sense
have undertaken to prove how violently he as by the simplicity of the words."
attacks a man who
worthy of all admira-
is
You observe how he treats Ambrose.
tion, Ambrose, Bishop of ISiilan, who was
25.
not to that church alone but to all the 'Jcr. i, II, 13.
ijamcs took place at Rome each Februaiv in luniour
- Tlicsc
churches like a column or an impregnable of Liipcrcus the god of fertility. Two noble yoviths, after a
s;icriticc "f ;;oats and dogs, ran ahnost naktd about the
fortress. therefore set forth a Preface
I will city
with thongs cut I'roin the skins, a stroke from which was be.
of his by which you may see in what foul lii'ved to impart fertility to women.
"
and unworthy terms he assails even a man of Remus. Komulus, the founder of Uonic who slew his brother
such eminence, and also how he praises Kun. Prol. The sentiment, not the words, are quoted
•
above.
Didymus to the sky, though he has since The blind teacher of Alexandria.
<> « 2 Cor.
.xi, 6.
First, he round and make a heretic.

calls him a crow and says that he is Thirdly, this
black over then he calls him a jackdaw
all ; very Didymus whom you designate the vSeer-
who decks himself in other birds' showy Prophet, who has the eye of the bride in the
feathers; and then he rends him with his foulSong of Songs, and whom you call accord-
abuse, and declares that there is nothing ing to the meaning of his name
'
an
manly in a man whom God has singled out Apostolic man, you now on the other hand
to be the glory of the churches of Chi'ist, criminate as a perverse teacher, and separate
who has spoken of the testimonies of the him off' with what you call your censor's rod,
'
Loid even in the sight of persecuting kings into the communion of heretics. I do not
and has not been alarmed. The saintly Am- know whence you received this rod. I know
brose wi'ote his book on the Holy Spirit not that Christ once gave the keys to Peter but :
in words only but with his own blood for what spirit it is who now dispenses these
;
he offered his life-blood to his persecutors, censors' rods, it is for you to say. How-
and shed it within himself, although God ever, if you condemn all those I have men-
preserved his life for future labours. Suppose tioned with the same mouth with which
that he did follow some of the Greek writers you once praised them, 1 who in compari-
belonging to our Catholic body, and bor- son of them am but like a flea, must not
rowed something from their writings, it complain, I repeat, if now you tear me to
should hardly have been the first thought in pieces, though once you praised me, and in
*
your mind, (still less the object of such your Chronicle equalled me to Florentius
zealous efforts as to make you set to work and Bonosus for the nobleness, as you said,
to translate the work of Didvmus on of my life.
the Holy Spirit,) to blaze abroad what you 26. There is also an
astonishing action of
call his plagiarisms, which were very possi- his in relation to MeUuiia, which I must not
bly the result of a literary necessity when he pass by in silence because of the shame
had to reply at once to some ravings of the which those who hear it
may feel. .She was
heretics. the granddaughter of the Consul Marcelli-
Is this the fairness of a Christian ?
Is it thus that we are to observe the injunc- nus and in these very Chronicles ^ he had ;
' "
tion of the Apostle, Do nothing through narrated how she was the first lady of the
"
faction or through vain glory ? Roman nobility to visit Jerusalem how she
But I ;
^
might turn the tables on you and ask, Thou had left her son, then a little child, behind
that sayest that a man should not steal, dost her at Rome, and how the name of Thecla
thou steal.'' I might quote a fact I have was given her on account of her signal merit
already mentioned, namely, that, a little be- and virtue. But afterwards, when he found
fore you wi'ote your commentary on Micah, that some of his deeds were disapproved by
you had been accused of plagiarizing from this lady through the stricter discipline of
Origen. And you did not deny it, but said her life, he erased her name from all the
:
" What
they bring against me in violent copies of his work.
abuse I accept as the highest praise for I it has been
necessary for me to bring to-
;
wish to imitate the man whom we and all gether the large number of passages which I
who are wise admire." Your plagiarisms have adduced from his works, so as to put
redound to your highest praise those of to the test the truth of his statement," that
;
others make them crows and jackdaws in it is only in two short prefaces that he has
your estimation. If you act rightly in imi- made mention of Origen with praise, and
tating Origen whom you call second only to that not because of his faith but his talent that ;
the Apostles, why do you sharply attack an- he has praised in him the commentator not
other for following Didymus, whom never- the doctrinal teacher. I have actually brought
theless you point to by name as a Prophet forward ten.
and an apostolic man.'' For myself I must 37. But there is danger of expanding my
not complain, since you abuse us all alike. treatise too far and becoming biuxlensome to
First you do not spare Ambrose, great and the reader it is sufficient that in the
;
passages
highly esteemed as he was then the man of ;
I have cited he
speaks of Origen as almost
whom you write that he was second only to an Apostle and a teacher of the churches, and
the Apostles, and that all the wise admire says that it is not because of his novel doc-
him, and whom you have praised up to the trines as the mad dogs pretend that the senate
skies a thousand times over, not as you say
in two, but in innumerable places, this man 1 Sensuum nomine. Thomas the Apostle is called Didymus.
who was before an Apostle, you now turn John xi, 16.
^Seethecontinuation byjcrome of the Chronicle of Eusebius
"
(not included in this translation) A.D. 3S1 Florentius,
Bonosus and Rufinus became known as distinguished monks."
1 Ps. cxix, 46. sPhil.ii, 3.
3 Rom. ii, 31. 3 Chronicle. A.D. 377. ^ Letter Ixxxiv. 3.
472 RUFINUS.
of R(înc is excited against him; that he a thousand other things in your translations of
follows him because he himself and all the these homilies or those on Isaiah or Jeremiah,
wise approve him and all the other testi- but more particularly in those on Ezekiel,
;
monies, adduced from his prefaces which }()U have now withdrawn. But, in certain
are inserted above. But, however these places where you found things
relating to the
matters may stand, and whatever your re- faith, that is the Trinity, expressed in a
lations may be to these writers whether strange manner, you left out \vords at your
ancient or modern, and whether
you call discretion. This mode of translation we have
them Apostles or mere wantons,' Prophets or both of us observed, and if anyone finds fault
perverse teachers, what is that to me? It is with it, it is you who ought to make answer,
for you to do penance for all
your changes since you made use of it before me. But now
of opinion, your violent words and the the practice which you blame is undoid)tetlly
wounds you ha\e inflicted on good men, one for which you
may yourself incur blame.
whether you have yet tlone so or not. As The
translating word for word
practice of
for myself, what is the meaning of
your say- you formerly pronounced to be both foolish
ing "If they have followed me when I and injurious. In this I followed you. You
erred, let them follow me also in my amend- can hardly mean that I am to repent of this
ment?" Get thee behind me! Far be such because you have now changed your opinion,
a thing from me. I never followed you or and say that you have translated the present
any other man in your errors, luit in the work with literal exactness. In previous
strength of Christ I will follow, not you nor cases you took out what was uncdifying in
any other man, but the Catholic church. matters of faith, though you did so in such a
But you, who have written all these things way as not to excise them wholly nor in all
who have followed those whom you knew cases. For instance, in the Homilies on
to be in error, you who, as I have shewn, Isaiah, at the Vision of God Origen refers '
have written so unworthily of God, go }()u, I the words to the Son and the Holy Spirit;
say, and do penance, if at least you have an\ and so you have translated, adding, how-
hope that your crime of blasphemy can be ever, words of your own which would make
pardoned. the passage have a more acceptable sense.
27 a. I ask whether you can produce any- It stands thus: are then these two "Who
thing which I have written, by which you Seraphim? Lord Jesus Christ and the My
"
may convict me of having fallen into heresy Holy Spirit but you add of your own,
—
:
even in my youth, anything of such a "And do not think tliat there is any diiler-
character as the heresies of which, though you encc in the nature of the Trinity, when the
will not confess it, you now stand convicted. functions indicated by the several persons are
I said that I had followed or imitated you preserved." The same thing I have done in
in your system of translating, in that alone a great many cases, either cutting out words
and in nothing else. Yet you say that by or bending them into a sounder meaning.
this I have done you all the
injury which you For this }ou bid me do penance. I do not
complain of. I followed you in such things as think that you are of this opinion as regards
I saw that you had done in the Homilies on the yourself. If then on this ground no penitence
Gospel according to Luke. Take the pas- is due from cither of us, what other things
" soul doth magnify the Lord, and are there of which you invite me to repent?
sage :
My
my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." 38. I repeat that there arc no writings of
When you found that the Greek Commentary mine in which there is any error to be cor-
had something relating to the vSon of God rected. There are many of yours which, as
which was not right, you passed it over; I have shewn, according to your present
whereas the words about the Spirit, which opinion, ought to be wholly condemned.
as you may remember, are expressed in the You made an exception in favour of the
ordinary wav, you not only did not pass over Commentaries on the Ephcsians, in which you
but added a few words of your own to make imagined that you had written more correctl}-.
the expression more clear. And so in the note But even you must have seen, as I have
on the words, ''" Behold, when the voice shewn, how like they are all through to
of thy salutation came into my ears, the Origen's views and, indeed, how they
;
babe leaped in my womb," you render : contain something more extreme than the
"Because this was not the beginning of his views of which you demand the condemna-
substance," and you add of your own the tion. And, were it not that you had cut
words "and nature, " though both these and yourself off from the power of repentance
1
Veneranos, belonging to Venus or love. It might mean
'beloved ones.' = I.iikc i, 44.
1 Is. vi.
liy saying "Read over my Commentaries on though in a less elegant style? Especially
the Ep. to the Ephesians, and you will ac- what need was there for you to play your
knowledge that I have opposed the doctrines readers false, and, when they expected one
"
of Origcn ; possibly you might wish to thing, for you to do another? They imagine
turn round and do penance for those, and that you are acting in opposition to those
in this case, as in the rest, to condemn
your- who defend Origen as Catholic ;
but the
self. As far as I am concerned, I give you person whom you combat and accuse is the
full leave to repent of these also ; indeed, man who you say has pronounced him a
the best thing that you can do is to do pen- heretic. Perhaps it was for this that you
ance for all that you have said and also for invited me to do penance and I had misun-
;
all that
you are going to say; for it is certain derstood you. But even of this I must say
that all that you have ever written is to be that I could not repent, if my repentance
repented of. But if any one blame me for implied that I thought all things which are
having translated anything at all of Origen's, found in his works are catholic. Whether
then I sa}^ that I am the last of many who what is uncatholic is his own or, as I think,
have done the deed, and the blame, if any, inserted by others, God only knows at all :
should begin with the first. But does any events these things, wdien brought to the
one ever punish a deed the doing of which he standard of the faith and of truth are wholly
had not previously forbidden. We did what rejected by me. What then is it that you
was permissible. If there is to be a new law, want me to say? That Origen is a heretic?
it holds
good only for the future. But it That is what you say that I have done, and
may be said that the works themselves ought you blame it. That he is a catholic then?
to be condemned and their author as well. Again you make this a ground of accusation
If that be so, what is to happen to the other against me. Point out more clearly what
author who writes the same things, as I have you mean possibly there is something
;
shewn most fully above.'' He must receive which you can find out that lies between the
a similar judgment. I do not ask for this two. This is all the wit that you have
nor press for it, although he acts a hostile gathered from the acuteness of Alexander
part towards me. But I cannot but see that and Porphyry and Aristotle himself: This
he is heaping up such a judgment for him- is the issue of all the boasting which you
self by his rash condemnation of others. make of having from infancy to old age been
29. But I must deal with you once more versed and trained in the schools of rhetoric
by quoting your own words. You say of and philosophy, that you set forth with the
me in that invective of yours that I have intention of pronouncing sentence on Origen
'
by my translation shewn that Origen is a as a heretic, and in the very speech in which
heretic while I was a Catholic. The words you are delivering judgment turn ujôn the
are: " That is to say, I am a Catholic, but man whom you are addi'essing and accuse
he whom I was translating is a heretic." him because he also has shown Origen to be
Yes you say it, I have read it. Well then, if, a heretic. I beg all men to note that there
as you tell us, the result of my whole work is in all this no care for the faith or for truth,
is to show that I am a Catholic and Origen no earnest thought of religion and sound
a heretic, what more do you want? Is not judgment; there is nothing but the practised
your whole object gained if Origen is proved lust of evil speaking and accusing the brethren
a heretic and I a Catholic.'' If you bear which works in his tongue, nothing but rivalry
witness that I have said this and have thus with his fellow men in his heart, nothing
given you satisfaction by the whole of my but malice and envy in his mind. So much
work, what cause of accusation against me is this the case that, before any cause of ill
remains.'' What purpose was served by that feeling existed, and I spoke of you with
Invective of yours against me.'' If I proved praise as my brother and colleague, you nev-
Origen to be a heretic and myself a Catholic, ertheless were angry at my advances. For-
was I right or not.'' If I was, then why do give me for not knowing that you were what
you subject to blame and accusation what the Greeks call acatonomastos (aKarovofiaaroc) ^
was rightly done? But, if it was not one whom no one dares to address by name.
right that Origen should be called
a heretic, Still, I wonder that you should call upon
why do you make a charge against me on me to condemn what you complain of me
that head? What need was there for you to for branding as wrong.
translate in a worse sense what I had already 30. It seems needless to make any answer
translated according to your principles, to that part of his indictment in which he
says that the works of the Martyr Pamphilus,
1
Namely,Ep. Ixxxiv, c. 7. expressed as they are with so much faithful-
474 RUFINUS.
ness and piety, are either not to be con- have no pardon for his error, even though
sidered genuine or if genuine, to be treated he has said the same things as myself, and
with contempt. Is there any one to whose let no man translate him nor read him, for
authority he will bow? Is there any one fear he should recognize my plagiarisms.
whom he will refrain from abusing? All Tliis man indeed was a heretic, but he was
the old Greek writers of the church, accord- my master. And this other, though he is a
ing to him, have erred. As to the Latins, Jew, and of the Synagogue of Satan, and is
how he disparages them, how he attacks hired to sell words for gain, yet he is my
them one by one, both those of the old and master who must be preferred to all others,
those of modern times, any one who reads his because it is among the Jews alone that the
various work knows well. Now even the truth of the Scriptures dwells." If the uni-
Martyrs fail, to gain any respect from him. versal Church had with one voice conferred
"I do not believe," he says ''that this is on you this authority, and had demanded of
really the work of the Martyr." If such an you that you should be the judge of each and
argument were admitted in the case of the all, would it not have been your duty to
works of any writer, how can we prove refuse to allow so heavy and perilous a bur-
their genuineness in any particular case? If den to be laid upon you ? But now wê have
I were to say, It is not true that books of made such progress in the daily habit of
Miscellanies are Origen's as you maintain, disparaging others that we no longer spare
how can they be proved to be his? His even the martyrs. But let us suppose that
answer is, From their likeness to the rest. the work is not that of the martyr Pamphilus,
But, just as, when a man wants to forge but of some other unknown member of the
some one's signature, he imitates his hand- church did he, whoever he may have been,
;
writing, so he who wishes to introduce his employ his own words, I ask, so that we are
own thoughts under another man's name, called upon to defer to the merits of the
is sure to imitate the style of him whose writer? No. He sets out quotations from
name he has assumed. But, to pass over the works of Origen himself, and exhibits his
for brevity's sake all that might with great opinion upon each question not in the words
justice be said on this point, if you were of the apologist but in those of the ac-
determined to be so bold as to question the cused himself; and, just as in the present
works of the Martyr, you ought to have treatise what I have quoted from your writ-
brought out publicly the actual statements ings carried much more force than what I
which seemed to you liable to question, and have said myself, so also the defence of Ori-
then every reader could have seen what was gen lies not in the authority of his apolo-
absurd in them and what was reasonable, gist, but in his own words. The question of
what was unsuitable to or against the svstem authorship is superfluous, when the defence
of the Apostles and especially the great im- is so conducted as to dispense with the
;
whatever it may have been, in expiation author's aid.

piety,
of which you tell us that the Martyr shed 31. But I must come to that head of his
his blood. A man who read those actual inculpation of me which is most injurious
words would be able to say, not, as now, on and full of ill-will nay, not of ill-will only
;
vour jutlgment but on his own, either that but of malice. He says Which of all the
:
the martyr had gone wrong, or that a treatise wise and holy men before us has dared to
which was so full of absurdity and unbelief attempt the translation of these books which
.ad been composed by some one else. But, you have translated ? I myself, he adds,
as it is, you know well that if the writings though asked by many to do it, have always
which you impugn are read by any one, the refused. But the fact is, the excuse to be
blame will be turned back upon him who made for those holy men is easy enough for ;
lias unjustly found fault;

and therefore you it by no means follows because a man of
Jo not cite the passages which you impugn, Latin race is a holy and a wise man, that he
but with that censor's rod' of yours, and by has an adequate knowledge of the Greek
'
your own arrogant authority, you make your language it is no slur upon his holiness that
;
decrees in this style:

''
Let this book be cast he is wanting in the knowledge of a foreign
out of the libraries, let that book be re- tongue. And further, if he has the knowledge
tained ;and again, if today a book is ac- of the Greek language, it does not follow that
cepted, tomorrow if any one but myself has he has the wish to make translations. Even
praised it, let it be cast out, and with it if he has such a wish, we are not to find fault
the man who praised it. Let this one be with him for not translating more than a few
counted as Catholic, even though he seems works, and for translating some rather than
at times to have gone wrong ;
let that man others. Every man has power to do as he
likes in such matters according to his own sumed thus to profane the book of God, and
free will or according to the wish of any one the sacred words of the Holy Spirit? Who
who asks him to make the translation. But but you would have laitl hands upon the
he brings forward the case of the saintly men divine gift and the inheritance of the
Hilary and Victorinus, the first of whom, Apostles ?
though well-known as a commentator, trans- 33. There has been from tlie first in the
lated nothing, I believe, from the Greek churches of God, and
;
especially in that of
while the other himself tells us that he em- Jerusalem, a plentiful supply of men who
ployed a learned presbyter named Heliodorus being born Jews have become Christians ;
to draw what he needed from the Greek and their perfect both
acquaintance with
sources, while he himself merely gave them languages and their sufficient knowledge of
their Latin form because he knew little or the law is shewn by their administration of
nothing of Greek. There is therefore a very the pontifical office. In all this abundance
good reason why these men should not have of learned men, has there been one who has
made this translation. That you should have dared to make havoc of the divine record
acted in the same way is, I admit, a matter handed down to the Churches by the Apos-
for wonder. For what further audacity, tles and the deposit of the Holy Spirit? For
what larger amount of rashness, would have what can we call it but havoc, when some
been required to translate those books of parts of it ai'e transformed, and this is called
Origen, after you had put almost the whole the correction of an error? For instance,
of their contents into your other works, and, the whole of the history of Susanna, which
indeed, had already published in books bear- gave a lesson of chastity to the churches of
ing your own name all that is said in those God, has by him been cut out, thrown aside
which you now declare worthy of blame ? and dismissed. The hymn of the three
32. Perhaps it was a greater piece of children, which is regularly sung on festivals
audacity to alter the books of the divine in the Church of God, he has wholly erased
Scriptures which had been delivered to the from the place where it stood. But why
Churches of Christ by the Apostles to be a should I enumerate these cases one by one,
complete record of their faith by making a when their number cannot be estimated?
new translation under the influence of the This, however, cannot be passed over. The
Jews. Which of these two things appears seventy translators, each in their separate
to to be the less legitimate?
you As to the produced a version couched in conso-
cells,
sayings of Origen, if we agree with them, nant and identical words, under the inspira-
we agree with them as the sayings of a man tion, as we cannot doubt, of the Holy Spirit;
;
if we disagree, we can easily disregard them and this version must

certainly be of more
as those of a mere man. But how are we to authority with us than a translation made by
regard those translations of yours which you a single man under the inspiration of Ba-
are now sending about everywhere, through rabbas. But, putting this aside, I beg you to
our churches and monasteries, through all our listen, for example, to this as an instance of
cities and walled towns? are they to be what we mean. Peter was for twenty-four
treated as human or divine ? And what are years Bishop of the Church of Rome. We
we to do when we are told that the books cannot doubt that, amongst other things nec-
which bear the names of the Plebrew Prohp- essary for the instruction of the church, he
ets and lawgivers are to be had from you himself delivered to them the treasury of the
in a truer form than that which was approved sacred books, which, no doubt, had even then
by the Apostles? How, I ask, is this mis- begun to be read under his presidency and
take to be set right, or rather, how is this teaching. What are we to say then? Did
crime to be expiated? We hold it a thing Peter the Apostle of Christ deceive the church
worthy of condemnation that a man should and deliver to them books which were false
have put forth some strange opinions in and contained nothing of truth? Are we to
the interpretation of the law of God but to believe that he knew that the Jews possessed
;
pervert the law itself and make it different what was true, and yet determined that the
from that which the Apostles handed down Christians should have what was false? But
to us, —how many times over must this be perhaps the answer will be made that Peter
pronounced worthy of condemnation? To was illiterate, and that, though he knew that
the daring temerity of this act we may much the books of the Jews were truer than those
more justly apply your words " Which of which existed in the church, yet he could not
:
all the wise and holy men who have gone translate them into Latin because of his
before you has dared to put his hand to that linguistic incapacity. What then Was !
work?" Which of them would have pre- the tongue of fire given by the Holy Spirit
476 RUFINUS.
from heaven of no avail to him? Did not grounds for the heathens' unbelief have been
the Apostles speak in all languages? increased by this proceeding? For they
34. But let us grant that the Apostle take notice of what is going on amongst us.
Peter was unable to do what our friend has They know that our law has been amended,
lately done. Was Paul illiterate? we ask; or at least changed and do you suppose ;
He who was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, tliey do not say among themselves, "These
touching the law a Pharisee, brought up at people are wandering at random, they have
the feet of Gamaliel? Could not he, when no fixed truth among them, for you see how
he was at Rome, have supplied any defi they make amendments and corrections in
"
ciencies of Peter? Is it conceivable that they, their laws whenever they please, and in-
who prescribed to their disciples that they deed it is evident that there must have been
should give attention to reading,' did not previous error where amendment has super-
give them correct and true reading
^
These vened, and that things which undergo change
men who bid us not attend to Jewish fables at the hand of man cannot possibly be divine.
and genealogies, which minister questioning This has been the present which you have
rather than edification and who, again, bid made us wTth your excess of wisdom, that
;
us beware of, and specially watch, those of we are all judged even by the heathen as
the circumcision is it conceivable that they
; lacking in wisdom. I reject the wisdom
couUl not foresee through the Spirit that a which Peter and Paul did not teach. I will
time would come, after nearly four hundred have nothing to do with a truth which the
years, when the church would find out that jVpostles have not approved. These are
the Apostles had not delivered to them the your own words ^ '"The ears of simple :
truth of the old Testament, and would send men among the Latins ought not after four
an embassy to those whom the apostles hundred years to be molested by the sound
spoke of as the circumcision, begging and of new doctrines." Now you are yourself
"
beseeching them to dole out to them some saying: Every one has been under a mis-
small portion of the truth which was in their take who thought that Susanna had afforded
possession : and that the Church would an example of chastity to both the married
through this embassy confess that she had and the unmarried. It is not true. And
been for all those four hundred years in every one who thought that the boy Daniel
error; that she had indeed been called by was filled with the Holy Spirit and convicted
the Apostles from among the Gentiles to be the adulterous old men, was inider a mis-
the bride of Christ, but that they had not take. That also was not true. And every
decked her with a necklace of genuine congregation throughout the universe,
jewels ;
that she had fondly thought that Avhether of those who are in the body or of
they were precious stones, but now had those who have departed to be with the
found out that those were not true gems Lord, even though they were holy martyrs
which the Apostles had put upon her, so or confessors, all who have sung the Hymn
that she felt ashamed to go forth in ^Dublic of the three children have been in error, and
decked in false instead of true jewels, and have sung what is false. Now
therefore
that she therefore begged that they would after four hundred years the truth of the law
send her Barabbas, even him whom she had comes forth for us it has been bought with
,-
once rejected to be married to Christ, so money from the Synagogue. When the
that in conjunction with one man chosen world has grown old and all things are
from among her own people, he might hastening to their end, let us change the in-
restore to lier the true ornaments with which scriptions upon the tombs of the ancients, so
the Apostles had failed to furnish her. that it may be known by those who had
35. What wonder is there then that he read the story otherwise, that it was not a
should tear me to pieces, being as I am of no gourd" but an ivy plant under whose shade
account or that he should wound Ambrose, Jonah rested^ and that, when our legislator
;
or find fault with Hilary, Lactantius and pleases, it will no longer be the shade of
Didymus? I must not greatly grieve over ivy but of some other plant.
any injury of my own in the fact that he has 36. But Origen also, you will tell us, in
attempted to do my work of translating over composing his work called the Hexapla,
again, when he is only treating mc with the adopted the asterisks,'^ taking them from the
same contempt with which he has treated
Jer. Letter Ixxxiv. c. S.
1
the Seventy translators. But this emenda- 2 This

chani;;e of the f^foiircl for tlio ivy forms tlic ground-
work of curious story toUl liy Augustine, to which no doubt
tion of the Seventy, what are we to think of Kufnuis licre alludes'.
;i
See K]). civ, of the collection of

i;
it? Is it not evident how greatly the Jerome's letters. Augustin Letter Ixxl.
3 The asterisks denoted that the words to which
thoy were
I Tim. attached were added, and tlie obeli (t) that something had
iv, 13.
translation of Theodotion. How is this? mark of his own to designate the survivors.
You produce Origen sometimes for condem- Do you suppose that he who makes one
nation, sometimes for imitation, at your own mark against the name of a dead man and
caprice. But can it be admitted as right another of his own against that of a survivor,
that you should bring in the same man as will be thought to have done anything which
your advocate whom just now you were causes the one to be dead and the other to be
accusing? Can you take as an authority for alive? He has only, as is well understood,
your actions one whom you yourself have marked the names of those who have been
previously condemned, and to the condem- killed by others, so as to call attention to the
nation of whom you stirred up the Roman fact. Just in the same way, Origen pointed
senate? You ought to have made provision out by certain marks of his own, namelv,
for thisbeforehand. No man begins by the signs of asterisks and obeli,' which words
cutting the trunk of a tree wdien he is in- had been, so to speak, killed by other trans-
tending to lean against it and no man first
; lators, and those which had been super-
impugns the faith of another and then in- fluously introduced. But he put in no single
vokes his faith in his own defence. Whether word of his own, nor did he make it appear
Origen did as you say or not, makes no that the certainty of our copies was in any
difference to you. If you wish that his case point shaken but those things which, as
;
should be a precedent for yours, read over the words run, seemed wanting in
actual
your judgment upon him, and see what you plainness and clearness, he showed to be
have said. You used the expression " This full of the
:
mysteries of a spiritual meaning.
is not clearing yourself but only seeking What comfort then can the conduct of Ori-
abettors of your crime." Apply this to gen give you in this matter, when your
yourself; your business is not to seek abet- work is shown to be quite unlike his, and
tors of your crime, but to find means of when all your labour is spent upon making
justification for your conduct. However, one letter kill the next, whereas his en-
let us see whether anything of the kind was deavour, on the contrary, is to vindicate the
done by Origen whom you make both plain- Spirit which giveth life?
tift'and defendant. I do not find a single pas- 37. This action is yours, my brother,
sage which he translated from the Hebrew. yours alone. It is clear that no one in the
How then can your action and his be said to church has been your companion or confed-
be alike? What he did was this. He proved erate in it, but only that Barabbas whom you
that apostates and Jews had translated the mention so frequently. What other spirit
writings which the Jews specially read than that of the Jews would dare to tamper
:
and, since it would frequently happen in the with the records of the church which have
course of discussion that they falsely asserted been handed down from the Apostles? It is
that some things had been taken out and they, my brother, you who were most dear
others put in in our copies of the Scriptures, to me before you were taken captive by the
Origen desired to shew to our people what Jews, it is they who are hurrying you into
reading obtained among the Jews. He this abyss of evil. It is their doing that
therefore wrote out each of their versions in those books of yours are put forth in which
separate pages or columns, and pointed out you brand your Christian brethren, not spar-
by means of certain specified marks at the ing even the martyrs, and heap up accusa-
head of each line what had been added or tions speakable and unspeakable against
subtracted by them and he merely put Christians of every degree, and mar our
;
these marks of his in the work of others, peace, and cause a scandal to the church.
not in his own so that we might understand It is they who cause you to pass sentence
;
not what we ourselves but what the Jews upon 3ourself and your own writings as upon
believed to have been either removed or in- words which you once spoke as a Christian.
serted. This was no more than what is We
all of us have become worthless in your
done in the army when a list is made out eyes, while they and their evil acts are all
containing the names of the soldiers. If the your delight. If you had but listened to
^ "
captain wishes to see how many of them Paul w^here he says in his Epistle If any :
have survived after an action, he sends a brother be overtaken in a fault ye who are
man to make inquiry and he makes his spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of
;
own mark, a (e) (theta), for instance, as is meekness," you wôuld never have let your
commonly done, against the name of each passions swell up so as altogether to break
soldier who has fallen, and puts some other through the order of our spiritual discipline.
been subtracted. See Jerome's Preface to the Books of

Kings in this Series. 1 Stars and spits. Gal. vi, I.
478 RUFINUS.
Suppose that I had written something which great manj' people, and almost every one
was injurious to you; suppose that I had was offended by them, you yourself, as was
done some injustice to you a man of the believed, amongst them. Did you not on that
highest eloquence, who were my brother occasion withdraw from ch'culation the copies
and my brother presbyter, whom also I had which had been exposed to sale publicly in
pronounced worthy of Imit.ition in your the forum, and send them, not to some one
method of translation; even so, this was the else, but to me, at the same time pohiting
first complaint which you had received of out the grounds on which you thought so
any injury on my part since friendship had many had been offended? And I. as you
been restored between us, and that with remember, wrote an Apology in new terms,
difficulty and much trouble. But suppose so as to give a sounder meaning, as far as I
that you had reason to be offended at the could, to expressions to which a diflcrent
fact that, in my translation of Origen, I sense had been attributed. Well, it is but
passed o\er some things which appeared to fair that as we would that men should do to us
—
me unedifving in point of doctrine thougli so we shoidd do to them and therefore, as you
;
in this I only did what you liad done. sent me back my books for correction, so do
Possibly I was deserving of blame and now with these books send them back to
:
correction for this. You say that some of the their author, and hint to him what you think
brethren sent letters to you demanding that blameable in them, so that, if in anything
the faults of the translator should be pointed he has gone wrong, he may correct it.
out. What then did \ou do, you who are Besides, though I have exercised my talents
a man of spiritual attainments? What a on many subjects, and laboured out many
model, what an example of conduct in such works, this is almost the first work which he
matters is this which you have given You has attempted, and possibly even this he
!
not only blazen forth the shame of your has done under compulsion, so that it is not
lirother's nakedness to those who are with- strange if he has not gone quite straight at
out, but you yourself tear away the covering first. We should not seize upon opportu-
of his nakedness. Suppose even that what nities for disparaging men who are
I did was not done as you had done it, sup- Christians, but seek their advantage by cor-
pose that, through some access of drunken- recting what they have done w^'ong."
ness creeping imawares upon me, I had 39. If yourreply to him had been couched
laid bare my own shame as the Patriarch did in terms like these, would you not have
;
would it have been a curse which you would ministered grace and edification both to him,
have incurred if you had walked backward since he has been initiated into the fear of
and made your reply like a soft cloak to cover God, and to all your other readers, whereas
my reproach, if the letter ofbrother these invectives of yours are the cause of
the
who was wide-awake had veiled the brother sadness and confusion to all who fear God,
who lay exposed through his own drowsiness since they see you a prey to this hideous
in writing? lust of detraction, and me driven to the
38. Put you will say, Tt was impossible wretched necessity of recrimination. But, as
for me to reply otherwise than I did. The I have said, this evidence was unnecessary.
letter which t received was such that, if I You yourself in the books you published
had not replied and retranslated literally against Jovinian, at one time assert, as can
the books which you had translated para- be shewn, the same things which you blamed
phi-astically, I should myself liave been in him, while at another you fall into the
thought to be a follower of Origen. I will opposite extreme, and declare marriage to
not at present say anything as to the be so disgraceful a state that its stain cannot
character of that letter, except that it bears even be washed away by the blood of
the name of a man of high rank, Pamma- martyrdom. But, if it appeared to you an
chius but I ask, would there have been easy thing for your friend to procure what
:
anything uncourteous in such a reply as this: amounts to a correction of the clogma of the
"
My brothers we ought not readily to judge Manichajansas it was originally expressed in
of other men's works. You remember what these books, and that when they were already
you did when I had sent my books against published and placed in the hands of many
Jovinian to Rome,' and when some persons persons to copy, what difficulty would there
understood them in a diflcrent sense from have been in my correcting a work which
that in which, if my memory serves me, I was not my own but a translation of that of
had composed them. They were read by a another man, if any mistakes coultl be
1 See Jerome's letter to Pammachius (Letter xlviii) describ.
pointeil out in it, I will not say by reason,
ing his Iriend's renioiistranec, and deteiiding hiinselt.
but even by envy? especially when it was
still in
rough sheets, which I had not read ters ashe hhnself thinks lawful or expedient.
over agahi or corrected, and which were not Let merecapitulate in the end of this book
pubHshed when your friends took possession what I have said in a scattered way in my
of them. Was it an impossibihty to get own defence. He had said of me that it
these writings corrected which were then in seemed as li 1 could not be a heretic witliout
an uncorrected state.? But the sting does him; I therefoie set fortli my belief and, in
not proceed from that quarter; he would respect of the resurrection of the dead I
have found nothhig to blame there It proved that he rather than I was in error,
proceeds wholly from the fact that he was since he spoke of the resurrection body as
afraid that it might come to lioht what is the frail. I shewed also that he did away witli
source of all that he says, and whence he gains the disthiction of sex in the other world,
the reputation of a learned man and a great saying that bodies would become souls women
expounder of the Scriptures. men. I next revealed the causes which had
40. I explained the reasons which in- led to my translation— very proper causes in
duced me to make
the translation so that it my opinion I shewed that it was not be-
;
should be seen that I acted, not in the spirit cause I was stimulated by contentiousness,
of contention and rivalry, in which he so often nor because I was desirous of glory, but
acts, but from the necessity which I have because I was incited by the fear of God,
explained above and I did it as an aid to a
;
that I imported a store of old Greek
good and useful undertaking.' I hoped that material to be used m the new Latin con-
it might impart something both of lucidity struction, that I furbished up the old armour
and of brightness to one who, though with which had become enveloped in rust, not
little culture, was
composing a serious work. with a view to excite a civil war but to repel
Do we not know cases in which old houses a hostile attack. I then introduced the chief
have been of use in the construction of new matter on which they have laid their forgers'
ones? Sometimes a stone is taken from the hands, the adulterous blasphemy against the
parts of an old house which are remote and Son of God and the Holy Spirit,
a thing
concealed, to decorate the portal of the new quite alien from me, but brought in by these
house and adorn its entrance. And at times men in their wickedness as I shewed by
an edihce of modern architecture is supported quotations.
I then took up one by one the points
by the strength of a single ancient beam. 42.
Arc we then to place ourselves in opposi- in which he had blamed Origen, with the
tion to those who rightly use what is old in intention of striking at me and discrediting
I shewed from
building up what is new.? Are we to say, my work of translation.
You are not allowed to transfer the materials those very Commentaries of his from which
of the old house to the new, unless you he had said that we might expect to learn
his belief, that on three points,
join each beam to its beam, each stone to its and test
stone, unless you make a portico of what namely the previous state of the soul, the
was a portico befoi'e, a chamber of what was restitution of all things, and his views con-
a chamber and this must further involve
; cerning the devil and apostate angels, he has
building up the most secret recesses from himself written the same things which he
what were such before, and the sewers from blames in Origen. I convicted him of hav-
the former sewers for every large house must ing said that the souls of men were held
:
have such places. This is the process of bound in this body as in a prison; and I
translating word for word, which in former proved that he had asserted
in these very
days you esteemed inadmissible, but which Commentaries that the whole
rational crea-
you now approve. But you claim that what tion of angels and of human souls formed but
is in itself unlawful is lawful for you, while a single body. I next shewed that, as to an
for us even what is lawful you impute as a association for perjury, there was no one who
crime. You think it right that you should had so much to do with it in its deepest
be praised for changing the words of the mysteries as himself; and in accordance witli
Sacred Books and Divine volumes ;
but if this I proved that the doctrine that truth and
we, when we imitate you in translating a the higher teaching ought not to be disclosed
human work, pass over anything which to all men was taught by him in these same
seems to us not to be edifying, we are to Commentaries. I next took up the question of
have no pardonfor this at hands,
your secular literature, as to which he had made
though
this declaration to Christ as he sat on the
you yourself set us the example.
However, let him act in these mat- judgment seat and ordered him to be beaten :
41. " If ever I read or
possess the books of the
is, the work which Macarius was writing upon Fate, "
1 That
as explained in this Apology 11.

i. heathen, I have denied Thee
;
and I shewed
48o RUFINUS.
clearly that he not only reads and possesses that his repentance is sincere, but that he is
these books now, but that he supports all the driven into such straits that he must choose
brairsrhicr of which his teaching' is full on his either to feign penitence or to forfeit the
knowledge of them so much so that he
; vantacfe ground which enables him to bite
boasts of having been introduced to the and wound any one whom
he pleases. I
knowledge of logic through the Introduction therefore preferretl not to touch liis other
of Porphyry the prince of unbelievers. And, writings, so that his conviction might come
while he says that it is a doctrine of the out of those alone out of which he had him-
heathen, to speak in this or that manner self closed the door of repentance. Last of
both about the soul and about other creat- all I have shown that he has altered the
ures, I shewed that he had spoken of God sacred books which the Apostles had com-
in a more degrading nianner tlian anv of the mitted to the churches as the trustworthy
heathen v/hcn he said that (jod had a dcjDosit of the Holy Spirit, and that he who
mother-in-law. But further, whereas he calls out about the audacity shewn in trans-
had declared that he had only mentioned lating mere human works himself com-
Oi'igen in two short Prefaces, and then not mits the greater crime of subverting the
as a man of apostolic rank but merely as a divine oracles.
man of talent, I, though for brevity's sake 44. It remains that every reader of this
only bringing forward ten of his Piêfaces, book should give his sutfrage for one or the
established the fact that in each of them he other of us, judging as he desires that he
had spoken of him not only as an apostolic may himself be judged by God; and that he
man but as a teacher of the churches next should not injure his own soul by fiivoring
after the apostles, and as one whose teaching either party unjustlv. Also, my beloved son
was followed by himself and all wise men. Apronianus, go to "Pammachius, that saintly
43. Moreover, I pointed out clearly that man whose letter is put forward l)y our
it is habitual to him to
disparage all good friend in this Invective or Bill of Indictment
men, and that, if he can find something to of his, and adjure him in Christ's name to in-
blame in one man after another of those who cline in his judgment to the cause of inno-
are highly esteemed and have gained a name cence not that of party-spirit it is tlie cause :
in literature, he thinks that he has added to of truth that is at stake, and religion not
his own reputation. I shewed also how party should be our guide. It is a precept
"
shamefully some of Christ's j^riests have been of our Lord to
'
judge not according to the

'
assailed by him and how he has spared ajDpearance, but judge a righteous judgment,"
;
neither the monks nor the virgins, nor those and, just as in each one of the least of his
who live incontinency, whom he had praised brethren it is Christ who is thirsty and hungry,
before how he has defamed in his lampoons who is clothed and fed so in these who are
; ;
every order and degree of Christians how unjustly judged it is He who is judged un-
;
shamefully and foully he assailed even righteously. When some are hated without
Ambrose, that saintly man, the memory of a cause, he will speak on their behalf and
"
" "
whose illustrious life still lives in the hearts say You have hated me without a
:
of all men how even Didymus, whom he cause " What judgment does he think will
:
had formerly ranked among the seer-proph- be formed of this cause and of his action in
cts and Apostles, now he places among it before the tribunal of Christ.'' He remem-
those whose teaching diverges from that of bers well no doubt how, when the men we
the churches; how he brands witli the are speaking of had written and published
marks of ignorance or of folly every single his books against Jovinian, and men were
writer of ancient and of modern days and already reading them and finding fault with
;
fmally does not spare even the martvrs. All them, he withdrew them from the haiuls of
these things I have brought to the proof of the readers, and stopped their remarks, ami
his own works and his own testimony, not blamed them for their blame of his friend ;
to that of external witnesses. I have gone and how, further, he sent the books back to
through each particular, and have brought the author, with the suggestion that he should
out the evidence from those very books of his either correct those passages which had been
which he most commends, books which alone found fault with, or in any way that he would
he excepted as containing nothing of which he set matters right. But when what I hat!
needed to repent, while he says that he repents written fell into his hands, it was not then —
sayings and writmgs; not a book but merely a number of imperfect,
of all his other
uncorrected papers, which had been sub-
1 Sacerdoies. This is almost always applied to Bishops.
Here the allusion is chictly to Jcniiuc's attack upon AmbrnsL-.
Sec Sect. 23-:?S.
'
.Tdhii vii, J4. John XV, 25.
tracted by fraud and theft by some scoun- certain grounds of ofTence in the Greek, but
drel ;
he did not bring it to complain that he has in his translation so cleared them
me and
of it, though I was close at hand he did not away that the Latin reader will find notliing
;
deign even to rebuke me or to convict me of in them which is dissonant from our faitli.
wrong through some friend, as it might have On this sentence they remark: "You see
been, or even some enemy; but sent my how he has praised his method of translation
papers to the East, and set to work the tongue and has borne his testimony that in the books
of that man who never yet knew how to he has translated no grounds of oflence are
control it. Would it have been against the to be found, and promised that he would
precepts of our religion if he had met me himself follow the same method. Why then
face to face? Did he think me so utterly unis not his own translation free from grounds
worthy of holding converse with him, that of offence, as he bears witness is the case
it was not worth while even to
argue with with the writings of the other?
me? Yet for us too Christ died, for our 46. I suppose it is not to be wondered at
salvation also He shed his blood. We are that I am always blamed for the points in
sinners, I grant, but we belong to his flock which I have praised him. It is quite right,
and are numbered among his sheep. Pam- no doubt. But to come to the matter itself.
machius, however, must be held in honour I said that when grounds of offence appeared
for his excellent deeds wrought through faith in the Greek he had cleared them away in
in Christ, which should be an example to all his Latin translation and not wrongly but ; ;
others for he has counted his rank as noth- he had done this just in the same sense as I
;
ing worth, and has made himself equal to have done it. For instance, in the Homilies
the humble; consequently, I was unwilling on Isaiah, he explains the two Seraphim as
to see him carried away by human partisan- meaning the Son and the Holy Ghost, and
" Let no one think
ship and contention, lest his faith should suf- he adds this of his own :
icr damage in any way. At all events we shall that there is a difference of nature in the
seehow far he preserves a right judgment Trinity when the offices of the Persons are
when he sees that that great master Jerome '
distinguished"; and by this he thinks that

taught, in the commentaries which he selected he has been able to remedy the grounds of
as satisfactory even after his repentance, the offence. I in a similar way
occasionally re-
very things which he condemns in others as moved, altered or added a few words, in the
being alien to his own teaching. shall We attempt to draw the meaning of the writer
think that his former action was a mistake into better accordance with the straight path
due to Ignorance if he recognizes it and sets of the faith. What did I do in this which was
it
right. As for myself, though ^ under the different or contrary to our friend's system?
compulsion of necessity, I have endeavoured what which was not identical with it? But
to make answer to him who had attacked the difference lies in this, that I was judging
me with such great bitterness, yet for this also of his writings without ill-will or detraction,
I ask for forgiveness if I have handled the and therefore saw in them not what misfht
matter too sharply for God is my witness
;
lend itself to depi-eciation, but what the trans-
how truly I can say that I have kept silence lator aimed at; whereas he is seeking for
on many more points than I have brought occasions for calumniating others, and there-
forward. I could not wholly keep silence in fore finds fault with those things in my writ-
the presence of accusations which I know to ings which he himself has formerly written.
be undeserved, when I heard from many that And
indeed he is right in blaming me, since
my silence would bring their own have pronounced what he has said to be
faith into I
peril. right, whereas in his judgment it is reprehen-

45. After this Apology had been written, sible. This holds in refei'ence to the doc-
one of the brethren who came to us from you trine he has expressed about the Trinity ;
at Rome and helped me in revising it, ob- namely, that the two Seraphim are the Son
served that one point in my defence had and the Holy Ghost, from which especiallv
been passed over which he had heard ad- the charge of blasphem}^ is drawn, that is, if
versely dwelt upon by my detractors there. he is to be judged according to the system
The point turns upon a statement in my which he has adopted in dealing with me.
Preface, where I said of him who is now my But according to the system which I have
persecutor and accuser that in the works of adopted in judging of his writings, apart from
Orisren which he translated there are found the matter of calumny, he is not to be held
guilty because of what he has added on his
1 The older editions do not contain the name.
Some
own account to explain the author's mean-
sumus
copies read vist instead of nisi
2 : I seemed
to be compelled. ing.
VOL. III. I i
482 JEROME.
47. As
regards the resurrection of the victory over me when
he has brought him-
flesh, I think that my transhition contains the But suppose that a Synod of
self in guilty.
same doctrines which are preached in the Bishops should accept the sentences you
churches. As to the other points which re- have pronounced, and should demand that
late to the various orders of created beings, all the books which contain the impugned
1 have ah-eady said that they have nothing to doctrines, together with their authors, should
do with our faith in the Deity. But if he be condemned then these books must be
;
appeals to these for the sake of calumniating condemned first as they stand in the Greek ;
others, though they have hitherto presented and then what is condemned in Greek must
no ground of offence, I do not deny his right undoubtedly be condemned in the Latin.
to do so, if he thinks well to revoke my Then v\'ill come the
turn of your own books ;
judgment by which he might have been ab- they will be found to contain the same things,
solved, and to enforce his own, by which he even according to your own judgment. And
it has been of no advantage to Origen that
ought to be condemned. It is not my judg- as
ment on him which is blameable, but his you have praised him, so it will be of no
own, which takes others to task for doing profit to you that I have pleaded in your
what he approves in himself. But this is behalf. I shall then be bound to follow the
a new method of judgment according to judgment of the Catholic Church whether
which I am defending my own accuser, and it is
given against the books of Origen or
he considers that he has at last gained the against yours.
JEROME'S APOLOGY FOR HIMSELF AGAINST THE

BOOKS OF RUFINUS.
Addressed to Pamfnachius and Marcella from Bethlehem^ A,D. 4.02.
BOOK I.
The documents which Jerome had him when he wrote his Apology were (i) Rufinus' Translation of
before
Pamphilus' Apology wi'th the Preface prefixed to it and the book on the Falsification of the Books of Origen,
(2) the Translation of the Ilept 'Kpx'^^ ^nd Rufinus' Preface, (3) The Apology of Rufinus addressed to Anastasius
(see p. 430), and (4) Anastasius' letter to John of Jerusalem (p. 432 Apol. ii, 14, iii, 20). He had also other
letters ofAnastasius like that addressed to the Bishop of Milan (Jerome Letter 95. See also Apol. iii, 21). But
he had not the full text of Rufinus' Apology (c. 4, 15). He received letters from Pammachius and Marcella, at
the beginning of the Spring of 402, when the Apology \vritten at Aquileia at the end of 400 had become known
to Rufinus' friends for some time. They had been unable to obtain a full copy, but had sent the chief heads of it,
and had strongly urged Jerome to reply. At the same time his brother Paulinianus who had been some three
years in the West, returned to Palestine by way of Rome, and there heard and saw portions of Rufinus' Apology,
which he committed to memory (Apol. i, 21, 28) and repeated at Bethlehem. To these documents Jerome
replies.
The heads of the First Book are as follows.
1. It is hard that an old friend with whom I had been reconciled should attack me in a book secretly cir-
culated among his disciples.
2. Others have translated Origen. Why does he single me out?
3. He gave me fictitious praise in his Preface to the Ilept kpx'^^- ^
Now, since I defend myself, he writes
3 books against me as an enemy.
4. 5. He spoke of me as united in faith with him; but what is his faith? Why are his books kept secret?
I can meet any attack.
6. I translated the Ilept 'A/3;<;wv because you demanded it, and because his translation slurred over Origen's
heresies.
7. My translation put away ambiguities, and showed the real character of the book, and of the previous
translation.
8. My translation of Origen's Commentaries created no excitement; his first translation, of Pamphilus'
Apology, roused all Rome to indignation.

9. But the work was really Eusebius's, who tells us that Pamphilus wrote nothing.
10. After the condemnation of Origen by Theophilus and Anastasius, it would be wise in Rufinus to give
up this pretended defence.
11. I had praised Eusebius as well as Origen only as writers; and was forced to condemn them as heretics.
Why should this be taken amiss?
12. I wrote a friendly letter to Rufinus, which my friends kept back.
13. There is nothing to blame in my getting the help of a Jew in translating from the Hebrew.
14. There is uuthiiig strange in my praising OrigcMi Ijcforc I knew the T^^pi- 'A/a^wi'.
15- The accusations seem inconsistent, but I knew them only by report.
16. The office of a commentator.
17. We must distinguish methods of writing, and not expect a vulgar simplicity in the various compositions
of cultured men.
18. My was true, that Origen permitted the use uf falsehood.
assertion
19. The
accusation about a mistranslation of Ps. ii is easily explained.
20, In the difficulties of the translator and the commentator we must get help where we can.
21. In the Commentary on Ephesians I acted straightforwardly in giving the views of Origen and others.
22. As to the passage " He hath chosen us before the foundation of the world."
23. As to the passage " Far above all rule and authority &c."
24. As to the passage "That in the ages to come &c."
25- As to " Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ."
26. As to " The body fitly framed &c."
27. I quoted Origen's views as, " According to another heresy."
" Men
28, 29. As to loving their wives as their own bodies."
30. To the charge of reading secular books I reply that I remember what I learned in youth.
31. Also, a promise given in a dream must not be pressed. Why should such things be raked up by old
friends against one another?
32. I am right in my contention that all sins are remitted in baptism.
I have learned not only from

your letter my praises exalted him to the skies. The
but from those of many others that cavils writer says that he has done this with a good
are raised against me in the school of Tvr- intention. How
then does it come to pass
" now
annus, by the tongue of my dogs from casts in my teeth, as an open that he
the enemies by himself"^ because I have enemy, what he then praised as a friend.''
translated the books Hepl 'Ap,i<jy into Latin. He declared that he had meant to follow me
What unprecedented shamelessness is this as his predecessor in his translation, and to !
They accuse the physician for detecting the borrow an authority for his work from some
poison and this in order to protect their ven- poor works of mine.
: If that was so, it
dor of drugs, not in obtaining the reward of would have been sufficient for him to have
innocence but in his partnership with the stated once for all that I had written.
criminal ;
as if the number of the offenders Where was the necessity for him to repeat
diminished the crime, or as if the accusation the same things, and to force them on men's
depended on our personal feelings not on the notice by iteration, and to turn over the same
facts. Pamphlets are written against me words again and again, as if no one would
;
they are forced on every one's attention and believe in his praises.'' ; praise which is A
yet they are not openly published, so that siinple and genuine does not show all this
the hearts of the simple are disturbed, and anxiety about its credit with the reader.
no opportunity is given me of answer mg. How is it that he is afraid that, unless he pi'o-
This is a new way of injuring a man, to duces my own words as witnesses, no one
make accusations which you are afraid of will believe him when he praises me.'' You
sending abroad, to write what you are see that we perfectly understand his arts he ;
obliged to hide. If what he writes is true, has evidently been to the theatrical school,
why is he afraid of the public if it is false, and has learned up by constant practice the
.''
why has he written it.'' We read when we part of the mocking encomiast. It is of no
were boys the words of Cicero "I consider use to put on a veil of simplicity, when the
:
it a lack of self-control to write anything schemer is detected in his malicious purpose.

which you intend to keep hidden." ^ I ask. To have made a mistake once, or, to stretcli
What is it of which they complain ? Whence the point, even twice, may be an unlucky
comes this heat, this madness of theirs.'' Is chance but how is it that he makes the ;
it because I have rejected a feigned lauda- supposed mistake with his eyes open, and re-
*
tion .'' Because I refused the praise offered peats it, and weaves this mistake into the
in insincere words Because under the name whole tissue of his writings so as to make it
.''
of a friend I detected the snares of an en- impossible for me to deny the things for which
emy.'' I am called in this Preface brother he praises me? true friend who knew A
and colleague, yet my supposed crimes are what he was about would, after our previous
set forth openly, and it is proclaimed that I misunderstanding and our reconciliation,
have written in favour of Origen, and have by have avoided all appearance of suspicious
conduct, and would have taken care not to
1 Acts
xix, 9. Rufinus's prsenomen was Tyrannius. do through inadvertence what might seem to
Ixviii, 23 Jerome's version is here, as in many cases
* Ps.
unintellitrible through a perverse literalism and an incorrect be done advisedly. Tully says in his book
'
"
Hebrew text. In our Revised Version it stands: That the of
of have its from thine enemies." pleadings for Galinius "I have always :
tongue thy dogs may portion

sCic. Quaest. Acad. Lib. i. felt that it was a
religious duty of the highest
* That
is, The Preface of Rufinus to his Translation of the
Hept 'ApxCiy (p. 42^-8).
kind to preserve every friendship that I have
I i 2
484 JEROME.
formed; but most of all those in which 3. I have in my hands your letter,* in
kindness has been restored after some disa- which you tell me that I have been accused,
greement. In the case of friendships which and expect me to reply to my accuser lest
have never been shaken, if some attention silence should be taken as an acknowledg-
has not been paid, the excuse of forgetful- ment of his charges. I confess that I sent
ness, or at the worst of neglect is readily the reply but, though I felt hurt, I observed
;
accepted; but after a return to friendship, it the laws of friendship, and defended myself
anything is done to cause offence, it is im- without accusing my accuser. I put it as if
puted not to neglect but to an unfriendly in- the objections which one friend had raised at
tention, it is no longer a question of thought- Rome were being bruited about by many
lessness but of breach of faith." So Horace enemies in all parts of the world, so that
writes in his Epistle to Florus every one should think that I was replying
to the charges, not to the man. Will you
•" tell me that another course was
Kindness, ill-knit, cleaves not but flies apart." open to me,
that I was bound by the law of friendship to
2. What good does it do me that he de- keep silence under accusation, and, though
clares on his oath that it was through sim- I felt my face, so to
say, covered with dirt
plicity that he went wrong.? His praises are, and bespattered with the filth of heresy, not
as you know, cast in my teeth, and the lau- even to wash it with simple water, for fear
dation of this most simple friend (which that an act of injustice miglit be imputed to
however has not much either of simplicity or him. This demand is not such as any num
of sincerity in it) is imputed to me as a ought to make or such as any man ought to
crime. If he was seeking a foundation of accept. You openly assail your friend, and
authority for what he was doing, and wish- set out charges against him under the mask
ing to shew who had gone before him in this of an admirer; and he is not even to be al-
path he had at hand the Confessor Hilary, lowed to prove himself a catholic, or to reply
who translated the books of Origen upon Job that the supposed heresy on which this lau-
and the Psalms consisting of forty thousand dation is grounded arises not from any agree-
lines. He had Ambrose whose works are, ment with a heresy, but from admiration of
almost all of them, full of what Origen has a great genius. He thought it desirable to
written and the martyr Victorinus, who acts translate this book into Latin or, as he pre-
;
;
really with simplicity,' and without set- fers to have it thought he was compelled,
'
ting snares for others. As to all these he though unwilling, to do it. But what need
keeps silence he does not notice those who was there for him to bring me into the ques-
;
are like pillars of the church but me, who tion, when I was in retirement, and separated
;
am but like a flea and a man of no account, from him by vast intervals of land and sea.'*
he hunts out from corner to corner. Per- Why need he expose me to the ill-will of the
haps the same simplicity which made him multitude, and do more harm to me by his
unconscious that he was attacking his friend praise than good to himself by putting me
nothing forward as his example.'* Now also, since I
will make him swear that he knew
of these writers. But who will believe that have repudiated his praise, and, by erasing
he does not know these men whose
memory what he had written, have shewn that I am
isquite recent, even though they were Latins, not what my friend declared, I am told
being as he is such a very learned man, and that lie is in a fury, and has composed three
one who has so great a knowledge of the old books against me full of graceful Attic rail-
writers, especially the Greeks, that, in his zeal lery, making those very things the object ot
for foreign knowledge he has almost lost his attack which he had
praised before, and
own language?^ The truth is it is not so turning into a ground of accusation against
much that I have been praised by him as me the impious doctrines of Origen although ;
that those writers have not been attacked. ill that Preface in which he so lauded me,
But whether what he has written is " I shall follow the rules of
praise lie says of me:
(as he tries to make simpletons believe) or an translation laid down by my predecessors,
attack, (as I feel it to be from the pain which and particularly those acted on by the writer
his wounds give
me), he has taken care that I whom I have just mentioned. He has ren-
should have none of
my contemporaries to dered into Latin more than seventy of Ori-
bi ing me honor
by a partnership in praise, nor gen's homiletical treatises, and a few also of
consolation by a
partnership in vituperation. his commentaries on the Apostle; and in
'
Hor. n.
Jerome Letter Ixxxiii Pnmmachius to Jerome: "Refute
Ei). i, Ep. iii, 32. J
'SeeRuf Apol. i, II. "I had grown dull in my Latinity your accuser; else, if you do not speak out, you will appear
through thL- disuse of nearly 30 years." to consent"
APOLOGY — BOOK I. 4^5
these, wherever the Greek text presents a 5. In the

meantime, I desired to free
stumbling' block, he has smoothed it clown myself from suspicion in the implicit judg-
in his version and has so emended the lan- ment of the reader, and to refute the gravest
guage used that a Latin writer can find no of the charges in the eyes of my friends. I
word that is at variance with our faith. In did not wish it to appear that I had been the
his steps, therefore, I propose to walk, if not first to strike, seeing that I have not, even
displaying the same vigorous eloquence, at when wounded, aimed a blow against my
least observing the same rules." assailant, but have only sought to heal my
4. These words are his own, he cannot own wound. I beg the reader to let the
deny them. The very elegance of the style blame rest on him who struck the first blow,
and the laboured mode of speech, and, sur-
'
without respect of persons. He is not con-
tent with striking; but, as if he were dealing
'
passing all these, the Christian simplicity
which here appears, reveal the character of with a man whom he had reduced to silence
their author. But there is a different phase and who would never speak again, he has
of the matter: Eusebius, it seems, has de- written three elaborate books and has made
"
praved these books and now my friend who
;
out from my works a list of " Conti'adictions
accuses Origen, and who is so careful of my worthy of Marcion.' Our minds are all on
reputation, declares that both Eusebius and I fire to know at once what his doctrine is and
have gone wrong together, and then that we what is this madness of mine which we had
have held correct opinions together, and that not expected. Perhaps he has learnt (though
in one and the same work. But he cannot the time for it has been short) all that is
now be my enemy and call me a heretic, necessary to make him my teacher, and a
when a moment before he has said that his sudden flow of eloquence will reveal what
belief was not dissonant from mine. Then, no one imagined that he knew.
I must ask him what is the meaning of his
^ "
Grant it, O Father; mighty Jesus, grant.
balanced and doubtful way of speaking:
Let him begin the engagement hand to hand."
"The Latin reader," he says, "will find
nothing here discordant from our faith." Though he may brandish the spear of his
What faith is this which he calls his? Is it accusations and hurl them against us with
the faith by which the Roman Church is all his
might, we trust in the Lord our
distinguished? or is it the faith which is con- Saviour that his truth will encompass us as
tained in the works of Origen? If he
with a shield, and we shall be able to sing
answers "the Roman," then we are the with the Psalmist ^ " Their blows have be- :
Catholics, since we have adopted none of come as the arrows of the little ones," and
Origen's errors in our translations. But if * "
Though an host should encamp against me,
Origen's blasphemy is his faith, then, though my heart shall not fear though war should ;
he tries to fix on me the charge of inconsist- rise

against me, even then will I be confi-
ency, he proves himself to be a heretic. If
dent." But of this at another time. Let
the man who praises me is orthodox, he us now return to the
point where we began.
takes me, by his own confession as a sharer 6. His followers object to me, (and
in his orthodoxy. If he is heterodox, he "
Weary of work
®
shews that he had praised me before my ex-
They the arms of Ceres,")
planation because he thought me a sharer ply
in his error. However, it will be time that I have translated into the Latin tongue
enough to reply to these books of his which the books of Origen nfpt'Ap;!:"'', which are
whisper in. corners and made their venomous pernicious and repugnant to the faith of the
attacks in secret, when they are published Church. My answer to them is brief and
and come out from their dark places into the succinct: "Your letters, my brother Pam-
light, and when they have been able to reach machius, and those of your friends, have
me either through the zeal of my friends or compelled me. You declared that these
the imprudence of my adversaries. We books had been falsely translated by another,
need not be much afraid of attacks which and that not a few things had been inter-
their author fears to publish and allows only
his confederates to read. Then and not till 1 'AfT^fleo-fi?. Marcion, a Gnostic of the second century
drew out a list of Contradictions between the Law (which he
then will I either acknowledge the justice of rejected) and tlie Gospel.
2 This is altered from
Y\rg. Mn. x, 875.
his charges, or refute them, or retort upon " Sic Pater tile Detim
facial, sic alius Apollo,
the accuser the accusations he has made :
Incipias co7iferre ntaHiim."
3
Supposed to be a version of Ps. Ixiv, 8.
and will shew that my silence has been the * Ps. xxvii, 3, 4.
result not of a bad conscience but of for-

» Mn: i, 177.
Cefealiaqtie artna
bearance ExJ>ediunt,fessi rerum.
486 JEROME.
polated or added or altered. And, lest your ing the reader to believe what was in my
letters should fail to carry conviction, you translation, but wishing him not to believe
sent a copy of this translation, together with what was in yours. I looked for a double
the Preface in which I was praised. As advantage as the result of my
work, first to
soon as I had run my eye over these docu- unveil the heresv of the author and secondly
ments, I at once noticed that the impious to convict the untrustvvorthiness of the trans-
doctrine enunciated by Origen about the lator. And, that no one might think that I
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to which assented to the doctrine which I had trans-
the ears of Romans could not bear to listen, lated,'I asserted in the Preface how I had
had been changed by the translator so as to been compelled to make this version and
give a more orthodox meaning. His other pointed out what the reader ought not to
tloctrines, on the fall of the angels, the lapse believe. The first translation makes for the
of human souls, his prevarications about the glory of the author, the second for his shame.
resurrection, his ideas about the world, or The one summons the reader to believe its
rather Epicurus's middle-spaces,' on the res- doctrines, the other moves him to disbelieve
titution of all to a state of equality, and them. In that I am claimed against my will
(jthers much worse than these, which it would as praising the author; in this I not only do
take too long to recount, I found that he not praise him, but am compelled to accuse
had either translated as they stood in the the man who does praise him. The same
Greek, or had stated them in a stronger and task has been accomplished by each, but
exaggerated manner in words taken from the with a different intention the same journey
:
books of Didymus, who is the most open has had two different issues. Our friend has
champion of Origen. The eftect of all this taken away words which existed, alleging
is that the reader, finding that the book ex- that the books had been depraved by heretics :
pressed the catholic doctrine on the Trinity, and he has put in those which did not exist,
would take in these heretical views without alleging that the assertions had been made
warning. by the author in other places but of this he
;
7. One who wasnot his friend would will never convince us unless he can point
probably say to him Either change every-
: out the actual places whence he says that he
thing which is bad, or else make known has taken them. My endeavour was to change
everything which you think thoroughly nothing from what was actually there for ;
object in translating the work

good. If for the sake of simple Christians my was to ex-
you cut out everything which is pernicious, pose the false doctrines which I translated.
and do not choose to put into a foreign lan- Do you look upon me as merely a translator?
I was more. I informed
guage the things that you say have been I turned informer.
added by heretics tell us everything which
; against a heretic, to clear the church of heresy.
is
pernicious. But, if you mean to make a The reasons which led me formerly to praise
veracious and faithful translation, why do Origen in certain particulars are set forth in
you change some things and leave others un- the treatise prefixed to this work. The sole
touched.'' You make an open profession cause which led to my translation is now
in the prologue that you have amended what before the reader. No one has a right to
is bad and have left all that is best: and charge me with the author's impiety, for I
tiierefore, if anything in the work is proved did it with a pious intention, that of betray-
to be heretical, you cannot enjoy the license ing the impiety which had been commended
given to a translator but must accept the as piety to the churches.
authority of a writer: and you will be openly 8. I had given Latin versions, as my
convicted of the criminal intent of befriend tauntingly says, of seventy books of
smearing with honey the poisoned cup so Origen, and of some parts of his Tomes, but
that the sweetness which meets the sense no question was ever raised about my work ;
may hide the deadly venom. These tilings, no commotion was felt on the subject in
and things much harder than these, an Rome. What need was there to commit to
enemy would say and he would draw you
; the ears of the Latins what Greece denounces
before the tribunal of the church, not as the and the whole world blames.? I, though
translator of a bad work but as one who translating many of Origen's
work in the
assents to its doctrines. But I am satisfied course of
many years, never created a
with having simply defended myself. I ex- scandal but you, though unknown before,
:
pressed in Latin just what I found hi the have by your first and only work become
Greek text of the books llf/'' 'A/)^(jv, not wish- notorious for your rash proceeding. Your
Preface tells us that you have also translated
•
Intermiindia. Spaces between the worlds, in which, ac-
cording to Kpicurus, tho Guds reside.
the work of Pamphilus the martyr in defence
APOLOGY — BOOK I. 48;
ot* Origen and you strive with all your

;
book.' Eusebius himself, the lover and com-
might to prevent the church from condemning panion of Pamphilus, and the herald of iiis
a man whose faith the martyr attests. The praises, wrote three books in elegant language
real fact is Hhat Eusebius Bishop of Coesarea, containing the of Pamphilus. In these
life
as I have already said before, who was in his he extols other of his character with
traits
day the standard bearer of the Arian faction, extraordinary encomiums, and praises to the
wrote a large and elaborate work in six books sky his humility but on his literary interests
;
in defence of Origen, showing by many testi- he writes as follows in the third book :
monies that Origen was in his sense a cath- "What lover of books was there who did not
olic, that is, in our sense, an Arian. The find a friend in Pamphilus? If he knew of
first of these six books you have translated any of them being in want of the necessaries
and assigned it to the martyr. I must not of life, he helped them to the full extent of
wonder, therefore, that you wish to make his power. He would not only lend them
me, a small man and of no account, appear copies of the Holy Scriptures to read, but
as an admirer of Origen, when you bring the would give them most readily, and that not
same calumny against the martyr. You only to men, but to women also if he saw
change a few statements about the Son of that they were given to reading. He there-
God and the holy Spirit, which you knew fore kept a store of manuscripts, so that he
would offend the Romans, and let the rest might be able to give them to those who
go unchanged from beginning to end you wished for them whenever occasion de-
;
did, in fact, in the case of this Apology of manded. He himself however, wrote noth-
Pamphilus as you call it, just what you did ing whatever of his own, except private
in the translation of Origen's Uspt 'Apx<î'- If letters which he sent to his friends, so
that book is Pamphilus's, which of the six humble was his estimate of himself. But
books is Eusebius's first? In the very the treatises of the old writers he studied
Volume which you pretend to be Pamphilus's, with the greatest diligence, and was con-
mention is made of the later books. Also, stantly occupied in meditation upon them."
in the second and following books, Euse- 10. The champion of Origen, you see,
bius says that he had said such and such the encomiast of Pamphilus, declares that
things in the first book and excuses himself Pamphilus wrote nothing whatever, that he
for repeating them. If the whole work is composed no single treatise of his own.
Pamphilus's, why do you not translate the And you cannot take refuge in the hypoth-
remaining books.'' If it is the work of the esis that Pamphilus wrote this book after
other, why do you change the name.'' You Eusebius's publication, since Eusebius wrote
cannot answer but the facts make answer
; after Pamphilus had attained the crown of
of themselves: You thought that men martyrdom. What then can you now do?
woidd believe the martyr, though they would The consciences of a great many persons
have turned in abhorrence from the chief of have been wounded by the book which jôu
the Arians. have published under the name of the
9. Am I to say plainly what your inten- martyr they give no heed to t!ie authority
;
tion was, my most simple-minded friend? of the bishops who condemn Origen, since
Do you think that we can believe that you they think that a martyr has praised him.
unwittingly gave the name of the martyr to Of what use are the letters of tlie bishop
the book of a man who was a heretic, and Theophilus or of the pope Auastasius, who
thus made the ignorant, through their trust follow out the heretic in every part of the
in Christ's witness, become the defenders of world, when your book passing under the
Origen? Considering the erudition for which name of Pamphilus is there to oppose their
you are renowned, for which you are letters, and the testimony of the martyr can
praised throughout the West as an Illustrious be set against the authority of the Bishops?
*
litterateur,^ so that the men of your party I think
you had better do with this mistitled
all speak of you as their Coryphaeus, I will volume what you did with the books Hfpt
not suppose that you are ignorant of Euse- Âpx<'->v. Take my advice as a friend, and do
^
bius' Catalogue, which states the fact that not be distrustful of the power of your art ;
the martyr Pamphilus never wrote a single say either that you never wrote it, or else
1
See this question fully argued out by Lightfoot in the 1 "
The existence of a work which consisted mainly of ex-
Diet, of Christian Biog^raphy, Art. Kusebius of Cces?..rea. He tracts from Oriu:in with Comments, and of which he was only
" The Defence of
says :
Origen "was the joint work of Pam- the joint author, is quite reconcilable with this statement, iri-
" "'' ""
'"
philus and Eusebius:" and

'
Terome's treatment of this de

matter is a painful exhibition of disingenuousness, &c." See
De V. 111. Ixxv. 2
ivYVpiêu?.
3
Sui'Toiyna. No work of Eusebius appears to have borne foot,Art. Eusebius of Casarea, in Diet, of Christian Biog-
this title. The work alluded to is either the Life of Pamphilus raphy.
or the Book On the Martyrs of Palestine. *
ifivSinlypd(f>ia,
488 JEROME.
that it has been
depraved by the presbyter entreat }ou to hear patiently the expostula-
Eusebius.' It will be
impossible to prove tion of one who was tormerly your friend.
against you that the book was translated by You enter into a warm dispute with others,
you. Your handwriting is not forthcoming and bandy mutual reproaches with men of
to shew it your eloquence is not so great as
;
your own order whether you are right or
;
that no one can imitate your style. Or, in wrong in this is for you to say. But as
the last resort, if the matter comes to the against a brother even a true accusation is
proof, and your effrontery is overborne by repugnant to me. I do not say this to blame
the multitude of tcstnnonies, sing a palinode others I only say that I would not myself
;
after the manner of Stesichnus. It is do it. We are separated from one another
better that you should
repent of what you by a vast interval of space. What sin had I
have done than that a martyr should remain committed against you ? What is my ofl'ence ?
under calumny, and those who have been Is it that I answered that I was not an Ori-
deceived under error. And you need not genist? Are you to be held to be accused
feel ashamed of because I defend myself? If you say you
changing your opinion you ;
are not of such fame or authority as to feel are not an Origenist and have never been
disgraced by the confession of an error. one, I believe your solemn affirmation of
Take me for your example, whom you love this if you once were one, I accept your re-
:
so much, and without whom you can neither pentance. Wh}^ do you complain if I am
live nor die, and
say what I said when you what you say that you are? Or is my
had praised me and I defended myself. oflence this that I dared to translate the Uepl
II. Eusebius the Bishop of Caesarea, of 'Apx(jv after you had done it, and that my
whom I have made mention above, in the translation is supposed to detract from your
sixthbook of his Apology for Origen makes work ? But what was I to do ? Your lauda-
the same complaint against Methodius the tion of me, or accusation against me, was
bishop and martyr, which you make against sent to me. Your 'praise' was so strong
me in your praises of me. He says How : and so long that, if I had acquiesced in it,
could Methodius dare to write now against every one would have thought me a heretic.
Origen, after having said this thing and that Look at what is said in the end of the letter
of his doctrines? This is not the place in which I received from Rome " Clear *
your- :
which to speak of the martyr one cannot dis-

;
self from the suspicions which men have
cuss every thing in all places alike. Let it suf- imbibed against you, and convict your ac-
fice forthe present to mention that one who cuser of speaking falsely for if you leave ;
was an Arian complains of the same things him unnoticed, you will be held to assent to
in a most eminent and eloquent man, and a his charges." When I was pressed by such
martyr, which you first make a subject of conditions, I determined to translate these
praise as a friend and afterwards, when of- books, and I ask your attention to the answer
fended turn into an accusation. I have gfiven which I made. It was this: * *' This is the
you an opportunity of constructing a calumny position which my friends have made for me,
against me if you choose, in the present pas- (observe that I did not say my friend,' for
'
sage. "How is it," you may ask, " that I fear of seeming to aim at you) if I keep ;
now depreciate Eusebius, after having in silence I am to be accounted guilty if I :
other places praised him?" Thename Euse- answer, I am accounted an enemy. Both
bius indeed is diflcrentfrom Origen but the ;
these conditions are hard but of the two I ;
ground of complaint is in both cases identi- for a quarrel can be

will choose the easier :
cal. I praised Eusebius for his Ecclesiastical healed, but blasphemy admits of no forgive-
History, for his Chronicle, for his description ness." You obsei-ve that I felt this as a bur-
^
of the holy land and these works of his I den laid upon me that I was unwilling and
; ;
gave to the men of the same language as my- recalcitrating that I could only quiet my
;
self by translating them into Latin. Am

I to presentiment of the quarrel which would
be called an Arian because Eusebius, the ensue from this undertaking by the plea of
autlior of those books, is an Arian? If you necessity. If you had translated the books
should dare to call me a heretic, call to mind n.-pt 'Apxi'iv without alluding to me, you would
your Preface to the Uepl 'A^jwv, in which have a right to complain that I had after-
you bear me witness that I am of the same wards translated them to your prejudice.
faith with yourself and I at the same time But now you have no right to complain,
:
since my work was only an answer to the

1
Eusebius of Cremona, Jerome's fricncl, whom Rufinus ac-
cused of and his MSS.
attack you had made on me under the guise
stealing publishing
^Jerome translated the Chronicle and the Description of the
Holy Land, but not this History.
' This was done later by '
Rufinus. 1
Jerome Letter Ixxxiii. * Letter Ixxxiv, i3.
o£ praise for what you call praise all under-

;
burst of hatred which immediately after your
stand as accusation. Let it be understood be- translation blazed up through the whole
tween us that you accused me, and then you will world against Origen who before had been
not be indignant at my having replied. But read without prejudice was the work of my
now suppose that you wrote with a good in- pen. If I have got all this power, I wonder
tention, that you were not merely innocent that you are not afraid of me. But I really
but a most faithful friend, out of whose acted with extreme moderation. In my pub-
mouth no untruth ever proceeded, and that it lic letter
'
I took every precaution to prevent
was quite unconsciously that you wounded your supposing that anything in it was di-
me. What is that to me who felt the wound ? rected against you but I wrote at the same
;
Am I not to take remedies for my wound time a short letter^ to you, expostulating with
because vou inflicted it without evil intention.'* you on the subject of your praises.' This '
I am stricken down and stricken through, letter my friends did not think it right to send
with a wound in the breast which will not be you, because you were not at Rome, and
appeased my limbs which were white be- because, as they tell me, you and your com-
;
fore are stained with gore and you say to panions were scattering accusations of things
;
me " Pray leave your wound untouched, for unworthy of the Christian profession about
:
fear that I may be thought to have wounded my manner of life. But I have subjoined a
you." And yet the translation in question is copy of it to this book, so that you may
a reproof to Origen rather than to you. You understand what pain }ou gave me and with
altered for the better the passages which you what brotherly self-restraint I bore it.
considered to have been put in by the here- 13. I am you touch

told, further, that
tics. I brought to light what the whole with some critical upon some
sharpness
Greek world with one voice attributes to him. points of my letter, and, with the well-known
Which of our two views is the truer it is not wrinkles rising on your forehead and your
for me nor for you to judge let each of;
eyebrows knitted, make sport of me with a
them be touched by the censor's rod of the wit worthy of Plautus, for having said that I
reader. The whole of that letter in which I had a Jew named Barabbas for my teacher.
make answer for myself is directed against I do not wonder at your writing Barabbas
the heretics and against my accusers. How for Baranina, the letters of the names being
does it touch you who profess to be both somewhat similar, when you allow your-
an orthodox person and my admirer, if I am self such a license in changing the names
a little too sharp upon heretics, and expose themselves, as to turn Eusebius into Pamphi-
their tricks before the public.'' You should lus, and a heretic into a martyr. One must
rejoice in my invectives otherwise, if you
: be cautious of such a man as you, and give
are vexed at them, you may be thought to be you a wide berth otherwise I may find my
;
yourself a heretic. When anything is writ- own name turned in a trice, and without my
ten against some particular vice, but without knowing it, from Jerome to Sardanapalus.
the mention of any name, if a man grows Listen, then, O pillar of wisdom, and type of
angry he accuses himself. It would have Catonian severity. I never spoke of him as
been the part of a wise man, even if he felt my master; I merely wished to illustrate my
hurt, to dissemble his consciousness of wrong, method of studying the Holy Scriptures by
and by the serenity of his countenance to dis- saying that I had read Origen just in the
sipate the cloud that lay upon his heart. same way as I had taken lessons from this
12. Otherwise, if everything which goes Jew. Did I do you an injury because I
against Origen and his followers is supposed attended the lectures of ApoUinarius and
to be said by me against you, we must sup- rather than yours? Was there
Didymus
pose that the letters of the popes Theophilus anything to prevent my naming
in my letter
and Epiphanius and the rest of the bishops that most eloquent man Gregory.?^ Which
*
which at their desire I lately translated are of all the Latins is his equal? I may well
meant to attack you and tear you to pieces ;
glory and exult in him.
But I only men-
we must suppose too that the rescripts of the tioned those who were subject to censure, so
Emperors which order that the Origenists as to showthat I only read Origen as I had
should be banished from Alexandria and is, not on account
of
listened to them, that
from Egypt have been written at my dicta- his soundness in the faith but on account
tion. The abhorrence shown by the Pontifl of the excellence of his learning. Origen
of the city of Rome against these men was himself, and Clement and Eusebius, and
nothing but a scheme of mine. The out-
Ep. Ixxxiv to Painmachius and Oceanus.
1
2 Letter Ixxxi.
3 Nazianzen, to whose instructions Jerome attached himself

* at Constantinople in 381.
Jerome, Letters 91-94.
490 JEROME.
many others, when they are discussing script- merly was silent about my errors, and now
ural points, and wish to have Jewish author- that he is angry with me brings to light what
ity for w"hat they say, write: A" Hebrew he had concealed.
stated this to me," or " I heard from a 15. This abandonment of friendship gives
Hebrew," or, "That is the opinion of the no claim to my confidence and open enmity ;
Hebrews." Origen certainly speaks of the brings with it the suspicion of falsehood.
Patriarch Huillus who was his contemporary, Still I will be bold enough to go to meet him,
and in the conclusion of his thirtieth Tome on and to ask what heretical doctrine I have ex-
Isaiah (that in the end of which he explains pressed, so that I may either, like him, ex-
the words " Woe to Ariel which David took press my regret and swear that I never knew
'
by storm ") uses his exposition of the words, the bad doctrines of Origen, and that his in-
and confesses that he had adopted through fidelity has now for the first time been made
his teaching a truer opinion than that which known to me by the Pope Theophilus ; or
he had previously held. He also takes as that I may at least prove that my opinions
written by Moses not only the eighty-ninth were sound and that he, as his habit is, had
Psalm ^ which is entitled "A prayer of not understood them. It is impossible that
Moses the Man of God," but also the eleven in my Commentaries on the Ephesians which
following Psalms which have no title ac- I hear he makes the ground of his accusa-
cording to Huillus's opinion ;
and he makes tion, I should have spoken both rightly and
no scruple of inserting in his commentaries wrongly that from the same fountain should
;
on the Hebrew Scriptures the views of the have proceeded both sweet water and bitter ;
Hebrew teachers. and that whereas throughout the work I con-

14. It is said that on a recent occasion, demned those who believe that souls have
where the letters of Theophilus exposing the been created out of angels, I should suddenly
errors of Origen were read, our friend stopped have forgotten myself and have defended the
his ears, and along with all present pro- opinion which I condemned before. He can
nounced a distinct condemnation upon the hardly raise an objection to me on the score
author of so much evil and that he said that of folly, since he has proclaimed me in his
;
up to that moment he had never known that works as a man of the highest culture and
Origen had written anything so wrong. I eloquence ; otherwise such silly verbosity as
say nothing against this : I do not make the he imputes is the part, one would think, of a
observation which perhaps another might pettifogger and a babbler rather than of an
make, that it was impossible for him to be eloquent man. What is the point of his
ignorant of that which he had himself trans- written accusations I do not know, for it is
lated, and an apology for which by a heretic only report of them, not the writings, which
he had published under the name of a martyr, has reached me; and, as tlie Apostle tells us
whose defence also he had undertaken in his it is a foolish thing to beat the air. How-
own book; as to which I shall have some ad- ever, I must answer in the uncertainty till
verse remarks to make later on if I have the certainty reaches me : and I will begin
time to write them. I only make one ob- by teaching my rival in my old age a lesson
servation which does not admit of contradic- which I learned in youth, that there are
tion. If it is possible that he should have many forms of speech, and that, according to
misunderstood what he translated, why is it the subject matter not only the sentences but
not possible that I should have been ignorant the words also of writings vary.
of the book Uepl 'Apx<^v which I had not be- 16. For instance, Chrysippus and AntijD-
fore read, and that I should have only read atcr occupy themselves with thorny ques-
those Homilies which I translated, and in tions: Demosthenes and ^schines speak
which he himself testifies that there is noth- with the voice of thunder against each other ;
ing wrong.'' But if, contrary to his expressed Lysias and Isocrates have an easy and
opinion, he now finds fault with me for those pleasing style. There is a wonderful difier-
things for which he before had given me ence in these writers, though each of them is
praise, he will be in a strait between two ;
perfect in his own line. Again: read the
cither he praised me, believing me to be a book of Tully To Hcrenui'us ; read his
heretic but confessing that he shared my Rhetoricians; or, since he tells us that these
opinion or else, if he praised me before as books fell from his hands in a merely inchoate
;
orthodox, his present accusations come to and imfinished condition, look through his
nothing, and are due to sheer malice. But three books On the oratoi-^ in which he
it was as friend that he for- introduces a discussion between Crassus and
perhaps only my
Antony, the most eloquent orators of that
> Is.
xxix, I," Where David encamped." Rev. Ver.
SPS.XC. day ; and a fourth book called The Orator
which he wrote to Brutus when ah'eady an you despise the precepts of Grammarians
old man and you will realize that History, and orators, that you make no attempt to set
;
Oratory, Dialogue, Epistolary writing, and straight words which have got transposed
Commentaries, have, each of them, their when the sentence has become complicated,
special style. We have to do now with or to avoid some harsh collocation of con-
Commentaries. In those which I wrote upon sonants, or to escape from a style full of gaps.
the Ephesians I only followed Origen and It would be ridiculous to point to one or two
Didymus and ApoUinarius, (whose doctrines wounds when the whole body is enfeebled
are very different one from another) so far and broken. I will not select portions for
as was consistent with the sincerity of my criticism it is for him to select any portion
;
faith: for what is the function of a Com- which is free from faults. He must have
mentary It .'' is to interpret another man's been ignorant even of the Socratic saying :
words, to put into plain language what he "Know thyself."

has expressed obscurely. Consequently, it To steer the ship the untaught landsman fears;
enumerates the opinions of many persons, Th' untrain'd attendant dares not give the sick
The The healing drug
says. Some interpret the passage in this
and drastic southernwood.
The alone prescribes. Th' artificer
leecli
sense, some in that the one try to support
;
Alone the tools can wield. But poetry
their opinion and understanding of it by such Train'd or untrain'd we all at random write.'
and such evidence or reasons : so that the
wise reader, after reading these different ex- Possibly he will swear that he has never
learned to read and write I can easily be-
planations, and having many brought before
;
mind for acceptance or rejection, may lieve that without an oath. Or perhaps
he
his
will take refuge in what the Apostle says of
judge which is the truest, and, like a good himself:
banker, may reject the money of spurious "Though I be rude in speech, yet
Is the commentator not in to be held But his reason for
re- knowledge." say-
mintasre.
these different interpreta- ing this is plain. He had been trained in
sponsible for all
Hebrew learning and brought
up at the feet
tions, and all these mutually contradicting
of Gamaliel, whom, though he had attained
opinions because he puts down the exposi-
apostolic rank, he was not ashamed
to call
tions given by many in the single work on
his master and he thought Greek eloquence
which he is commenting? I suppose that ;
of no account, or at all events, in his humil-

when you were a boy you read the commen-
ity, he would not parade
his knowledge of
taries of Asper upon Virgil and Sallust,
those of Vulcatius upon Cicero's Orations,
it. So that ^ his preaching should stand not
'
in the persuasive wisdom of words but in the

of Victorinus upon his Dialogues and upon
the Comedies of Terence, and also those of power of the things signified.' He despised
other men's riches since he was rich in his
my master Donatus on Virgil, and of others own. Still it was not to an illiterate man
on other writers such as Plautus, Lucretius,
who stumbled in every sentence that Festus
Flaccus, Persius and Lucan. Will you find
fault with those who have commented on these cried, as he stood before his judgment seat:
" Paul thou art beside thyself much learn-
writers because they have not held to a single ;
ing doth make thee mad." You who can

explanation, but enumerate their own views
and those of others on the same passage ? hardly do more than mutter in Latin, and
I say nothing of the Greeks, since
who rather creep like a tortoise than walk,
17.
ought either to write in Greek, so that among
you boast of your knowledge of them, even those who are ignorant of Greek you may
to the extent of saying that, in attaching
pass for one who knows a foreign tongue
yourself to foreign literature, you have for-
;
or else, if you attempt to write Latin, you

gotten your own language. I am afraid that,
should first have a grammar-master, and
according to the old proverbs, I might be flinch from the ferule, and begin again as an
like the pig teaching Minei-va, and the man
old scholar among children to learn the art
carrying fagots into the wood. I oidy won- of speaking. Even if a man is bursting
der that, being as you are the Aristarclius^
with the wealth of Croesus and Darius, let-
of our time, you should have shewn igno-
ters will not follow the money-bag. They
rance of these matters which every boy knows.
are the companions of toil and of labour, the
It is, no doubt, from your mind being fixed
associates of the fasting not of the full-fed,
on the meaning of what you write, but partly
of self-mastery not of self-indulgence.'* It is
alsofrom your being so sharp-sighted for the
manufacture of calumnies against me, that 1 Horace
Ep. ii, i, IH"?-
2 I Cor.
ii, 4. "Not in persuasive words of wisdom, but
in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." Rev. Ver.
1 A native of Sairothrace who died at Cyprus B. C. 157. lie 3 Acts
xxvi, 24.
was tutor to the children of Ptolemy Philometor, and was re- 4
Jerome often accuses Rufinus of self-indulgence. See
nowned as a rhetorician and a critic. esp. Letter cxxv, c. 18.
492 JEROME.
told of Demosthenes that he consumed more some such latitude of statement must be al-
oil than wine, and that no workman ever lowed to physicians, though it must be taken
shortened his nights as he did. He for the out of the hands of those who are unskilled.
sake of enunciating the single letter Rho That is quite true, it was replied and if one ;
was willing to take a dog as his teacher and ;

admits that any person may do this, it must
it a crime in me that I took a
yet you make be the duty of tlie rulers of states at times
man to teach me the Hebrew letters. This to tell lies, either to baffle the enemy or to
isthe sort of wisdom which makes men re- benefit their country and the citizens. On
main unlearned they do not choose to learn the other hand to those who do not know how
:
what they do not know. They forget the to make a good use of falsehood, the prac-
words of Horace : tice should be altogether prohibited." Now
take the words of Origen " When we con- :
Why through false shame do I choose ignorance, sider the truth every man ' '
Rather than seek to learn? precept Speak

with his neighbour,' we need not ask, Who is
That Book of Wisdom also which is read my neighbour? but we should weigh well the
to us as the work of Solomon says " Into cautious remarks of the philosopher.
:
> He
a malicious soul wisdom sliall not enter, nor says, that to God falsehood is shameful and
dwell in the body that is subject to sin. For useless, but to men it is occasionally useful.
the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee deceit We must not suppose that God ever lies,
"^
^
and remove from thoughts which are with- even in the way of economy only, if the ;
out understanding." The case is diBerent good of the hearer requires it, he speaks in
with those who only wish to be read by the ambiguous language, and reveals what he
vulgar, and do not care how they may offend wills in enigmas, taking care at once that
the ears of the learned and they despise the the dignity of truth should be preserved and
;
utterance of the poet which brands the for- yet that what would be hurtful if produced
wardness of noisy ignorance. nakedly before the crowd should be envel-
oped in a veil and thus disclosed. But a
'Twas you, I think, whose ignorance in the streets
Murder'd the wretched strain with creaking reed. man on whom necessity imposes the respon-
sibility of lying is bound to use very great
If you want such things, there are care, and to use falsehood as he would a
plenty
of curly-pated fellows in every school who stimulant or a medicine, and strictly to pre-
will sing you snatches of doggrel from serve its measure, and not go beyond the
Miletus or you may go to the exhibition
; bounds observed by Judith in her dealings
of the Bessi ' and see people shaking with with Ilolofernes, whom she overcame by
laughter at the Pig's Testament, or at any the wisdom with which she dissembled her
jesters' entertainment where silly things of words. He should act like Esther who
this kind are run after. There is not a day changed the purpose of Artaxerxes by hav-
but you may see the dressed-up clown in the
ing so long concealed the truth as to her
streets whacking the buttocks of some block- race and still more the patriarch Jacob
;
head, or half-pulling out people's teeth with who, as we read, obtained the blessing of
the scorpion which he
twists round for them his father by artifice and falsehood. From
to bite. We
need not wonder if the books all this it is evident that if we speak falsely
of know-nothings find plenty of readers. with any other object than that of obtaining
1 8. Our friends take it amiss that I have by it some great good, we shall be judged as
spoken of the Origenists as confederated to- the enemies of him who said, I am the truth."
gether by orgies of false oaths. I named the This Origen wrote, and none of us can deny
book in which I had found it written, that it. And he wrote it in the book which he
is, the sixth book of Origen's Miscellanies, addressed to the perfect,' his own disciples.
'
in which he tries to His teaching is that the master may lie, but
adapt our Christian
doctrine tothe opinions of Plato. The the disciple must not. The inference from
words of Plato in the third book of the Re- this is that the man who is a good liar, and
are as follows " Truth, said Socrates,
*
public : without hesitation sets before his brethren
is be specially cultivated. If, however,
to
any fabrication which rises into his mouth,
as I was saying shows himself to be an excellent teacher.
just now, falsehood is dis-
graceful and useless to God, to men it is at me
19. I am told that he also carps
sometimes useful, if only it is used as a stinui- for the translation I have given of a phrase
"
lant or a medicine for no one can doubt that
; in the Second Psalm. In the Latin it
'
Wisd. of Sol. i, 4, 5.
2 Erjtdilionis. 1
Epli. iv, 25.
3 A
tribe of Thrace;
probably troupes of tliem c;mic to ex-
"
Pro Dispensatione. The word Economy is used in modern
hibit in Uoiue. discussions on this subject in the sense of dispensing- truth
'
P" 339' C'o«<//";«*«/h;h, or seasoning. partially to those not wholly fit for its full disclosure.
" Learn
discipline," in the Hebrew martyr, and to invent a heretical
stands :
falsification
it is written Nescu Bar and I have given it of the books of Origen.
; Why may not I
in my commentary, Adore the Son and then, then discuss about words, and in doing the
;
when I translated the whole Psalter into the work of a commentator teach the Latins
Latin language, as if I had forgotten my what I learn from the Hebrews ? If it were
"
previous explanation, I put Worship not a long process and one which savours of
like even now to shew
purely." No one can deny, of course, that boasting, I should
these interpretations are contrary to each you how much profit there is in waiting at
other and we must pardon him for being the doors of great teachers, and in learning
;
If I could do
ignorant of the Hebrew writing when he is an art from a real artificer.
so often at a loss even in Latin. Nescu, this, you would see what a tangled forest of
translated literally, is Kiss. I wished not ambiguous names and words is presented by
to give a distasteful rendering, and preferring the Hebrew. It is this which gives such a
to follow the sense, gave the word Worship ;
field for various renderings :
for, the sense
for those who worship are apt to kiss their beingf uncertain, each man takes the transla-
hands and to bare their heads, as is to be tion which seems to hnn the most consistent.
seen in the case of Job who declares that he Why should I take you to any outlandish
has never done either of these things," and writers.'' Go over Aristotle once more and
^ "
says If I beheld the sun when it shined, Alexander the commentator on Aristotle ;
or the moon walking in brightness, and you will recognize from reading these what
my heart rejoiced in secret and I kissed my a plentiful crop of uncertainties exists and ;
hand with my mouth, which is a very great you may then cease to find fault with your
iniquity, and a lie to the most high God." friend in
reference to things which you have
The Hebrews, according to the peculiarity never had brought to your mind even in
of their language use this word Kiss for adora- your dreams.
tion ;
and therefore I translated according 31.My brother Paulinian tells me that
to the use of those whose language I was our friend has impugned certain things in
dealing with. The word Bar, however, my commentary on the Ephesians some of :
in Hebrew has several meanings. It means these criticisms he committed to menwry,
Son, as in the words Barjona (son of a and has indicated the actual passages im-
dove) Bartholomew (son of Tholomaeus), pugned. I must not therefore refuse to
Bartimseus, Barjesus, Barabbas. It also meet his statements, and I beg the reader, if
means Wheat, and A
sheaf of corn, and I am somewhat prolix in the statement and
Elect and Pure. What sin have I com- the refutation of his charges, to allow for
mitted, then, when a word is thus uncertain the necessary conditions of the discussion.
in its meaning, if I have rendered it difter- I am not accusing another but endeavouring
ently in different places? and if, after taking to defend myself and
to refute the false
the sense "Worship the Son" in my Com- accusation of heresy which is thrown in my
mentary, where there is more freedom of teeth. On the Epistle to the Ephesians
discussion, I said "Worship purely" or Origen wrote three books. Didymus and
" version of the Bible also works of their
electively" in my itself, Apollinarius composed
so that I should not be thought to translate ca- own. These I partly translated, partly
priciously or give grounds for cavil on the part adapted ; my method is described in the
of the Jews. This last rendering, moreover, following passage of my prologue: "This
is that of Aquila and Symmachus and I also I wish to state in my Preface. Origen,
:
cannot see that the faith of the church is in- you must know, wrote three books upon this
jured by the reader being shewn in how Epistle, and I have partly
followed him.
many different ways a verse is translated by Apollinarius also and Didymus published
the Jews. certain commentaries on it, from which I
20. Your Origen allow^s himself to treat have culled some things, though but few;
of the transmigration of souls, to introduce and, as seemed to me right, I put in or took
the belief in an infinite number of worlds, out others ;
but I have done this in such
to clothe rational creatures in one body after a way that the careful reader may from the
another, to say that Christ has often suffered, very first see how far the work is due to me,
and will often suffer again, it being always how far to others." Whatever fault there is
profitable to undertake what has once been detected in the exposition given
of this
You also assume such if I am unable to shew that it exists
profitable. yourself Epistle,
an authority as to turn a heretic into a in the Greek books from which I have
stated it to have been translated into Latin,
To the elements of nature, or the idols.
'
2 a8.
Job xxxi,26, I will acknowledge that the fault is mine
494 JEROME.
and not another's. However, that I should of his meaning } if you declare me to be a
not be thought to be raising quibbles, and secret adherent of his because I have not left
by this artifice of self-excuse to be escaping out anything which he has said, I would
from boldly meeting him, I will set out the ask you whether it was not necessary for me
actual passages which are adduced as evi- to do this, so as to avoid your cavils. Would
dences of my fault. you not otherwise have declared that I had
22. To begin. In the first boolv I take kept silence on matters on which he had
the words of Paul "As he hath chosen us spoken boldly, and that in the Greek text his
:
'
before the foundation of the world, that we assertions were much stronger than I repre-
might be holy and unspotted before him." sented.'' I therefore put down all that I
This I have interpreted as referring not, found in the Greek text, though in a shorter
according to Origen's opinion, to an election form, so that his disciples should have
of those who had existed in a previous state, nothing which
they could force upon the
but to the foreknowledge of God and I close ears of the Latins as a new thing for it is
; ;
the discussion with these words : easier for us to make light of things which
" His assertion that we have been chosen before we know well than of things which take us
the foundation of the world that we should be holy unprepared. But after I had shewn Origen's
and without blemish before him, that is, before interpretations of the passage, I concluded
God, belongs to the foreknowledge of God, to this section with woi-ds to which I beg your
whom all things which are to be are already made, attention :
and are known before they come into being. Thus
Paul was predestinated in the womb of his mother: "The Apostle does not say He chose us before •
and Jeremiah before his birth is sanctified, chosen, the foundation of the world because we were then
confirmed, and, as a type of Christ, sent as a holy and without blemish;' but 'He chose us
prophet to the Gentiles." that we might be holy and without blemish,' that
is, that we who before were not holy and without
There is no crime siu'ely in this exposition blemish
might afterwards become such. This ex-
of the passage. Origen explained it in a pression will apply even to sinners who turn to
heterodox sense, but I followed that of the better things; and thus the words remain true, 'In
church. And, since it is the duty of a thy sight shall no man living be justified,' that is,
no one in his whole in the whole of the time
commentator to record the opinions expressed that he has existed inlife, the world. If the passage
by many and I had promised in the
others, be thus understood, it makes against the opinion
Preface that would do this, I set down
I that before the foundation of the world certain
souls were elected because of their holiness, and
Origen's interpretation, though without men-
that they had none of the corruption of sinners.
tioning his name which excites ill will. It is evident that Paul and those like him were not
" " who wishes to vindicate elected because they were holy and without blem-
Another," I said,
the justice of God, and to shew that he does not ish, but they were elected and predestinated so
choose men according to a prejudgment and fore- that in their after life, by means of their works
and their virtues, they should become holy and
knowledge of his own but according to the deserts
of the elect, thinks that before the visible creation without blemish."
of sky, earth, sea and all that is in them, there ex-
isted the invisible creation, part of which consisted Does any one dare, then, after this state-
of souls, which, for certain causes known to God ment of my opinion, to accuse me of assent
alone, were cast down into this valley of tears, to the heresy of Origen ? It is now almost
this scene of our affliction and our pilgrimage; and
that it is to this that we may apply the Psalmist's eighteen years since I composed those books,
at a time when the name of Origen was
prayer, he being in this low condition and longing
to return to his former dwelling place: * " Woe is highly esteemed in the world, and when as
me that my sojourn is prolonged; I have inhabited yet his work the Uepl 'Apjwj' had not reached
the habitations of Kedar, my soul hath had a long the ears of the Latins and yet I distinctly
:
pilgrimage." And also the words of the Apostle :

and pointed out what I did
belief
^ "
O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver stated my
me from the body of this death.'" and * " It is not agree with. Hence, even if my opponent
better to return and to be with Christ;" and ^ "Be- could have pointed out anything heretical in
fore I was brought low, I sinned." He adds much other places, I should be held guilty only of
more of the same kind." the fault of carelessness, not of the perverse
Now observe that I said " Another who doctrines which both in this place and in my
wishes to vindicate," I did not say " who suc- other works I have condemned.
ceeds in vindicating." But if you find a stum- 23. I will deal shortly with the second pas-
bling block in the fact that I condensed a sage which my brother tells me has been
very
marked for blame, because the complaint is
long discussion of Origen's into a brief
statement so as to give the reader a glimpse exceedingly frivolous, and bears on its face its
calumnious character. The passage' is that in
»
Eph, i, 4. * Rom. B - —- — I. —^^^^^^w^î
'
-- I
I
»i
•
vii, 34., Ps. cxix, 67.
Ps. cxx, 5. « Phil, *
i, ai. £ph. i, 20, 31.
which Paul declares that God " made him to my own opinion, the second the opposite
sit at his right hand in tlie
heavenly places, far opinion held by Origen, the third the simj^le
above all rule and authority and power and explanation given by Apollinarius. As to
dominion, and every name that is named, the fact that I did not give their names, I
not only in this world but also in that which must ask for pardon on the ground that it
is to come," After stating various exposi- was done through modesty. I did not wish
tions which have been given, I came to the to disparage men whom I was partly follow-
offices of the ministers of God, and
spoke of ing, and whose opinions I was translating
the principalities and powers, the virtues and into the Latin tongue. But, I said, the
dominions and I add
: :
diligent reader will at once search into these
" things and form his own opinion. And I
They must assuredly have others who are sub-
them, who are under their power and serve repeated at the end : Another turns to a
ject to
different sense the words ' That in the ages
them, and are fortified by their authority: and this
distribution of offices will exist not only in the to come he might shew the exceeding riches
present world but in the world to come, so that of his grace.' "Ah," you will say, " I see
each individual will rise or fall from one step of that in the character of the diligent reader
advancement and honour to another, some as-
cending and some descending, and will come suc- you have unfolded the opinions of Origen."
I confess that I was wrong. I ought to
cessively under each of these powers, virtues,
principalities, and dominions." have said not The diligent but The blasphe-
mous reader. If I had anticipated that you
I then went on to describe the various would
adopt measures of this kind I might
divine offices and ministries after the simili- have done
this, and so have avoided vour
tude of the palace of an earthly king, which calumnious It is, I suppose, a
speeches.
I fully described and I added
great crime to have called Origen a diligent
:
;
reader, especially when I had translated

"Can we suppose that God the Lord of lords books of his and had praised him up
and King of kings, is content with a single order seventy
of servants? We speak of an archangel because to the sky,
—
for doing which I had to defend
'
there are other angels of whom he is chief: and so myself in a short treatise two years ago in
there would be nothing said of Principalities, answer to your trumpeting of my praises. In
Powers and Dominions unless it were implied those '
praises which you gave me you laid
'
that there were others of inferior rank."

it to
my charge that I had spoken of Origen
as a teacher of the churches, and now that you
But, if he thinks that I became a follower
of Origen because I mentioned in my expo- speak in the character of an enemy you
sition these advancements and honours, these
think that I shall be afraid because you
ascents and descents, increasings and dimin- accuse me of calling him a diligent reader.
I must out that to as Why, even shopkeepers who are particularly
ishings point say,
frugal, and slaves who are not wasteful, and
;
Origen does, that Angels and Cherubim and the

care-takers who made our childhood a
Seraphim are turned into demons and men, burden to us and even thieves when
is a
very different thing from saying that the they are
we of as diligent
Angels themselves have various offices allotted particularly clever, of speak ;
to them, —
a doctrine which is not repugnant
and so the conduct the unjust steward in
the Gospel is spoken of as wise. Moreover
to that of the church. Just as among men ' " The children of this
there are various degrees of dignity distin- world are wiser than
the children of light," and ^"The serpent
guished by the different kinds of work, as the
was wiser than all the beasts which the Lord
bishop, the presbyter and the other Ecclesi-
astical grades have each their own order,
had made on the earth."
while yet all are men so we may believe that,
;
2^. The fourth ground of his censure is
while they all retain the dignity of Angels, in the beginning of my Second Book, in
there are various degrees of eminence among which I expounded the statement
which St.
Paul makes "For this cause I Paul, the
them, without imagining that angels are
of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles."
changed into men, and that men are new- prisoner
made into angels. The passage in itself is perfectly plain and ;
I give, therefore, only that part of the com-

24. A third passage with which he finds
ment on it which lends itself to malevolent
fault is that in which I gave a threefold in-
of the words " remark ' :
terpretation Apostle's That :
in the ages to come he

might shew the ex- " The words which describe Paul as the
prisoner
ceeding riches of his grace in kindness of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles may be under-
towards us in Christ Jesus." The first was stood of his martyrdom, since it was when he was
1
Eph. ii, 7.
1
Jerome Letter 84.
5 Luke xvi, S.
s Gen. ui, I.
49<5 JEROME.
thrown into chains at Rome that he wrote this out none of his illustrations or his assertions.
Epistle, at the same time with those to Philemon And when I had come to the end, I added :
and the Colossians and the Philippians, as we have

formerly shewn. Certainly we mii^ht adopt an- "And so in the restitution of all things, when
other sense, namely, that, since we find this body Christ the true physician comes to restore to
in several places called the chain of the soul, in Jesus of the Church, which now
health the whole
which it is held as in a close prison, Paul may lies scattered and body
rent, every one will receive his
speak of himself as confined in the chains of the
proper place according to the measure of his faith
body, and so that he could not return and be with and his recognition of the Son of God (the word
Christ-, and that thus he might perfectly fulfil his
recognize implies that he had formerly known
'
'
office of preaching to the Gentiles. Some com- him and afterwards had ceased to know him), and
mentators, however, introduce another idea, shall then
that been and begin to be what he once had been;
namely, Paul, having predestinated not in such a way as that, as held by another
consecrated from his mother's womb, and before yet
he was born, to be a preacher to the Gentiles, a heresy, all should be placed in one rank, and, by
renovating process, all become angels but that ;
afterwards took on the chains of the flesh." each member, according to its own measure and
office shall become perfect : for instance, that the
Here also, as before, I gave a three fold ex- apostate angel shall begin to be that which he was
position of the passage in the first my own by his creation, and that man who had been cast
:
out of paradise shall be restored again to the

view, in the second the one supported by cultivation of paradise;
"
and so on.
Origen, and the third the opinion of Apolli-
narius going contrary to his doctrine. Read with your con-
If you do not
37. I wonder that you
over the Greek commentaries. summate wisdom have not understood my
find the fact to be as I state it, I will con- When I '
But
of method exposition. say,
fess that I was wrong. What is my fault in
not in such a way that, as held by another
this passage The same, I presume, as that
heresy, all should be placed in one rank,
.''
to which I made answer before, namely,

that is, all by a reforming process become
that I did not name those whose views I
angels, I clearly shew that the things which
'
quoted. But it was needless at each sepa- I put forward for discussion are heretical,
rate statement of the Apostle to give the and that one heresy differs from the other.
names of the writers whose works I had Which (do you ask?) are the two heresies.?
declared in the Preface that I meant to trans- The one is that which says that all reason-
late. Besides, it is not an absurd way of able creatures will by a reforming process
understanding the passage, to say that the become angels the other, that which asserts
;
soul is bound in the body until Christ re- that in the restitution of the world each
turns and, in the glory of the resurrection,
thing will become what it was originallv
changes our corruptible and mortal body for created as for instance that devils will
;
incorruption and immortality for it is in

:
again become angels, and that the souls of

this sense that the Apostle uses the expres-
men will become such as they were originall}-
sion, "O
wretched man that I am; who formed that is, by the reforming process
shall deliver me from
;
the body of this

will become not angels but that which God
death.'"' calling it the body of death because
originally made them, so that the just and
it is subject to vices and diseases, to disor- the sinners will be on an equality. Finally,
ders and to death until it rises with Christ
;
to shew you that it was not my own opinion
in glory, and, having been nothing but fragile
which I was developing but two heresies
clay before, becomes baked by the heat of the which I was comparing with one another,
holy Spirit into a jar of solid consistency, both of which I had found stated in the
thus changing its grade of glory, though not discussion with this
its nature.
I Greek, completed my
ending :
26. The fifth passage selected by him for

blame is the most important, that in which *'
These things, as I have said before, are more
I the statement of the obscure in our tongue because they are put in a
explain Apostle.
' "
From whom metaphorical form in Greek; and in every meta-
all the
body fitly framed and phor, when a translation is made word for word
knit together through every juncture of from one
language into another, the budding sense
ministration, according to the working in of the word is choked as it were with brambles."
due measure of every several part, maketh
the increase of the body unto the building If you do not find in the Greek the very
up of itself in love." Here I simimed up thought which I have expressed, I give you
in a short Origen's exposition leave to treat all that I say as my own.
sentence
which is very long and goes over the same 28. The sixth and last point which I am
ideas in various words, yet so as to leave told that he brings against me (that is if my
brother has not left anything unreported) is
1
Eph. iv, 16. that, in the interpretation of the Apostle's
words, '"He loveth his wife loveth that all that follows after and might be
that
himself, one ever hated his own brought up against me must be understood
for no
flesh, bnt nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as spoken not as my own view but that of
as Christ also the church," after my own my opponents. But it might be thought that
simple explanation I propounded the ques- my resolution of the difticidty of the passage
tion raised by Origcn, speaking his views, is too short and peremptory, and that it
though without mentioning his name, and wraps the true sense, according to what has
saying : been said above, in the darkness of allegory,
so as to bring it down from its true mean-
" I
may be met by the objection that the state- ing to one less rue. I will therefore come
ment of the Apostle is not true when he says that
no man liates his own flesli, since tliose wlio labour nearer to the matter, and ask what there is
under the jaundice or consumption or cancer or in the other interpretation with which you
abscesses, prefer death to life, and hate their own need disagree. It is this I suppose, that I
bodies ;" and my own opinion follows immediately said that souls should cherish their bodies as
:
" The
words, therefore, may be more properly men cherish their
taken in a metaphorical sense." wives, so that this cor-
ruptible may put on incorruption, and that,
When I say metaphorical, I mean to shew being lightly poised as upon wings, it may
that what is said is not actually the case, but rise more easily into the air. I say When
that the truth is shadowed forth throuo-h a that this corruptible must put on incorrup-
mist of allegory. However, I will set out tion, I do not change the nature of the body,
the actual words which are found in Orisen's but sive it a higher rank in the scale of
thinl book " We
may say that the soul loves
; being. And so as regards what follows,
that flesh which is to see the salvation of God, that, being lightly poised as upon wings. It
that it noiuîshes and cherishes it, and trains may more easily rise into the air He who gets:
it
by discipline and satisfies it with the bread wings, that is, immortality, so that he may
of heaven, and gives it to drink of the blood fly more lightly up to heaven, does not cease
of Christ: so that it may become well-liking to be what he had been. But you may say,
wholesome and follow I am staggered by what follows :
through food, may its
husband freely, without being weighed down **
Let us men then cherish our wives, and let
by any weakness. It is by a beautiful image our souls cherish our bodies, in such away as that
that the soul is said to nourish and cherish wives may be turned into men and bodies into
the body as Christ noin"ishes and cherishes spirits, and that there may be no difference of sex,
the chiu'ch, since it was he who said to but that, as among the angets there is neither male
^ nor female, so we, who are to be like the angels,
Jerusalem :
may begin to be on earth what it is promised that

" we shall be in heaven."
How often would I have gathered thy children
together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings and thou wouldst not;" and that thus this
You might justly be staggered, if I had
corruptible may put on incorruption, and that, not, after what goes before, said maj^ "We
being poised lightly, as upon wings, may rise more begin to be what it is promised that we shall
easily into the air. Let us men then cherish our be in heaven." When I say, "We
shall be-
Avives, and let our souls cherish our bodies in such
a way as that wives may be turned into men and gin to be on earth," I do not take away the
bodies into spirits, and that there may be no differ- difference of sex ;
I only take away lust, and
ence of sex, but that, as among the angels there is sexual intercourse, as the Apostle does when
neither male nor female, so we, who are to be like he says, " The time is short it remaineth
;
the Angels, may begin to be here what it is prom-

therefore that those wdio have wives be as
ised that we shall be in heaven." "
though they had none and as the Lord
;
39. The simple explanation of my own implied when, in reply to the question of
reference to the passage which of the seven brothers the woman
opinion in I stated
" Ye '
before in these words :

would be the wife, he answered err,
:
not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of

"Taking the simple sense of the words, we have God for in the resurrection they shall neither
;
a command, following on the precept of mutual
kindness between man and wife, that we should marry nor be given in marriage but they :
nourish and cherish our wives shall be as the angels of God." And, indeed,
that is, that we :
should supply them with the food and clothing when chastity is observed between man and
which are necessary." woman, it begins to be true that there is
neither male nor female but, though living in
;
This is my ownunderstanding of the the bod\-, they are being changed into angels,
passage. Consequently, my words implj- anions: whom there is neither male nor female.
1 2 Matt, xxiii, 1 Matt. xxii.

Eph. V, 28, 29. 37.
VOL. III. Kk
498 JEROME.
The same by the same Apostle in an- secular books
is said it was a promise for the :
other place: '"As many

of you as were futtu'e, not the aliolition of my memory of
bapti/êd into Christ did put on Christ.
the past. How, you may ask me, can you
There can be neither Jew nor Greek, tliere retain what you have been so long without
can be neither bond nor free, there can be no reading.'' I must give my answer by recur-
'
male and female for ye are all one in Christ rinsf to one of these old books
: :
Jesus." 'Tis much to be inured in tender youth.

30. But now, since my pleading has
steered its course out of these rough and
But by this mode of denial I criminate
broken places, and I have refuted the charge
for bringing Virgil as my witness I
of heresy which had been urged against me
myself;
am accused by my own defender. I suppose
by looking my accuser freely in the face, I I must weave a long web of words to prove
will pass on to the other articles of charge
what each man is conscious of. Which of
with which he tries to assail mc. Tlie first
does not remember his us I shall
infancy?
is that I am
a scurrilous person, a detractor
make you laugh though you are a man of
of every one that I am always snarling and
;
such extreme gravity ; and you will have at
biting at my predecessors. I ask him to
last to do as Crassus did, who, Lucilius tells
name a single person whose reputation I
us, laughed but once in his life, if I recount
have disparaged, or whom, according to an the memories of my childhood how I ran :
art practised by my opponent. I have galled

about among the offices where the slaves
by pretended praise. But, if I speak against worked how I spent the holida}S in play ; ;
ill-disposed persons, and wound with ^the or how I had to be dragged like a ca})tive
point of my pen some Luscius Lanuvinus or from my grandmother's lap to the lessons of
an Asinius Pollio of the race of tlie Cornelii,'
if 1 repel the attacks of a man of boastful
my enraged Orbilius.' You may still more
be astonished if I say that, even now that
and curious all and aim
shafts at my
spirit,
my head is gray and bald, I often seem in
a single butt, why does he divide with others my dreams to be standing, a curly youth,
the wounds meant for him alone And why .^
dressed in toga, to declaim a contro-
my
is he so unwise as to shew, by the irritation
versial thesis before the master of rhetoric ;
of his answer to my attack, his consciousness
and, when I wake, I congratulate myself on
that it is he alone whom the cap fits ?
escaping the peril of making a speech.
He brings against me the charge of per- Believe me, our infancy brings back to us
jury and sacrilege together, because, in a many things most accurately. If you had
book written for the instruction of one of had a literary education, your mind would
Christ's virgins, I describe the promise which
retain what it was originally imbued with as
I once made when I dreamed that I was before
a wine cask retains its scent. The purple
the tribunal of the Judge, that I would never
dye on the wool cannot be washed out with
again pay attention to secular literature, and water. Even asses and other brutes know
that nevertheless I have sometimes made
the inns they have stopped at before, how-
mention of the learning which I then con-
ever long the journey may have been. Are
demned. I think that I have here lighted on
the man who, under the name of Sallustianus
you astonished that I have not forgotten my
Latin books when you learnt Greek without
Calpurnius, and through the letter written to a master } I learned the seven forms of Syllo-
me by the orator Magnus, raised a not very
*
answer on the general gisms in the Elements of logic I learned the ;
great question. My meaning of an Axiom, or as it might be

subject is contained in the short treatise
called in Latin a Determination I learned ;
which I then wrote to him.* But at the how every sentence must have in it a verb
present moment I must make answer as to and a noun ho\v to heap up the steps of the
;
the sacrilege and perjury of my dream. I
Sorites,^ how to detect the clever turns of the
said that I would thenceforward read no
Pseudomenos'' and the frauds of the stock
sophisms. I can swear that I never read any
1 Gal. iii, 27, 2S. of these things after I left school. I suppose
2 A rival of Terence, to whom Jerome often compares Ru-
finus. that, to escape from having what I learned
3 Asinius
Pollio was a rival of Cicero. It seems that some
detractor of Jerome boasted that he was of the race of the
made into a crime, I must, according to the
Cornclii. Sec Comra. on Jonah iv, 6. " A
curtain Canthcrius, fables of the poets, go and drink of the river
of the most ancient race of tlic Cornelii, or, as he boasts, of the
stock of Asinius Pollio, is said to liave accused nie at Itome
"
Virg. Gcor. 11,273.
' ' ' 1
lon<j; ag-o for havinjr translated ivy instead of gourd.'
Per oratoreni Afii^^num non man'nam moveral qua'stioncm. - The name of a pedagogue recorded by Horace (Ep. ii,
^
Icronie, Inciter llXX, c. 6. "Perhaps the iiueslion (as '1 7')i into a general name for boys' tutors.
which passed
to christians reading heathen books) is suggested bv one who, 3
"Heap-argument," in which a number of separate
'fhe
lor his love of
Sallust, might go by the name of C'alpmEiius arguments ccmverge on the same point.
"
Lanarius." The I.iar," another logical puzzle.
Lethe. I summon you, who accuse me for as if swimming through tlie air, over moun-
my scanty knowledge, and who think your- tains and seas. My

accuser might, therefore,
self a literateur and a Rabbi, tell me how was demand that I should cease to live, or that
it that vou dared to write some of the thinos I should have wings on my shoulders, be-
you have written, and to translate Greg- cause my niind has often been mocked in
ory,' that most eloquent man, with a splen- sleep by vague fancies of this kind. How
dour of eloquence like his own? Whence many people are rich while asleep and wake
have you obtained that flow of words, that to find themselves beggars or are drinking !
lucidity of statement, that variety of transla- water to cool their thirst, and wake up with
tions, — you who in youtli had hardly more their throats parclied and burning You !
than a first taste of rhetoric? I must be very exact from me the fulfilment of a promise
much mistaken if you do not study Cicero given in a dream. I will meet you with a
in secret. I suspect that, being
yourself so truer and closer question : Have you done
cultivated a person, you forbid me under all that you promised in your baptism?
penalties the reading of Cicero, so that you Have you or I fulfilled all that the profession
may be left alone among our church writers of a monk demands? I beg you, think
to boast of your flow of eloquence. I must whether you are not looking at the mote in
say, however, that you seem rather to follow my eye through the beam in vour own. I
the philosophers, for your style is akin to say this against my will it is
by sorrow that
;
that of the thorny sentences of Cleanthcs^ my reluctant tongue is forced into words.
and the contortions of Chrysippus,^ not from As to you, it is not enough for you to make
any art, for of that you say you are ignorant, up charges about my waking deeds, but you
but from the sympathy of genius. The must accuse me for my dreams. You have
Stoics claim Logic as their own, a science such an interest in my actions that you must
which you despise as a piece of fatuity; on discuss what I have said or done in my
this side, therefore, you are an Epicurean, sleep. I will not dwell on the way in
and the principle of your eloquence is, not which, in your zeal to speak against me,
style but matter. For, indeed, what docs it you have besmirched your own j^rofcssion,
matter that no one else understands what you and have done all you can by word and deed
wish to say, when you write for your own for the dishonouring of the whole body of
friends alone, not for all? I must confess Christians. But I give you fair warning,
that I myself do not always understand what and will repeat it again and again. You
you write, and think that I am reading are attacking a creature who has horns and, :
^Heraclitus; however I do not complain, nor if it were not that I lay to heart the words of
lament for my sluggishness for tlie trouble the Apostle " The evil speakers^ shall not
;
'
of reading what you write is not more than inherit the kingdom of God," and ^ " By hat-
the trouble you must have in writing it. ing one another you have been consumed one
I might well reply as I have done even of another," I would make
31. you feel what a
if it were a
question of a promise made with vast discord you have stirred up after a
full consciousness. But this is a new and slight and pretended reconciliation. What
shameless thing he throws in my teeth a advantage is it to you to heap up slanders
;
mere dream. How am I to answer? I have against me both among friends and stran-
no time for thinking of anything outside my gers? Is it because I am not an Origenist,
own sphere. I wish that I were not pre- and do not believe that I sinned in heaven,
vented from reading even the Holy Scriptures that I am accused as a sinner upon earth?
by the throngs that beset this place, and the And was the result of our renewal of friend-
gathering of Christians from all parts of the ship to be, that I was not to speak against
world. Still, when a man makes a dream heretics for fear that my notice of them
into a crime, I can quote to him the words should be taken for an assault upon you?
of the Prophets, who say that we are not to So long as I did not refuse to be belauded by
believe dreams; for even to dream of adultery you, you followed me as a master, you called
does not condemn us to hell, and to dream me friend and brother, and acknowledged
of the crown of martyrdom does not raise us me as a catholic in every respect. But
to heaven. Often I have seen m3'self in when I asked to be spared your praises, and
di'eams dead and placed in the grave often judged myself unworthy to have such a great
:
I have flown over the earth and been carried man for my trumpeter, you immediately
ran your pen through what you had written,
1 Nazianzen. See Prolegomena.
2 Stoic of Assiis in
philosopher B. C.
Lydia
and began to abuse all that you had praised
300-240.
3 Of Cilicia; disciple of Clcanthes, B. C. 280-208.
* Born Ephesus B. C. 503. His philosophy was tinged
at
^
with melancholy, and his style obscure. il.Cor. vi,9. 2 Revilers, Rev. Ver. Gal. v, 15.
500 JEROME.
before, and to pour forth from the same writings false by his writings. should Why
mouth both sweet and bitter words. I wish he knit his brow and draw in and wrinkle
you could understand what self-repression up his nostrils, and weigh out his hollow
1 am exerting in not suiting my words to the words, and simulate among the common
boiling heat of my breast and how I ; pray, crowd a sanctity which liis conduct belies.''
like the Psalmist:
" Set a watch,
'
Lord, O Let me
j^roclaim my principles once more in
before my mouth, keep the door of my lips. his cars: That tlie old Adam dies com-
Incline not my heart to the words of mal- pletely in the laver of baptism, and a new
" * "
ice ;and, as he says elsewhere While : iTian rises then with Christ that the man ;
the wicked stood before me I was dumb and that is earthly perishes and the man from
was humbled and kept silence even from good heaven is raised up. I say this not because
I became as a man
•'''
words;" and again :
myself have a special interest in this ques-
I
that heareth not and in whose mouth are no through the mercy of Christ; but that
tion,
But for me the Lord the Aven- I made answer to my brethren when
reproofs." they
ger will reply, as he says through the asked me for my opinion, not intending to
''"Vengeance is mine, I will prescribe for others what they may think
Prophet: "
repa}-, saith the Lord and in another :
right to believe, nor to overturn their resolu-
place: ''"'Thou satest and spakcst against tion by my opinion. For we who lie hid in
thy brother, and hast slandered thy mother's our do not covet the Bishop's office.
cells
son. These things hast thou done, and I We are not like some, who, despising all
kept silence thou thoughtest indeed by that I
; humility, are eager to buy the episcopate
should be such an one as thyself; but I will with gold; nor do we wish, with the minds
reprove thee, and set them before thine of rebels, to suppress the Pontiff' chosen by
"
eyes so that you may see yourself brought
;
God ;
'
nor do we, by favouring heretics,
in guilty of those things which you falsely show weare heretics ourselves.
that As
lay to another's charge. for money,^ we
neither have it nor desire to
I am told, have it. " and clothing, we
32. to take another point, Having food
"
that one of his followers, Chrysogonus, finds are tbercwith content; and meanwhile we
fault with me for having said that in baptism constantly chant the words describing the
all sins are put away,** and, in the case of man who shall ascend to the hill of the
the man who was twice married, that he Lord ^ " He that putteth not out his money
:
had died and risen up a new man in Christ ; to usury, nor taketh reward against the inno-
and further that there were several such cent he who doeth these thingfs shall not be
;
persons who were Bishops in the churches. moved eternally." We may add that he
I will make him a short answer. He and who does the opposite to these will fall
his friends have in their hands my letter, for eternally.
which they take me to task. Let him give
an answer to him overthrow its reason-
let Almost every sentence in this last chapter is
it,
an insidious allusion to Rufinus. His " wrinkled-
ing by reasoning of his own, and prove my up brow" and " turncd-up nose," his weighing out
his words, his supposed wealth, are all alluded to
1 Ps. cxli, 3, 4. = 3 ps. xxxviii, 14.
Ps. xxxix, I, 2. in other places and especially in the satirical de-
* Dent, xxxii, 35. " Ps. 1 20.
scription of him given after his death in Jerome's
,
"The allusion "is to Jerome's letter (LXIX) to Oceanus

on the case of Cartcrius a Spanish Bishop, who had been letter (cxxv. c. iS) to Rusticus.
mariied before his baptism, and, his wife liavinic died, had
married again. Oceanus ari;ucd tlial he was to be condemned. 1
The allusion is, perhaps, to Rufinus' answer to Pope
Jerome contended in his f ivour, resfarding' his first marriage I Anastasius translated in this volume.
as part of the old life obliterated by buptisnj, ' - 1. Tim, vi, S.
3 Ps. xxiv, 3; xv, 5.
JEROME'S APOLOGY AGAINST RUFINUS — BOOK II.
Summary of the CiiArxERs.
1-3. A criticism on Rufinus' Ajiology to Anastasius, His excuses fur not coming to Rome are absurd.
His parents are dead and the journey is easy. No one ever heard before of his being imprisoned or exiled for
the faith.
4-8. His confession of faitli is unsatisfactory. No one aslvcd him aljout the Trinity, but about Origen's
doctrines of the Resurrection, the origin of souls, and the salvability of Satan. As to the Resurrection and to
Satan he is ambiguous. As to souls he professes ignorance.
9. What Latin ! The poor souls must be tormented by his barbarisms.
10. It is not permitted to you to be ignorant of such a matter which all the churches know.
11. As to translating the llepl ^Kpx<^v^ it is not a question, but a charge that you unjustiliably altered the
book.
12,13. Origen asserts Christ to be a creature, and maintains universal restitution. Where has he contra-
dicted, this?
14. The question is, as Anastasius says to John of Jerusalem, with what motive you translated the
Hf/jt 'A/>;i;wi\
15. You pretend not to be Origen's defender, but you publish and enlarge the Apology for him and allege
the heretics' falsification of his works.
16. Your defence gains no support from Eusebius or Didymus, who, each for his own reason, defend the
lls/ji ^Kpx^v as it stands.
1
7. If we may allege falsification at every turn we make a chaos of all past literature.
18. The object of Origen's letter, of which he translates only a part, is not to shew the falsification of his
writings but to vituperate the Bishops who condemned him.
19. It is only in reference to a particular point in his dispute with Candidus that Origen alleges this falsi-
fication. The story of Hilary's being condemned through his writings having been falsified has no foundation.
20. That which you tell about myself in Damasus' council is mere after-dinner gossip.
21-2. The attack on Epiphanius as a plagiarist of Origen is an outrage on the ]3ishops generally. Origen
never wrote 6000 books.
23. I ascertained, at the library at Csesarea that the Apology you quote as Pamphilus' is the work of Euse-
bius.
24. The letter falsely circulated in Africa as mine, and expressing regret for my translation of the Old
Test, from the Hebrew bears the mark of your hand. I have always honoured the Seventy Translators.
25-32. In proof of this, I bring forward the prefaces to my Translation of the Books from Genesis to
Isaiah.
33. As to Daniel, it was necessary to point out that Bel and the Dragon, and similar stories were not
found in the Hebrew.
34. A vindication of the importance of the Hebrew Text of Scripture.
35. Though the LXX has been of great value, we should be grateful for fresh translations from the
original.
I . Thus far I have made answer about my [charity. He says that he would have wished
crimes, and indeed in defence of my crimes, to come himself, were it not that he had
which crafty encomiast formerly urged
my lately returned, after thirty years' absence, to
against me, and which his disciples still con- his parents, and that it would have seemed
stantly press. I have done so not as well as harsh and inhuman to leave them after having
I ought but as I was able, putting a check been so long in coming to them and also ;
if he had not become somewhat less robust

upon complaints, for
my object has been my
not so much to accuse others as to defend through his long and toilsome journey, and too
myself. I will now come to his Apology,^ infirm to begin his labours again. As he
by which he strives to justify himself to had not been able to come himself, he had
Anastasius, Bishop of the City of Rome, sent his apology as a kind of literary cudgel
and, in order to defend himself, constructs a which the bishop might hold in his hand
mass of calumnies against me. His love for and drive away the dogs who were raging
me is like that which a man who has been against him. If he is a man approved for
carried away by the tempest and nearly his divine faith and charity by all, and
drowned in deep water feels for the strong especially by the Bishop to whom he writes ;
swimmer at whose foot he clutches he is de- : how is it that at Rome he is assailed and re-
termined that I shall sink or swim with him. viled, and that the reports of the attacks upon
3. He professes in the first place to be re- his reputation grow thicker. Further, what
plying to insinuations made at Rome against sort of humility is this, that a man speaks
his orthodoxy, he being a man most fully ap- of himself as approved for his divine faith
and The Apostles '" Lord
proved in respect both of divine faith and of charity.^ prayed,
^ See this Apology translated above. ^ Luke xvii, Si 6.
502 JEROMK.
increase our faith/' and received for answer: ments and of the various provinces to which
" If "
ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed ;
he tells us that he was forced into exile.
and even to Peter it is said: " thou of
'
O Next there appear to have been numerous
little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" imprisonments and an infinite numixn- of
Why shoukl I speak of charit}', \vliich is exiles so that he might at least name one of
;
greater tliau either faith or ho})e, and which them all. Let us have the acts of his con-
Paul says he hopes for rather than assumes: fessorship protlticed, for hitherto we have
without which even the blood shed in been in ignorance of them and so let us ;
martyrdom and the body given up to the have the satisfaction of recitinsr his deeds
flames has no reward to crown it. Yet both with those of the other martyrs of Alexan-
of these our friend claims as his own; in dria, and that he may be able to meet the
such a way, however, that there still remain people who bark against him with the
creatures who bark against him, and who words: '"From henceforth let no man
will go on barking unless the illustrii)u.s Pon- trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks
tiir drives them away witli his stick. But of our Lord Jesus Christ."
how absurd is this plea which he puts for- 4. He goes on :
ward, of having returned to his parents after "

Still, since tiicre may be some persons, wlio
thirty years. Why, he has got neither father may wish faith, or to hear and learn
nor mother! He left them alive when he my
to prove
wiiat it is, I will declare that I thus think of the
was a young man, and, now that he is old. Trinity;
"
he pines for them when they are dead. But
" and so on. At first you said that you en-
perhaps, he means by parents," what is
meant in the talk of the soldiers and the trusted your faith to the Bishop as a stick
common people, his kinsfolk and relations; with which he luight fortify himself on your
well, he says he does not wish to be tliought behalf against those barking dogs. Now
so harsh and inhuman as to desert them and ; you speak a little less confidently, " There
thei-efore he leaves his home^ and goes to may be some persons who wish to prove my
live at Aquileia. That most ajjproved faith You begin to hesitate when the
faith."
of his is in great peril at Rome, and yet he barkings ^\•hich reach your ears are so nu-
lies on his back,
being a l)it tired after thirty merous. I will not stop to discuss the forms
years, and cannot make that very easy journey of diction whicli you use, for these you look
in a carriage along that Flaminian
Way. down upon and condemn I will answer :
lie puts forward his lassitude after his long according to the meaning alone. You are
journey, as if he had done nothing but move asked about one thing, and you give account
about for thirty years, or as if, after resting for yourself upon another. As to the doc-
at Aquileia for two years, he was still worn trines of Arius, you contended against them
out with the labour of Ids past travels. at Alexandria a long time ago, by inqn-ison-
3. I will touch upon the other jDoints, ment and exile, not with words but with
and set down the actual words of his letter blood. But the qtiestion now relates to the
:
heresy of Origen, and the feeling aroused

"
AUliouiÎi my faitli w;is prowd, at. the lime of against you on the subject. I should be
the porscciitioii by the heretics, when [ ^v•as living that yoti should trouble yotu^self to cure
in tlie holy chureli of Alex;indiia, by imprison-
sorry
ments and exiles, to \vhich I was subjected because
wounds which are already healed. You
of the <"aith." confess a Trinity in one Godhead. The
whole world now confesses this, and I think
^ "
I only wonder that lie did not add The that even the devils ct)nfess that the .Son of
" I was delivered God was born of the
prisoner of Jesus Christ," or Virgin Marv, and took
from the jaw of the lion," or " I fought with upon him the flesh and the soul belonging to
beasts at Alexandria," or " I have (inisiied my human natiu-e. But I must besf you not
course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there to think me a contentious man if I ex-
is laid up for me
a crown of righteousness." amine you a little more
strictly. You sa}'
What exiles, what im])risonments are these that the Son of God took the flesh and soul
which he describes.'' I blush fortius open belonging to human nature. Well then, I
falsehood. As if imprisoniTient and exile would ask you not to be vexed with me but
would be inflicted without judicial sentences to answer this qtiestion. That soul which
!
I should like to have a list of these

imprison- Jesus took upon him, did it exist before it
was born of Mary.? Was it created togeUier
1 Matt.
xiv. 31.
'Phis old home was at Concordia,
-
with the body in that original Virgin nature
]er. Kji. V, 2 coiiip.
with title of Kp. X.
;
which was begotten by the Holy Spirit.? or,

3
Expressions of St. I'aul in Eph. iii, i; aTim.iv, ]•;
Cor. XV, 32; aTim.iv.y.
iGul.vi.17.
APOLOGY— BOOK II. 503
when the body was already formed within 6. Of the devil he thus frames his opin-
thewomb, was it made all at once, and sent ion
down from heaven? I wish to know which
one of these you choose as your opinion. If "We allinu also a judgment to come, in which
it existed before it was born from Mary, then judgment every
man is to receive the due meed of
his bodily life, according to that which he has
it was not
yet the soul of Jesus and it was done, wliether good or evil. And, if in the case of
;
employed in some way, and, for a reward of men the reward is according to their Avorks how
its virtues, it was made his soid. If it arose much more will it be so in the case of the devil
who is the universal cause of sin. Of the devil
by traduction,' then human souls, which we himself our belief is that which is written in the
believe to be eternal, are subject to the same
Gospel, namely that both he and all his angels
condition as which will receive as their jjortion the eternal fire, and
those of the brutes,
perisli created with him those who do his works, that is, who be-
with the body. But if it is
and sent into the body after the body has come the accusers of their brethren. If then any
one denies that the devil is to be subjected to
been formed, tell us so simply, and free us eternal he have his with him in the fires, may part
from anxiety. eternal fire, so that he may know by experience the
5. None of these answers will you give fact which he now denies."
us. You turn to other things, and by your "
tricks and shew of words prevent us from I will repeat the words one by one. We
close the question.
attention to
aftirm also a judgment to come, in which judg-
paying
What ment &c." I had determined to say nothing
was not
the question
!
you will say,
about the resurrection of the flesh and the about verl)al faidts. But, since his disciples
admire the eloquence of their master, I will
punishment of the devil? True; and there-
fore I ask for a brief and sincere answer. I
make one or two strictures upon it. He had
raise no question as to your declaration that already said "a future judgment;" but,
a cautious man, he was afraid of say-
it is this
very flesh in which we live which being
" in which," and therefore wi'ote
rises again, without the loss of a single ing simply
in which judgment;" for fear that, if he
'•'
member, and without any part of the body

cut oft' these are own had not said "judgment" a second time,
being (for your words).
But I want to know whether you hold, wliat we, forgetting v^^hat had gone before, might
have supplied the word "'• ass." That which
Origen denies, that the bodies rise with the "
same sex with which they died and that he brings in afterwards those who become
;
the accusers of their brethren will with him
Mary will still be Mary and John be John ;
or whether the sexes will be so mixed and have their portion in the eternal fire," is in a
confused that there will be neither man nor style of equal beauty. ever heard of Who
'
It would be like
' *
woman, butsomething which is both or possessing the flames '

.''
neither and also whether you hold that the

;
enjoying tortures.' I suppose that, being
bodies remain uncorrupt and immortal, and, now a Greek, he had tried to translate him-
as you acutely suggest after the Apostle, self, and that for the word Kljjpovouijaovciv^'
which can be rendered in Latin by the
spiritual bodies forever; and not only the
single word Hicrcditabunt, he said Haeredi-
bodies, but the actual flesh, with blood in- ^
fused into it, and passing by channels through tate potientur supposing it to be something
the veins and bones, —
such flesh as Thomas more elaborate and ornate. With such trifles
and such improprieties of speech his whole
touched or that little by little they are dis-
;
solved into nothing, and reduced into the four discourse is teeming. But to return to the
elements of which they were compoimded. meaning of his words.
This you ought either to confess or deny, 7. To proceed :
and not to say what Origen also says, but in-

"This is a great spear with which the devil is
sincerely, as if he were playing upon the pierced, he, who is the universal cause of sin,' if '
weakness of fools and children, " without he is to render account of his works, like a man,
the loss of a single member or the cutting ofl' and with his angels possess the inheritance of
'
of any pail of the body." Do you suppose eternal fires.' This, no doubt, was what was lack-
ing to him, that, having brought mankind into
that what we feared was that we mitrht rise torment, he should himself possess the eternal
'
without noses and ears, that we should find fires which he had all the while been longing for."
'
that our genital organs would be cut oft' or

maimed and that a city of eunuchs was built You seem to me here to speak a little too
up in the new Jerusalem ? hardly of the devil, and to assail the accuser
of all with false accusations. You say ' he
1 Ex is, from a layer like that of the vine.
traduce, that
This view that the soul is derived, with the
eiiitôdies the
body, from the parent. There is no English word for the pro- 1 rendered above have their portion.*
Poti'ri,
'
cess and since the word Traducianism is used to express tlic

;
-
Kleronomcsousin, tliey shall inherit.
2 inheritance.
theory, Traduction' is used here to e.vprcss the process. will enjoy
'
They tlic
S04 JEROME.
isthe universal cause of sin;' and, while you misery while a thorn pierces me"') should
make hiui the author of all crimes, you free woiuid and strike tlnough the crafty tongue,
men from fault, and take away the freedom and maJvc an end of sins in it. He also inter-
of the will. Our Lord sa}s that ' from our prets the place where the Lord testifies saying
'
:
heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, ''•1 came to send fire on theeartli, ami how I
"
" I wish
adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, wish lliat it
may burn
meaning as
railins^s,' and of Judas we read in the Gos- that all may repent, and burn out through the
" After the
pel ; sop vSatan entered into Holy spirit their vices and their sins for I ;
him," that because he had before the sop am he of whom it is written, * "Our God is
is,
sinned voluntarily, and had not been brought a consuming fire;" it is no great thing then
to repentance either by humbling himself or to say this of the devil, since it is prepared also
by the forbearance ^ of the Saviour. So also for men." You ought rather to have said, if
the Apostle says; '•
Such men I delivered you wished to avoid the suspicion of believing
^ "
to Satan, that they might be taught not to in the salvation of the devil Thou hast ;
blaspheme." He delivered to Satan as to become perdition and shalt not be for ever ;"
a torturer, with a view to their punishment, and as the Lord speaks to Job concerning the
those who, before they had been delivered devil, ''" Behold his ho])e shall fail him and
to him learned to blaspheme by their own in the sight of all shall he be cast down. I
will. David also draws the distinction in a will not arouse him as one that is cruel, for
few words between the faults due to his own who can resist my countenance.^ W^ho has
will and the incentives of vice when he says first given to me that I may return it to him.^
^"Cleanse thou me from my secret faults, tor all things beneath the heaven are mine.
and keep back thy servant from alien sins." I w'ill not spare him and his words that are
We read also in Ecclesiastes *" If the spirit powerful and fashioned to turn away wrath."
of a ruler rise up against thee, leave not Hence, these things may pass as the work of
thy place;" from which we may clearly see a plain man. Their bearing is evident enough
that we commit sin if we give opportunity to those who understand these matters but to ;
to tlie power which rises up, and if we fail the unlearned they may wear the appearance
to hurl down headlong the enemy who is of innocence.
scaling our walls. As to your threatening S. But what follows about the condition of
your brothers, that is, those who accuse souls can by no means be excused. He says :
you, with eternal fire in company with the "I am next informed that some stir has l:)ceii
devil, it seems to me that you do not so much made on the
ciucstion of tlie nature of the soul.
drag your brethren down as raise the devil up, Wliether comphiints on a matter of this kind ought
since he, according to you, is to be punished to be entertained instead of being put aside, you
must decide. If, however, you desire to
only with the same fires as Christian men. know yourself
But well you know,
I what eternal my opinion upon tliis subject, I will state
think, it frankly. have read a great many writers on
I
fires mean according to
the ideas of Origen, this question, and I find that they express divers
namely, the sinners' conscience, and the re- opinions. Some of these whom I have read hold
morse which galls their hearts within. These that the soul is infused together with the material
ideas he thinks are intended in the words of body through the channel of the human seed, and of
such proofs as they can. I think that
Isaiah " Tiieir worm shall not die neither
'^
this tlieygive
this was the opinion of TertuUian or Lactantius
:
shall tlieir fire be quenched." And in the among the Latins, jicrhaps also of a few others.
words addressed to Babylon '" Thou hast : Others assert that God is every day making new
coals of fire, thou shalt sit upon them, these soids and infusing them into the bodies which
have been framed in the womb; while others
shall be thy help." So also in the Psalm it
again believe that the soids were all made long
is said to the penitent;
•'
What shall be **
ago. when God made all things of nothing, and

given to thee, or what shall be done more for tli.M all that he now docs is to send out each soul
to be born in its body as it seems good to him.
thee against the false tongue Sharp arrows .''
This is the opinion of Origen, and of some

of the mighty, with desolating coals ;" wdiich
others among the Greeks. For myself, I declare
means (according to him) that the arrows of in the presence of God that, after reading each
God's precepts (concerning which the of these opinions, I am imable to hold any of
in another place, " " I lived in them as certain and absulute: the determination of
Prophet says
the truth in this question I leave to God and to any
to whom shall please him to reveal it.
it pro- My
1 Malt. XV, *
-
iQ. Ps. xix, 12, 13. Vulg. fession on
this point is, therefore, first, that these
jolin xiii, 27. '''Eccl.x,4. several ojiinions are those which I have found in
•I
I. Tim. i, 20. " Is. Ixvi, 24.
' " Tlieic shall not be ;i C(i:il to \v;inn .it nor
Is. xlvii, 14, jj. books, but, secondly, that 1 as yd ren.ain in igno-
before it. Thus shall they be niilo thee lor whom th 11
fire to sit rance on the subject, except so far as this, that the
hast laboured." A. V. in ahnostexact ai^reemeul with \'ulL',-He
Jerome must have quoted jiicmoriter from an oUler version.
8 Vs.
cxx, 3,4. Vuli^. '
T.uVc xii, 40.
3
Perhaps from Jer. li, 26.
" ^
Probably a loose reference to Ps. xlii, 9, 10. - ])eut. iv, 24, Ilcb. xii, 2y. Leviathan, Job xli, 9-1J. Vulg.
APOLOGY — BOOK II.
505
Church delivers it as an article of faith that God is trouble

the creator of souls as well as of bodies." when, according to the erroneous
theory of Origen, they fell from heaven to
earth, and were clothed in these gross bodies,
9. Before I enter upon the subject matter
of this passage, I must stand in admiration of as they have now in being knocked about on
words worthy of Theophrastus all sides
: by these strange words and sen-
tences not to mention that word of ill omen
:
"I am informed, he says, that some stir has been which says that they are infused
through
made on the question of the nature of the soul. the channel of the human seed. I know
Whether complaints on a matter of this kind ought that it is not usual
in Christian
to be entertained instead of
being put aside, you criticise mere faults of writings to
must yourself decide." style j but I thought
it well to shew
by a few examples how rash
If these questions as to the origin of the it is to teach what you are ignorant of, to
soul have been stirred at Rome, vviiat is the write what you do not know so that, when :
meaning of this comphiint and murmuring we come to the subject-matter, we may be

on the question whether they ought to be prepared to find the same amount of wis-
entertained or not, a question which belongs dom. He sends a letter, which he calls a
entirely to the discretion of bishops.? But very strong stick, as a weapon for the Bishop
perhaps he thinks that question and com- of Rome; and on the \ery subject about
plaint mean the same thing, because he which the dogs are barking at him he pro-
finds this form of speech in the Commen- fesses entire ignorance of the question. If
taries of Caper. Then he writes: "Some he is ignorant on the subject foi- which ill-
of those whom I have read hold that the reports are current against lum, what need
soul is infused together with the material was there for him to send an
Apology,
body through the channel of the human which contains no defence of himself, but
seed and of these they give such proofs only a confession of his ignorance.? This
;
as they can." What license have we course is calculated to sow a crop of sus-
here in the forms of speech What mix- picions, not to calm them. He gives us
!
" I have three opinions about the

ing of the moods and tenses
'
origin of souls
read some saying they
— confirmed them
!
and his conclusion at the end is: "I do not

;
with what assertions they could." And in deny that I have read each of them, and I
what follows: "Others assert that God is confess that I still am ignorant." Ycu
every day making new souls and infusing would suppose him to be Arcesilaus
'
o*-
them into the bodies which have been Carneades^ who declare that there is no cer-
framed in the womb while others again tainty though he surpasses even them in
; ;
believe that the souls were all made long his cautiousness for they were driven
by ;
ago when God made all things of nothing, the intolerable ill-will wdiich they aroused
and that all that he now does is to send out among philosophers for taking all truth out
each soul to be born in its body as seems of human life, to invent the doctrines of
good to him." Here also we have a most probability, so that by making their prob-
beautiful arrangement. Some, he says, as- able assertions they might temper their ag-
sert this and that some declare that the nosticism; but he merely says that he is un-
;
souls were made long ago, that is, when certain, and does not know which of these
God made all things of nothing, and that opinions is true. If this was all the answer
He now sends them forth to be born in their he had to make, what could have induced
own body as it pleases him. speaks so He him to invoke so great a Pontiff as the
distastefully and so confusedly that I have witness of his lack of theological cidtiue.
more trouble in correcting his mistakes than I presume this is the lassitude about A\hich he
he in writing them. At the end he says: tells us that he is exhausted with his thirtv-
"
I, however, though I have read these years' journey and cannot come to Rome.
things;" and, while the sentence still hang-s a great many things of which we
There are
unfinished, he adds, as if he had brought are all
ignorant but we do not ask for
;
forward something fresh: "I, however, do witnesses of our ignorance. As to the

not deny that I have both read each of these Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as to the na-
and as yet confess that am of our Lord and Saviour, about which
things, I
igno- tivity
rant." Isaiah cries, ''• Who shall declare his gen-
10. souls
Unhappy stricken through
!
with these barbarisms as with so many

all Of Pilanc in ôlia, B. C.,y6-24i. Foundcrofthe Middle
1
lialf-way between the Platonic idealism and the

lances I doubt whether they had so much Academy, of
!
sce|)ticisni Pyrrho.
= Of
Cyrene,'l3. C. 214-1 j(. Founder of the Third or Xew
The words are translated literally here, so as to shew how Academy, a disputant rather than a philosopher of fixed princi-
'
'
they lend themselves to Jerome's strictures. ples.

3 Is. liii, S.
5o6 JEROME.
"
eration ? he speaks Ijoldly, and a
m3-stcry this subject, and that you leave it to God to
notliing he know what is true, and to any one to whom
of which all past ages knew
claims as quite within his knowledge: this it may please Him to reveal it. What!
alone he docs not know, the ignorance of Through all these ages does it seem to
you
which causes men to stuml:»le. As to how that there has been no one worthy of having
a virgin became the mother of God, lie has this revealed to him? Neither patriarch,
full knowledge as to how^ he himself was nor
;
prophet, nor apostle, nor martyr.?
born he knows nothing, lie confesses that Were not these mysteries made clear even to
God is the maker of souls and bodies, yourself when you dwelt amidst princes and
whether souls existed before bodies or exiles.? The Lord says in the Gospel:
whether they came into being with the " '
Father, I have revealed thy name to men."

germs of bodies, or are sent into them when Did he wlio revealed the Father keep
they are already formed in the womb. In silence on the origin of souls And are you .?
any case we recognize God as their author. astonished if your brethren are scandalized
The question at issue is not whether the when you swear that you know nothing of
souls were made by God or
by another, but a thing which the churches of Christ profess
which of the three opinions which he states to know " .?
is true. Of this he jjrofesses ignorance. II. After the exposition of his faith, or
Take care! You may find people saying that rather his lack of knowledge, he passes on
the reason for your confession of
your ig- to another matter, and tries to make excuses
norance of the three is that you do not wish for having turned the books Uepl 'Apxi^v into
to be compelled to condemn one. You Latin. I will put down his words literally :
spare Tertullian and Lactantius so as not to " I am told that
condemn Origen with them. As for as I objections have been raised
against me because, forsooth, at the request of
remember (though I may be mistaken) I am some of
not aware of having read that Lactantius
my brethren, I translated certain works of
spoke Origen from Greek into Latin. I suppose that
of the soul as planted at the same time every one sees that it is only through ill-will that
as the body.' this is made a matter of blame. For, if there is
But, as you say that you have
read it, please to tell me in what book it is any
offensive statement in the author, whj' is this
to be twisted into a fault of the translator? I was
to be found, so that
you may not be thought asked to exhibit in Latin what stands written in
to have calumniated him in his death as the Greek text; and I did nothing more than fit
you Latin words to Greek ideas. If, therefore, there is
have me in my slumber. But even here
you anything to praise in these ideas, the praise does
walk with a cautious and hesitating step. not
belong to me and similarly as to anything to
You say: " I think that, among the Latins, which
:
blame may attach."

Tertullian or Lactantius held this
opinion, "
perhaps also some others. You not only I hear," he says, " that thence dispute
are in doubt about the
origin of souls, but has arisen." How clever this is, to speak '
you have only thoughts as to the opinion of it as a dispute, when it is really an accusa-
' '
which each writer holds yet the matter is tion against him. " That I have, at the re-
:
of some importance. On the question of the quest of my brethren, translated certain

soul, however, you openly proclaim your things of Origen's into Latin." Yes, but
" certain "
ignorance, and confess your untaught condi- what are these things ? Have they
tion :as to the authors,
your knowledge no name.? Are you silent.? Then the bills
amounts only to thinking,' hardly to ' pre- of charge brought by the accusers will sjêak
'
"1 " that

suming.' But as to Origen alone you are for you. suppose," he sa3'S,
clear. " This is one understands that is
quite brigen's opinion," every it only through
you say. But, let me ask you Ls the opin- envy that these things aie made matters of
:
ion sound or not.? Your reply is, " I do not blame." What envy.? Are people envious
know." Then why do you send me mes- of your eloquence Or have you done what .?
sengers and letter-carriers, who are constantly no other man has ever been able to do.?
coming, merely to teach me that you are Here am I, who have translated many works
ignorant.? To possibility of
prevent of Origen's; yet, except you, no one shews
the
my doubting whether your incapacity is as envy towards me or calumniates me for it.
*'
great as you say, and thinking it possible If there is any offensive statement in the au-
that you are
cunningly concealing all you thor, why is it to be twisted into a fault of
know, you take an oath in the presence of 1
T"lin 6.
God that up to the present moment you 2
xvii,
speaks .is if the question li:i<l l>cca
'rhnuiili Jironic lu-te
hold nothing for certain and definite on
(Ictenniiiedby church auUiority, the perusal of liis correspond-
ciicc with Augustiii (|croiiie's IêUers 126, i,y, 134) shows
that he was iu the s.-iuie perplexity us Rulinus, but less in-
{fenuous in confcssini^ it.
* 2 As
SUCXTTtipo/XcVjJI', above, the word for word rendering is given.
APOLOGY— BOOK II. 507
the Lranslatoi? I was asked to exliiliit in cords that cannot be disentangled, so that it
Latin what stands written in the Greek could hardly break forth into human speech.
text; and I did nothing more than fit Latin However, I will return to the matter in
words to Greek ideas. If, therefore, there is hand.
anything to praise in these ideas, the praise \i {a). I wish to know who gave you pei'-
does not belong to me, and similarly as to mission to cut out a number of passages from
anvtiiing to wliich l)l:niie
may attach." Can the work vou were translating.^ You were
you ho astonislied that men think ill of you asked to turn a Greek book into Latin, not to
when you say of open blasphemies nothing correct it to draw out another man's words,
;
more than, " If there are any oflensive not to write a book of your own. You con-
statements in the author"? What is said in fess, by the fact of pruning away so much,
those books is otTensive to all men and you ;
that you did not do what you were asked.
stand alone in your doubt and in your com- And
I wish that what you curtailed had all
plaint that this is " twisted into a fault of the

been the bad parts, and that you had not put
tianslator," when you have praised it in your in many things of your own which go to
Prefixce. You were asked to turn it into support what is bad. I will take an exam^
'
Latin as it stood in the Greek text.' I wish pie, from which men may judge of the rest.
you hatl done what you pretend you were In the first book of the rif/n Âpx^' where
asked. You would not then be the object Origen had uttered that impious blasphemy,
of any ill will. If you had kept faith as a that the Son does not see the Father, you
tianslator, it would not have been necessary supply the reasons for this, as if in the name
for mc to counteract yom* false translation
by of the writer, and translate the note of
my true one. You know in your own con- Didymus, in which he makes a fruitless ef-
science what you added, what you sub- fort to defend another man's error, trying to
tracted, and what you altered on one side or prove that Origen spoke riglitl}^ but we, poor ;
the other at your discretion; and after this simple men, like the tame creatures spoken of
you have the audacity to tell us that what is by Ennius, can understand neither his wisdom
good or evil is not to be attributed to you nor that of his translator. Your Preface,
but to the author. You shew your sense of which you allege in explanation, in which
Ihe ill will aroused against you by again you flatter and praise me so highly shows
toning down your words and as if you you to be guilty of the most serious faults of
:
were walking with your steps in the air or translation. You say that you have cut out
on the tops of the ears of corn, you say, many things from the Greek, but you say
" Whether there is
praise or blame in these nothing of what you have put in. Were the
opinions." You dare not defend him, but parts cut out good or bad.^ Bad, I suppose.
you do not choose to condemn him. Choose Was what you kept good or bad Good, I .^
which of the two you please the option is presume ; for you could not translate the
;
}ours if this which

;
you have translated is bad. Then I suppose you cut off what was
good, praise it, if bad, condemn it. But he bad and left what was good? Of coiu'se.
makes excuses, and weaves another artifice. But what you have translated can be shewn
He says : to be almost wholly bad. Whatever there-
" I admit that I fore in your translation I can shew to be bad,
put something of my own into
the work as I stated in my Pretace, I used my must be laid to your account,
:
since you
own discretion in cutting out not a few passages; translated it as being good. It is a strange
but only those as to wliich I liad come to suspect
thing if you are to act like an imjust censor,
that the thing liad not been so stated by Origen who is himself
guilty of the crime, and are
himself, and the statement appeared to me in these
allowed at your will to expel some from the
cases to have been inserted by others, because in
other places I had found the author state the same Senate and keep others in it. But you say :
matter in a catholic sense."' " It was

impossible to change everything. I
only thought I might cut away what had
What wonderful eloquence !
Varied, too, been added by the heretics." Very good.
with flowers of the Attic style. " More- Then if
you cut away all that you thought had
over also!"
^
and " Thingfs which came to been added
" by the heretics, all that you left
me into suspicion I marvel that he
belongs to the work which you were trans-
!
should have dared to send such literary por- Answer me then, are these good or
lating.
tents to Rome. One would think that the bad? You could not translate what was
man's tongue was in fetters, and bound with
Ixid, since once for all you had cut away
iSee Rufinus' position vindicated in his treatise on the cor- what had been added by the heretics, that is,
ruption of Origen's writinijs, transhitcd in tliis volume. imless you thought it your duty to cut away
^
ûin iiiimo etiam, the first words of the passage. They
are literally, " Yes,<moreover also." the bad pai'ts due to the heretics, while trans-
5o8 JEROME.
lating the errors of Origeii himself unaltered now men may afterwards be born women,
into Latin. Tell me then, why you turned and one who is now a virgin may chance
Origen's heresies into Latin. Was it to ex- then to be a prostitute. These things I point
pose the author of the evil, or to praise him ? out as heresies in the books of Origen. It is
If is to
your object expose him, why do you for you to point out in which of his books
praisehim in the Prefixce? If you praise you have found them contradicted.
him you are convicted of being a heretic. 13. Do not tell me that " you have found
The only remaining hypothesis is that you the same things treated by the same author
published these things as being good. But in other places in a catholic sense,"
and thus
if
they are proved to be bad, then author send me
to search through the six
thousand
and translator are involved in the same books of Origen which you charge the most
crime, and the Psalmist's word is fulfilled reverend Bishop Epiphanius with having
:
'
" When thou sawest a
thief, thou consent- read but mention the passages with exact-
;
edst unto him and hast been partaker with the ness nor will this suffice you m.ust produce
:
;
adulterers." It is needless to make a plain the sentences word for word. Origen is no
matter doubtful by arguing about it. As to fool, as I well know he cannot contradict ;
what follows, let him answer whence this himself. The net result arising from all this
suspicion arose in his mind of these additions calculation is, then, that what vou cut out
" It
by heretics. was," he says, "because I was not due to the heretics, but to Origen
found the same things treated by this author himself, and that you translated the bad
in other places in a catholic sense." things he had written because you considered
13. We must consider the fact, which them good and that both the good and the ;
conies first, and so in order reach the infer- bad things in the book are to be set to
your
ence, which comes after. Now I find among account, since you approved his writings in
many bad things written by Origen the fol- the Prologue.
lowing most distinctly heretical that the Son :
14. The next passage in this apology is as
of God is a creature, that the Holy Spirit is follows :
a servant that there are innumerable worlds,

:
"I am neither a champion nor a defender of
succeeding one another in eternal ages that :
Origen, nor am I the first who has translated his

angels have been turned into human souls ; works. Others before me have done the same
that the soul of the Saviour existed before it thing and I did it, the last of many, at the re-
:
was born of Mary, and that it is this soul quest of my brethren. If an order is to be given
which " being in the form of God thovight that such translations are not to be made, such an
order holds good for the future, not the past but :
it not
robbery to be equal with God, but if those are to be blamed who have made these
emptied itself and took the form of a ser- translations before any such order was given, the
" ^ blame must begin with those who took the first
vant ;that the resurrection of our bodies
will be such that we shall not have the same step."
members, since, when the functions of the Here at last he has vomited forth what he
members cease they will become superfluous : wanted to say, and all his inflamed mind has
and that our bodies themselves will sfrow broken out into this malicious accusation
aerial and spirit-like, and
gradually vanish against me. When he translates the TlFf.l
and disperse into thin air and into nothing :
'A/u'wt', he declares that he is following me.
that in the restitution of all things, when When he
accused for having done it, he
is
the fulness of forgiveness will have been gives meexample whether he is in
as his :
reached. Cherubim and Seraphim, Thrones, danger or out of danger, he cannot live with-
Principalities, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, out me. Let me tell him, therefore, what he
Archangels and Angels, the devil, the professes not to know. No one reproaches
demons and the souls of men whether you because you translated Origen, otherwise
Christians Jews or Heathen, will be of one Hilary and Ambrose would be condemned :
condition and degree; and when they have but because you translated a heretical work,
come to their true form and weight, and the and tried to gain support for it by praising
new army of the whole race returning from me in the Preface. I myself, whom you
the exile of the world
presents a mass of criminate, translated seventy homilies of Ori-
rational creatures with all their dregs left gen, and parts of his Tomes, in order that by
behind, then will begin a new world from a translating his best works I might withdraw
new origin, and other bodies in which the the worst from notice and I also have openly
:
souls who fall from heaven will be clothed ; translated the Hept 'Apxi^v to prove the falsity
so that we
may have to fear that we who are of your translation, so as to shew the reader
what to avoid. If you wish to translate
'
Ps. 1, iS. »
Phil. ii. Origen into Latin, you have at hand many
homilies and Tomes of his, in which some topic tongue as best I was able and as the matter
"
of morality is handled or some obscure pas- demanded he then adds " It is this as to
;
:
sage of Scripture is opened. Translate these ;

which I wish to give you a charge, Maca-
give tliese to those who ask them of you. rius, man of desires,' that you may feel sure
Why should your tirst labour begin with what that this rule of faith which I have above .set
is infamous.? And why, when you were forth out of his books, is such as ought to be
about to translate a heretical work, did you embraced and held fast : it is
clearly shewn
preface and support it by the supposed book that there is a catholic meanins in them all."
of a martyr, and force upon the ears of Although he took away many things from
Romans a book the translation of which the book of Eusebius, and tried to alter in a
threw the world into panic? At all events, good sense the expressions about the Son and
if you translate sucli a work with the view the Holy Spirit, still there are found in it
of exhibiting the author as a heretic, change many causes of offence, and even open blas-
nothing from the Greek text, and make this phemies, which our friend cannot refuse to
clear in the Preface. It is this which the accept since he pronounces them to be cath-
Pope Anastasius most wisely embodies in the olic. Eusebius (or, if you please, Pamplii-
letter which he has addressed to the Bishop lus) says in that book that the Son is the Ser-
John against you he frees me who have
;
vant of the Father, the Holy Spirit is not of
done this from all blame, but condemns you the same substance with the Father and the
who would not do it. You will perhaps Son that the souls of men have fallen from
;
deny the existence of this letter I have

;
heaven and, inasmuch as we have been
;
therefore subjoined a copy of it; so that, if changed from the state of Angels, that in the
you will not listen to your brother when he restitution of all things angels and devils and
advises, you may listen to the Bishop when men will all be equal and many other things
;
he condemns. so impious and atrocious that it would be a

15. You say that you are not the defender crime even to repeat them. The champion
or the champion of Origen but I will at
;
of Origen and translator of Pamphilus is in
once confront you with your own book of a strange position. If there is so much
which 3ôu spoke in that notorious preface to blasphemy in these parts which he has cor-
your renowned work in these terms :
rected, what sacrilegious things must there
be in the parts which, as he pretends, have
"The cause of this diversity I hnve set forth been falsified heretics What makes him
more you in the Apology which Pamphilus
by !
fully for
wrote hold this opinion, as he says, is that a man
among his treatises, adding a very short doc-
ument of own, in which I have shewn by what
my who is neither a fool nor a madman could not
appear to me evident proofs, that his works have have said things mutually repugnant and, ;
been depraved in many places by heretics and ill- we may not suppose that he had written
that
disposed persons, and especially those which I am different things at different times, and that
now translating, the ne/n 'Apx^^v"
he put forth contrary views according to the
The defence made by Eusebius, or if
you time of writing, he has added :
will have it so, by Pamphilus, was not suffi-

" What are we to say when sometimes in the
cient for you, but you must add something
place, same speak, and, so to almost in the follow-
from your superior wisdom and learning to
ing paragraph, a sentence with an opposite mean-
supply what you thought insufficient in what ing is found inserted? Can we believe that, in the
they had said. It would be a long business same work and in the same book, and sometimes,
as I have said in the sentence immediately follow-
if I were to insert the whole of your book into
ing, he can have forgotten his own words.-* For
the present treatise, and, after setting out exampIe,couId he who had before said, we can find
each paragraph, to reply to each in turn, and no passage throughout the Scriptures in which the
shew what vices there are in the style, what Holy Spirit is said to be created or made, imme-
falsehoods in the assertions, what inconsist- diately add that the Holy Spirit was made among
the rest of the creatures? or again, could he who
ency in the actual tissue of the language. defined the Father and the Son to be of one sub-
And therefore, to avoid a redundant dis- stance, thatnamely which is called in Greek Ho-
cussion which is distasteful to me, I will moousion, say in the following portions that he was
of another substance, and that he was created,
compress the verbal matter into a narrow when but a little before he had declared him to be
compass, and reply to the meaning alone. born from the nature of God the Father?"
As soon as he leaves the harbour he runs his
ship upon a rock. He recalls the words of 16. These are his own words, he can-
the Apology of the Martyr Pamphilus (which not
deny them. Now
I do not want to be
however, I have proved to be the work of put off with such expressions as " since he
Eusebius the Chief of the Arians) of which 1 Taken from Daniel
x, 11, "Thou rnan greatly beloved"
he had said, *' I translated it into the Latin (" a man of desires ").
JEROME.
"
said above but I want to have the name of is brought in in such a way as that you would sup-
the book in which he first spoke Eunomius liimself to be conducting the argu-
rightly and pose
ment and asserting his view that the Son was
then wrong-ly in which he first
says that created out of
:
the Holy Spirit and the Son arc of the sub- nothing."
stance of God, and in what And, after a passage too long to reproduce,
immediately fol-
lows declares that they are creatures. Do he adds :
you not know that I possess the whole of

'•What then are we to think of these flxcts ?
Origen's works and have read a vast num- Must we
believe that an Apostolic man wrote
I)er of them?
heresy.' or is it not more likely that men of per-
" Your verse mind, wishing to gain support for their own
trappings to the mob! I know you well; doctrines, and win easier credit for them, intro-
What lies within and on the skin I see." '
duced under the names of holy men views which
they cannot be believed eitlier to have held or to
Eusebins who was a very learned man, have written down?"
(observe I say learned not catholic: you
must not, according to your wont make this He tells us that Clement the presbyter of
a ground for calumniating me) takes six
Alexandria also, who was a catholic man,
up
volumes with nothing else but the attempt writes at times in his works that the Son of
to shew that Origen is of his way of believ- God is created and thatDionysius Bishop of
;
ing, that is of the Arian perfidy. He brings Alexandria, a most learned man, in the four
out many test-passages, and effectually proves books in which he controverted the doctrines
his point. In what dream in an Alexan- of Sabellius, lapses into the dogma of Arius.
drian prison wâs the revelation given to you What he aims at by quoting these instances
on the strength of which you make out these is not to shew that Churchmen and catliolics
have erred, but that their writings have been
passages to be falsified which he accei:>ts as
true? But possibly he being an Arian, took corrupted by heretics, and he closes the dis-
in tliese additions of the heretics to cussion with these words :
support
his ownerror, that he should not be
so
"And when we find in Origen a certain diver-
thought to be the only one who had held sity of doctrine, just as we have found it in those of
false opinions contrary to the Church. whom we have spoken above, will it not be suf-
What answer will you make, then, as to to believe the same in his case which
ficient for us
we believe or understand in the case of the catholic
Didymus, who certainly is catholic as
men whom we have passed in review.'* Will not
regards the Trinity ? You know that I trans- the same defence hold
good when the case is the
lated his book on the Holy Spirit into Latin. same " .'
He surely could not have assented to the pas-

sages in Origen's works which were added If, I reply, we admit that everything in a
by heretics ; yet he wrote some short com- book which is offensive is corruptly inserted
mentaries on the Uqu 'Apx<''>^ which you have by others, nothing will remain belonging to
translated ; in these he never denies that what the author imder whose name the book
is there written was written
by Origen, but passes, but everything can be assigned to
only tries to persuade us simple people that those by whom it is supposed to have been
we do not understand his meaning and how corrupted. But then it will not belong to
these passages ought to be taken in a
good
them either, since we do not know who they
sense. So much on the Son and the were and the result will be that every book
:
Holy
Spirit alone. But in reference to the rest of belongs to everybody and nothing to any one
Origen's doctrines, both Eusebius and Didy- in particidar. In this confusion which this
mus adhere to his views, and defend, as said method of defence introduces, it will be im-
in a catholic and Christian sense, what all possible to convict Marcion of error, or
the churches reprobate. Manichieus or Arius or Eunomius be- ;
1
7. But let us consider what are the argu- cause, as soon as we point out a statement
ments by which he tries to prove that Origen's of their tmbelief, their disciples will an-
writings have been corrupted by the heretics, swer that that was not what the master
" wrote, but was corruptly inserted by his
" who was the
Clement," he says, disciple of opponents. According to this principle,
the Apostles, and who succeeded the apostles both
this very book of yoLU"s will not be yoiu's nor
in the episcopate and in martyrdom, wrote the
books which go by the name of Anagnorismus, mine. And as to this very book in which
that is, Recognitions. In these, though, speaking I am making reply to your accusations,
generally, the doctrine which is set forth in the whatever you find fault with in it will be
name of the Apostle Peter is genuinely apostolical, held not l)e written by me but by 3'ou who
yet in certain passages the doctrine of Eunomius
now find fault with it. And further, while
1 i.e;isins, 111, -ô. you assign everything to the heretics, there
will be nothing left which you can assign is to assail Demetrius the Pontiff of Alexan-
to churchmen as their own. dria, and to inveigh against the bishops
But you may ask, How is it then that in throughout the world, and to tell them that
!
their books some false views occur? Well, their excommunication of him is invalid ;
if I answer that I do not know the

parties he says further that he has no intention
of
whence these false views came, I must not be retorting their evil speaking; indeed he is
thought to have said that they are heretics. so much afraid of evil speaking that be does
It is possible that they may have fallen into not dare to speak evil even of the devil inso- ;
error unawares, or that the words bore a dif- much that he gave occasion to Candidus an
ferent meaning, or that they may have been adherent of the errors of Valentinian to
gradually corrupted by unskilful copyists. It represent him falsely as saying that the devil
must be admitted that, before Arius arose in is of such a nature as could be saved. But our
Alexandria as a demon of the south, things friend takes no notice of the real purport of the
were said incautiously which cannot be de- letter, and makes up for Origen an argument
feuded against a malevolent criticism. But which he does not use. I have therefore
when glaring faults are exposed in Origen, translated a part of the letter, beginning a
you do not defend him but accuse others you ;
little has been already
way below what
do not deny the faults, but summon up a host spoken and have
of, appended it to the part
of criminals. If you were asked to name which has been translated by him in a cur-
those who have been the companions of tailed and disingenuous manner, so that the
Origen in his heresies, it would be right reader may perceive the object with which
enough to call in these others. But what he suppressed the earlier part. He is con-
you are now asked to tell us is whether those tending, then, against the Bishops of the
statements in the books of Origfen are sfood church generally, because they had judged
or evil and you say nothing, but bring in
;
him unworthy of its commiuiion; and he
irrelevant matters, such as; This is what continues as follows :
Clement says this is an error of which Dio-

;
"
nysius is found guilty these are the words
; Why need I speak of the language in which
in which the bishop Athanasius defends the the prophets constantly threaten and reprove the
error of Dionysius; in a similar way the pastors, elders, the priests and the princes? These
things you can of yourselves without my aid draw
writings of the Apostle have been tampered out from the Holy Scriptures, and you may clearly
with and then, while the charge of heresy see that it may well be the present time of which
:
is fastened it is said Trust not in your friends, and do not

' '
upon you, you say nothing in your

own defence, but make confessions about me. hope in its princes,' and that the prophecy is now
fulfilment, -'The leaders of my people
I make no accusations, and am content gaining have not .known me my sons are fools and not
;
with answering for myself. I am not what wise they are wise to do evil, but know not to do
:
you try to prove me whether you are what good.' We ought to pity them,them.
:
not to hate them,
For Ave haye
to pray for them, not to curse
you are accused of being, is for you to con- been created for blessing, not for cursing. There-
sider. The fact that I am acquitted of blame fore even Michael,^ when he disputed against the
does not prove me innocent nor the ftict that devil concerning the body of Moses, did not dare
you are accused prove you a criminal. to bring a railing accusation even for so great an
iS. After this preface as to the falsifica- eyil, but said; 'The Lord rebuke thee.' And we
read something similar in Zachariah,'' The Lord
'
tion by heretics of the apostles, of both the

rebuke thee, O Satan the Lord which hath chosen
;
Clements, and of Dionysius, he at last comes Jerusalem rebuke thee.' So also we desire that
to Origen and these are his words
; : those who will not humbly accept the rebuke of their
neighbours may be rebuked of the Lord. But, since
" I have shewn from his own words and
writings Michael says, The Lord
rebuke thee, O Satan,'
'
how he himself complains of this and deplores it and Zechanah says the same, the deyil knows well
:
lie explains clearly in the letter which he wrote to whether the Lord rebukes him or not; and must
some of his intimate friends at Alexandria what he acknowledge the manner of the rebuke."
siiflered while living here in the flesh and in the full
enjoyment of his senses, by the corruption of liis Then, after a passage too long to msert
books and treatises, or by spurious editions of
them." here, he adds :
He subjoins a copy of this letter and he ;

We believe that not only those who have com-
"
mitted great sins will be cast out from the kingdom
who imputes to the heretics the falsification of heaven, such as fornicators and adulterers, and
of Origen's writings himself begins b}' those who defile themselves with mankind, and
falsifying them, for he does not translate the thieves, but those also who
have done evil of a less
^
letter as he finds it in the Greek, and does flagrant kind, since it is written Neither drunk- ;
'
not convey to the Latins what Origen states 1 M!c. s 1 Cor. vl,
vii, s- Jnde, 9 g.
in his letter. The object of the whole letter *
Jcr. iv, 22. *'Z;ich. iii, 2.
512 JEROME.
ards nor evil speakers shall inherit the kingdom of the Son is of the substance of the Father,
God;" and that the standard by which men will fallins: into the error of asserting a Probole
be judged is as much the goodness as the severity
of God. Therefore we strive to act thoughtfully in
or Production.' the other side, Origen, On
all in
things, wine, and in moderation of like Arius and Eunomius, refuses to admit
drinking
language, so that we dare not speak evil of any that He is produced or born, lest God the
man. Now, because, through the fear of God, we Father should thus be divided into parts but ;
are careful not to utter maledictions against any

he says that He was a sublime and most
one, remembering that the words He dared not
'
excellent creation who came into being by

bring against him a railing accusation,' are spoken
of Michael in his dealing with the devil; as it is the will of the Father like other creatures.
said also in another place,
They then come
' '
They set at naught to a second question. Can-

dominions and rail at dignities;' certain of these didus asserts that the devil is of a nature
men who seek for matters of contention, ascribe to
us and our teaching the blasphemy (as to which wholly evil whicli can never be .saved.
they have to lay to heart the words which apply to Against this Origen rightly asserts that he
them, Neither drunkards nor evil speakers shall is not of
perishable substance, but that it
'
inherit the kingdom of God'), namely, that the is by his own will that he fell and can be
father of wickedness and perdition of those who
shall be cast out of the kingdom of God can be
saved. This Candidus falsely turns into a
saved a thing which not even a madman can
; reproach against Origen, as if he had said
say." that the diabolical nature could be saved.
What therefore Candidus had falsely ac-
The rest wliich comes in the same letter cused him of, Origen refutes. But we see
he has" set down instead of the hiter that in this Dialogue alone Origen accuses
words of Origen wliich I have translated :
the heretics of having falsified his writings,
"Now, because through the fear of God we not in the other books about which no
are careful not to utter maledictions against question was ever raised. Otherwise, if we
any one," and so on he fraudulently cuts off
; are to believe that all which is heretical is
the earlier part, on which tlic later depends, not due to Origen but to the heretics, while
and begins to translate the letter, as though almost all his books are full of these errors,
the former part began with this statement, nothino; of Origen's will remain, but every-
and says :
thing must be the work of those of whose
names we are ignorant.
" Some of those who
delight in bringing com- It is not enousfh for him to calumniate the
plaints against their neighbours, ascribe to us and Greeks and the men of old time, about
our teaching tiie crime of a blasphemy, which we
have never spoken, (as to which they must con- whom the distance either of time or space
sider whether they are willing to stand by the gives him the power to tell any falsehood he
decree which says 'The evil speakers shall not
pleases. He comes to the Latins, and first
inherit the kingdom of God,') for they say that
takes the case of Hilary the Confessor,
I assert that the father of the wickedness and per-
dition of those who shall be cast out of the king-
whose book, he states, was falsified by the
dom of God, that is, the devil, will be saved; a heretics after the Council of Ariminum. A
thing which no man even though he had taken question arose about him on this account in
leave of his senses and was manifestly insane could a council of
bishops, and he then ordered
say." the book to be brought from his own house.
The book in its heretical shape was in his
19. Now
compare the words of Origen, he did not know it and wheit
which I have translated word for word desk, though
;
it was
produced, the atithor of the book was
above, with these which by him have been condemned as a heretic and excommuni-
turned into Latin, or rather overturned and This is
cated, and left the council room.
;
you will see clearly how great a discrepancy the a mere dream of his own, which
between them there is, not only of word story,
he tells to his intimates; and he imagines
but of meaning. I beg you not to con-
his authority to be so great that no one will
sider my translation wearisome because it is
dare to contradict him when he says such
longer; for the object I had in translating I will ask him a few questions. In
the whole passage was to exhibit the ptn- things.
what city was the synod held by which
pose which he had in suppressing the earlier was excommunicated.'' What were
part. There exists in Greek a dialogue be- Hilary Who
the names of the Bishops present?
tween Origen and Candidus the defender of
the heresy of Valentinian, in which I confess
subscribed the sentence were content, .'' Who
it seems to me when I read it that I am
and who non-content.? were the con- Who
suls of the year.? and who was the emperor
looking on at a fight between two Andaba-
tian gladiators. Candidus maintains that 1 foith of A brinci-ins;;-
from ac
ono thing
th;it another, is,
cording to Vulcnliniun, of Christ as a production from another
* Rufinus. <4£on.
»Jude,S.
who ordered the assembly of the council ? as a last effort breaks forth in.o an attack
Were the Bishops present those of Gaul alone, upon the pope Epiphanius : the chagrin en-
or of Italy and Spain as well ? and for what gendered in his heart because Epiphanius in
purpose was the council called together? You the letter which he wrote to the bishop John
tell us none of these
things yet, in order to
;
had called him a heretic, he pours out in
defend Origen, you treat as a criminal and as his apology for Origen, and comforts him-
excommunicated a man of the highest elo- self with these words :
quence, the very clarion of the Latin tongue

against the Arians. But we are in the pres- "The whole truth, which has been hidden,
ence of a confessor, and even his calumnies must here be laid bare. It is impossible that any
man should exercise so unrighteous a judgment as
must be borne with patience. He next to judge unequally where the cases are equal. But
passes to Cyprian the illustrious martyr, the fact is, the prompters of those who defame
and he tells us that a book by Tertullian en- Origen are men who either make it a habit to dis-
titled " On the Trinity" is read as one of his course in the churches at great length or write
works by the partisans of the Macedonian books, the whole of which, both books and dis-
course are taken from Origen. To prevent men
heresy at Constantinople. In this charge of therefore from discovering their plagiarism, the
his he tells two falsehoods. The book in crime of which can be concealed so long as they
towards their master, they deter
question is not Tertullian's, nor does it pass act ungratefully
under the name of Cyprian. It is by Nova- all simple persons from reading him. One of
them, who considers himself to have a necessity
tian and is called by his name the peculiarity laid;
upon him to speak evil of Origen through
of the style proves the authorship of the Vv'ork. every nation and tongue, as if that were to preach
20. What nonsense is this out of which the Gospel, once declared in the audience of a vast
It multitude of the brethren
that he had read six
they fabricate a charge against me ! thousand of his books. If he read them, as he is
seems hardly worth while to notice it. It is wont to
declare, in order to know what harm there
a story of own about the council held by was in him,
my ten or twenty books, or at most thirty,
Damasus Bishop of Rome, and I, under the would have been sufficient for that knowledge.
name of a certain friend of his, am attacked To read six thousand books is not like one who
for it. had given me some papers about wants to know the harm
He and the errors that are in
him, but like one who consecrates almost his
church affairs to get copied and the story whole life to studies conducted under his tuition.
;
describes a trick practised by the Apolli- How then can he claim to be listened to when he
narians who borrowed one of these, a book blames those who, for the sake of instruction, have
of Athanasius' to read in which occur the read a small portion of his works, taking care to
maintain whole their own system of belief and
words '
'Dominicus homo,' and falsified it
by their piety.-"'
firstscratching out the words, and then writ-
ing them in again on the erasure, so that 22. Who
are these men who are wont to
it might appear, not that the book had dispute at such great length in the churches,
been falsified by them, but that the words had and to write books, and whose discourses
been added by me. I beg you, my dearest and writings are taken wholly from Origen ;
friend, that in these matters of serious inter- these men who are afraid of their literary
est to the church, where doctrinal truth is in thefts becoming known, and shew ingrati-
question, and we are seeking for the au- tude towards their master, and who there-
thority of our predecessors for the well- fore deter men of simple mind from reading
being of our souls to put away silly stuff' ofhim.? You ought to mention them by name,
this kind, and not take mere after-dinner and designate the men themselves. Are the
stories as if they were arguments. For it is
reverend bishops 'Anastasius and Theophi-
quite possible that, even after you have lus, Venerius and Chromatins, and the
heard the true story from me, another who whole council of the Catholics both in the
does not know it may declare that it is made East and in the
West, who publicly de-
up, and composed in elegant language by nounce him as a heretic, to be esteemed to
you like a mine of Philistion or a song of be plagiarists of his books.'' Are we to be-
Lentulus or Marcellus. lieve that, when they preach in the churches,
21. To what point will not rashness
they do not preach the mysteries of the
reach when once the reins which check it
Scriptures, but merely repeat what they
are relaxed.'' After telling us of the excom- have stolen from
Origen ? Is it not enough
munication of Hilaiy, the heretical book for
you to disparage them all in general, but
falsely bearing the name of Cyprian, the you must specially aim the spear of your
successive erasure and insertion in the work
pen against a reverend and eminent Bishop
of Athanasius made while I was asleep, he of the church.'* Who is this who considers
1
Bishops respectively of Rome, Alexandria, Milan, and
* " A man of the Lord," perhaps applied to Christ. Aquileia.
VOL. III. Li
514 JEROME.
that he has a necessity laid on him of revil- read what each of them had to say in Ori-
ing Origen, as the Gospel which he must gen's behalf; and then I discerned clearly that
preach among all nations and tongues? this the first of Eusebius' six books was the same
man who proclaimed in the audience of a which you had published both in Greek and
vast multitude of the brethren that he had Latin as the single book of Pamphilus, only
read six thousand of his books? You your- altering the opinion about the Son and the
self were in the very centre of that multitude Holy Spirit, which bore on their face the
and company of the brethren, when, as he mark of open blasphemy. It was thus
complains in his letter,' the monstrous doc- that, when my
friend. Dexter, held who
trines of Origen were enlarged upon by you. the office of praetorian prefect, asked me, ten
Is it to be imputed to him as a crime that
years ago, to make a list for him of the
he knows the Greek, the Syrian, the He- writers of our faith,' I placed among the
brew, the Egyptian, and in part also the various treatises assigned to various authors
Latin language? Then, I suppose, the this book as composed by Pamphilus, sup-
Apostles and Apostolic men, who spoke posing the matter to be as it had been
with tongues, are to be condemned and you brought before the public by you and by
;
who know two languages may deride me your disciples. But, since Eusebius himself
wlio know tliree. But as for the six thou- says that Pamphilus wrote nothing except
sand books which you pretend that he has some short letters to his friends, and the first
read, who will believe that you are speaking of his six books contains the precise words
the truth, or that he was capable of telling which are fictitiously given by you under the
such a lie? If indeed Origen had written name of Pamphilus, it is plain that your
six thousand books, it is possible that a man
object in circulating this book was
to in-
of great learning, who had been trained troduce heresy under the authority of a
from his infancy in sacred literature might martyr. I cannot allow you to make my
have read books alien from his own convic- mistake a cloak for your fraud, when you
tions, because he had an inquiring spirit and first pretend that the book is by Pamphilus
a love of learning. But how could he read and then pervert many of its passages so as
what Origen never wrote ? Count up the to make them different in Latin from what
index contained in the third volume of Eu- they are in Greek. I believed the book to
sebiuG, in which is his life of Pamphilus: be by the writer whose name it bore, just as
you will not find, I do not say six thousand, I did in reference to the TlEpi*Apx''->v, and
but not a third of that number of books. I many other of the works of Origen and of other
have by me the letter of the above named Greek writers, which I never read till now,
Pontiff, in which he gives his answer to this and am now compelled to read, because the
calumny of yours uttered when you were question of heresy has been raised, and I
still in the East and it confutes this most wish to know what ought to be avoided and
;
manifest falsehood with the open counte- what opposed. In my youth, therefore, I
nance of truth. translated only the homilies which he de-
23. After all this you dare to say in livered in public, and in which there are
your Apology, that you are not the defender fewer causes of oflence and this in igno- ;
nor the champion of Origen, though you rance and at the request of others I did not :
think that Eusebius and Pamphilus said all try to prejudice men by means of the parts
too little in his defence. I shall try to write which they approved in favour of the accept-
a reply to those works in another treatise if ance of those which are evidently heretical.
God grants me a sufficient span of life. For At all events, to cut short a long discussion,
the present let it suffice that I have met I can point out whence I received the
your assertions, and that I have set the care- Uepi 'Apx<'»', namely, from those who copied
ful reader on his guard by stating that I it from your manuscript. want in like We
never saw in writing tlie book which was manner to know whence your copy of it
known as the work of Pamphilus till I read came for if you are unable to name any
;
it in
your own manuscript. It was no great one else as the source from which it was
concern of mine to know what was written derived, you will yourself be convicted of
in favour of a heretic, and therefore I always falsifying it.
* "
good man from the good A
took it that the work of Pampliilus was treasure of his heart bringeth forth what is
different from that of Eusel)ius but, after good."
; A
tree of a good stock is known by
the question had been raised, I wished to the sweetness of its fruit.
reply to their works, and with this object I
Catalogue of Illustrious Men translated in this vol-
1 The
1
Epiphanius to John of Jerusalem. Jerome's Letters, LI, 3. ume forms the response to this request.
Sec also Jerome Against John ot'Jenisalcra, 11, 14. 2 I.ukc vi, 4^, M:ltt. vii, 17,
34. My
brother Eusebius writes to me meditation and my song? Was I so foolish
that, when he was at a meeting of African as to to forget in old age what I learned
wish
bishops which had been called for certain in youth? All my treatises have been woven
ecclesiastical aflairs, he found there a letter out of statements warranted by their version.
purporting to be written by me, in which I My commentaries on the twelve prophets
professed penitence and confessed that it was are an explanation of their version as well as
through the influence of the press in my youth my own. How
uncertain must the labours
that I had been led to turn the Scriptures of men ever be! and how contrary at times
into Latin from the Hebrew in all of which ;
to their own
intentions are the results which
there is not a word of truth. When I heard men's studies reach. I thought that I desei*ved
this, I was stupefied. But one witness was well of my countrymen the Latins by this
not enough even Cato was not believed on
; version, and had given them an incitement to
his unsupported evidence: " In the mouth '
for it is not despised even by the
learning ;
of two or three witnesses shall every word Greeks now retranslated into their
that it is
be established." Letters were soon brought language ; yetthe subject of a
it is now made
me from many brethren in Rome asking charge ajjainst me and I find that the food :
about this very matter, whether the facts were pressed upon them turns upon the stomach.
as was stated and they pointed in a way
: What is there in human life that can be safe if
to make me weep to the person by whom innocence is made the object of accusation?
the had been circulated among the
letter I am the householder who finds that while '
people. He who
dared to do this, what will he slept the enemy has sown tares among his
he not dare to do? It is well that ill will wheat. " The wild boar out of the wood
"^
has not a strength equal to its intentions. has rooted up my vineyard, and the strange
Innocence would be dead long ago if wicked- wild beast has devoured it." I keep silence,
ness were always allied to power, and calumny but a letter that is not mine speaks against
could prevail in all that it seeks to accomplish. me. I am ignorant of the crime laid against
It was impossible for him, accomplished as me, yet I am made to confess the crime all
he was, to copy my style and manner of " Woe is me, ^
through the world. my
writing, whatever their value may be amidst ; mother, that thou hast borne me a man to
*
all his tricks and his fraudulent assump- be judged and condemned in the whole
tion of another man's personality, it was earth."
evident who he was. It is this same man,
25. All my prefaces to the books of the Old
then, who wrote this of re- Testament, some specimens of which I sub-
fictitious letter
tractation in my name, making out that my join, are witnesses for me on this point and ;
translation of the Hebrew books was bad, it is needless to state the matter otherwise
who, we now hear, accuses me of having than it is stated in them. I will begin there-
translated the Holy Scriptures with a view fore with Genesis. The Prologue is as fol-
to disparage the Septuagint. In any case, lows:
whether my right or wrong, I
translation is
am to be condemned : II have received letters so long and eagerly
must either confess
that in my desired from my dear Desiderius* who, as if the
new work I was wrong, or else
future had been foreseen, shares his name with
that by my new version I have aimed a blow
Daniel,® entreating me to put our friends in pos-
at the old. I wonder that in this letter he
session of a translation of the Pentateuch from
did not make me out as guilty of homicide, Hebrew into Latin. The work is certainly hazard-
'
or adultery or sacrilege or parricide or any ous and it is exposed to the attacks of my calum-
of the vile things which the silent working niators,
who maintain that it is through contempt
of the Seventy that I have set to work to forge a
of the mind can revolve within itself. Indeed new version to take the place of the old. They
I ought to be grateful to him for bavins' im- thus test ability as they do wine; whereas I have
puted to no me
more than one act of error again and again declared that I dutifully offer in
or false dealing out of the whole forest of the Tabernacle of God what
I can, and have
out that the great gifts which one man
possible crimes. Am
I likely to have said pointed
brings are not marred by the inferior gifts of
anything derogatory to the seventy transla- another. But I was stimulated to undertake the
tors, whose work I carefully purged from task by the zeal of Origen, who blended with the
old edition Theodotion's translation and used
corruptions and gave to Latin readers many
throughout the work as distinguishing marks the
years ago, and daily expound it at our con-
^
ventual gatherings whose version of the
;
2
1 Matt, xiii, 25. ps. Ixxx, 13. 'Jer. xv, 10 (lxx).
Psalms has so long been the subject of my 4 Or examined. The Vulgate agrees with A. V. 'A man
of contention.'
1 Deut. xvii, 6. 5 In the
origin:il there is a play upon words — Desideril
2 This translation has been almost
wholly lost. The parts desiderata^.
which remain are the Book of Job, the Psalms, and the Pref- 6 That Miui of desires, Dan.
is, ix, 23, Margm,
ace to the Books of Chronicles. '
Lit. barkings.
L 1 2
5i6 JEROME.
asterisk * and the obelus -I—, that is the star and hardly be that we must suppose Tully was in-
the spit, the first of which makes what had previ- spired with oratorical spirit when he translated
ously been defective to beam with light, while the Xenophon's CEconomics, Plato's Protagoras, and
other transfixes and slaughters all that was super- the oration of Demosthenes in defence of Ctesi-
fluous. But I was encouraged above all by the phon. Otherwise the Holy Spirit must have
authoritative publications of the Evangelists and quoted the same books in one sense through the
Apostles, in which we read much taken from the Old Seventy Translators, in another through the Apos-
Testament which is not found in our manuscripts. tles, so that, whereas they said nothing of a given
it was so written.
'
For example, Out of Egypt have I called my Son
'
matter, these falsely affirm that
(Matt. ii. 15) For he shall be called a Naza-
:
'
What Are we condemning our predeces-
then.''
rene' {Ibid. 23): and 'They shall look on him sors.' By no means; but following the zealous
whom they pierced ("John xix. 37) and Rivers of
'
:
'
labours of those who have preceded us we contrib-
living water shall flow out of his belly' (John vii. ute such work as lies in our power in the name
38) and Things which eye hath not seen, nor ear
:
'
of the Lord. They translated before the Advent
heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, of Christ, and expressed in ambiguous terms that
which God hath prepared for them that love him
'
which they knew not. We after His Passion and
(I. Cor. ii. 9), and many other passages

which Resurrection write not prophecy so much as
lack their proper context. Let us ask our oppo- history. For one style is suitable to what we hear,
nents then where these things are written, and another to what we see. The better we under-
when they are unable to tell, let us produce them stand a subject, the better we describe it. Hearken
from the Hebrew. The first passage is in Rosea, then, my rival: listen, my calumniator; I do not
(xi. i), the second in Isaiah (xi. i), the third in condemn, I do not censure the Seventy, but I am
Zechariah (xii. 10), the fourth in Proverbs (xviii.
bold enough to prefer the Apostles to them all. It is
4), the fifth also in Isaiah (Ixiv. 4). Being igno- the ApostTe through whose mouth I hear the voice
rant of all this many follow the ravings of the of Christ, and I read that in the classification of
Apocrypha, and prefer to the inspired books the spiritual gifts they are placed before prophets
melancholy trash which comes to us from Spain.' (i Cor. xii. 28; Eph. iv. 11), while interpreters
It is not for me to explain the causes of the error. occupy almost the lowest place. Why are you
The Jews it was deliberately and wisely done
say tormented with jealousy Why do you inflame
.''
to prevent Ptolemy who was a monotheist from

^
the minds of the ignorant against me.? Wherever
in translation I seem to you to go wrong, ask the
thinking the Hebrews acknowledged two deities.
And that which chiefly influenced them in thus Hebrews, consult their teachers in diff'erent towns.
acting was the fact that the king appeared to be The words which exist in their Scriptures concern-
falling into Platonism. In a word, wherever ing Christ your copies do not contain. The case
Scripture evidenced some sacred truth respecting is different if they have rejected passages
which '
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they either trans- were afterward used against them by the Apostles,
lated the passage differently, or passed it over and the Latin texts are more correct than the
altogether in silence, so that they might both Greek, the Greek
than the Hebrew.
satisfy the king, and not divulge the secrets of the
faith. I do not know whose false imagination led
[Chapters 36 to 32 are taken up with tlie
him to invent the story of the ^ seventy cells at ahnost in full, of the Preface to
quotation,
Alexandria, in which, though separated from each the Vulgate translation of the books of the
other, the translators were said to have written
the same words. Aristeas,* the champion of that
Old Testament. It is unnecessary to give
same Ptolemy,and Josephus, long after, relate noth- them here. They have all the same design
ing of the kind; their account is that the Seventy as the Preface to Genesis already given,
assembled in one basilica consulted together, and to meet the objections of those who
did not prophesy. For it is one thing to be a namely
the work as a reproach to the
prophet, another to be a translator. The former represented
through the Spirit, foretells things to come; LXX
which was then supposed to have al-
the latter must use his learning and facility in most the authority of inspiration. The same
speech to translate what he understands. It can illustrations, and even words,
arguments,
* The passage explained by Jerome's own words in the
is
are reiterated. Readers who may desire to
commentary on Is. Ixiv. " Certain silly women in Spain, and go more fully into Jerome's statements will
especially in Lusitania, have been deceived into accepting
as truth the marvels of Basilidcs and Balsaneus' treasury, and find these Prefaces translated at length in
even of Barbelo and Leusiboras." Jerome goes on to add that
Iren;Bus In explaining the origin of many heresies pointed
his works. Vol. VI of this Series.]
out that the Gnostics deceived many noble women of tlie parts 33. In reference to Daniel my answer
of Gaul about the Rhone, and afterwards those of Spain, fram-
will be that I did not say that he was not a
ing a system partly of myths partly of immorality, and calling
their folly by the name of philosophy. the
prophet; on the contrary, I confessed in
See also Ep. Jer. Let-
ter 120 to Iledibia, and Com. <m Amos cf. III.
2 That is Ptolemy commonly known as the son of Lagus, very beginning of the Preface that he was a
but the reputed son of Philip of Macedon by Arsinoe Philip's
prophet. But I wished to show what was
concubine. lie reigned over Egypt from B.C. .-^23-285. He
was a great patron of learning, and, according to traditions the opinion upheld by the Jews; and what
current among the fathers,
wishing to adorn his Alexandrian were the ai-guments on which they relied for
library with the writings of all nations, he requested the Jews
of Jerusalem to furnish him with a Greek version of their its proof. I also told the reader that the
Scriptures, and thus originated the Septuagint.
3
Irenicus, Justin Martyr, Epiphanius, and Augustine version read in the Christian churches was
among tlie Latins, adhere to the inspiration of the translators
which Jerome here rejects.
not that of the Septuagint translators but
* Aristeas was
an ofhcer of Ptolemy Philadelphus, son and that of Theodotion. It is true, I said tiiat
successor of
Ptolemy Iâgus. The so-called letter of Aris- the Septuagint version was in this book very
te;is to his brother Philocrates is still extant in Hody's De
Biblioriim Textibtis Originalibus,e.X.iz. (Oxon. 1705), and sepa-
rately in a small volume published ;!t Oxford 1692.
1
1
Reading rtfroha-verunt ,
APOLOGY — BOOK II. 51^
difTerent from the original, and that it was that I may not seem to be wounding you
condemned by the right judgment of the with fictitious praises, our Origen, (for I
churches of Christ but the fault was not may call him ours for his genius and learn-
;
mine who only stated the fact, but that of ing, though not for the truth of his doc-
those who read the version. We have four trines) in all his books explains and
versions to choose from those of Aquila, expounds not only the Septuagint but the
:
Symmachus, the Seventy, and Theodotion. Jewish versions. Eusebius and Didymusdo
The churches choose to read Daniel in the the same. I do not mention Apollinarius,
version of Theodotion. What sin have I who, with a laudable zeal though not ac-
committed in following the judgment of the cording to knowledge, attempted to patch up
churches? But when I repeat what the into one garment the rags of all the transla-
Jews say against the Story of Susanna and tions, and to weave a consistent text of Scrip-
the Hymn of the Three Children, and the ture at his own discretion, not according to
fables of Bel and the Dragon, which are not any sound rule of criticism. The Hebrew
contained in the Hebrew Bible, the man Scriptures are used by apostolic men they ;
who makes this a charge against me proves are used, as is evident, by the apostles and
himself to be a fool and a slanderer for I ; evangelists. Our Lord and Saviour himself
explained not what I thought but what they whenever he refers to the Scriptures, takes
commonly say against us. I did not reply his quotations from the Hebrew as in the ;
to their opinion in the Preface, because I was instance of the words

'
"He
that believeth
studying brevity, and feared that I should on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his
seem to be writing not a Preface but a book. belly shall flow rivers of living water," and
I said therefore, " As to which this is not in the words used on the cross itself, " Eli,
the time to enter into discussion." Other- lama sabachthani," which is by inter-
Eli,
wise from the fact that I stated that Porphyry "
My God, my God, why hast thou
pretation
had said many things against this prophet, me ? " not, as it is given by the Sep-
forsaken
and called, as witnesses of this, Methodius, tuagint, "My God, my God, look upon
"
Eusebius, and Apollinarius, who have reme, why hast thou forsaken me? and many
plied to his folly in many thousand lines, it similar cases. I do not say this in order to
will be in his power to accuse me for not aim a blow at the seventy translators but ;
having written in my Preface against the I assert that the Apostles of Christ have an
books of Porphyry. If there is any one who authority superior to theirs. Wherever the
pays attention to silly things like this, I must Seventy agree with the Hebrew, the apostles
tell him loudly and freely, that no one is took their quotations from that translation ;
compelled to read what he does not want but, where they disagree, they set down in
;
that I wrote for those who asked me, not for Greek what they had found in the Hebrew.
those who would scorn me, for the grateful And further, I give a challenge to my
not the carping, for the earnest not the in- accuser. have shown that many things are
I
different. Still, I wonder that a man should set down the New Testament as coming
in
read the version of Theodotion the heretic from the older books, which are not to be
and judaizer, and should scorn that of a found in the Septuagint; and I have
Christian, simple and sinful though he may pointed out that these exist in the Hebrew.
be. Now let him show that there is anything in
34. I beg you, my most sweet friend, the New Testament which comes from the
who are so curious that you even know my Septuagint but which is not found in the
dreams, and that you scrutinize for purposes Hebrew, and our controversy is at an end.
of accusations all that I have written durins' 35. By all this it is made clear, first that
these many years without fear of future the version of the Seventy translators which
calumny answer me, how is it you do not
;
has gained an established position by having
know the prefaces of the very books on which been so long in use, was profitable to the
you ground your charges against me? These churches, because that by its means the Gen-
prefaces, as if by some prophetic foresight, tiles heard of the coming of Christ before he
gave the answer to the calumnies that were came secondly, that the other translators
;
coming, thus fulfilling the proverb, "The are not to be reproved, since it was not their
antidote before the poison." What harm has own works that they published but the divine
been done to the churches by my translation ? books which they translated and, thirdly, ;
You bought up, as I knew, at great cost the that my own familiar friend should frankly
versions of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theo- accept from a Christian and a friend what
dotion, and the Jewish authors of the fifth
ijohn vil, 38, supposed to be taken from Prov. xviii,^, or
and sixth translations, Your Origen, or, Is, Iviii, II .
518 JEROME.
he has taken great pains to obtain from the books, and in a state of constant mental
Jews and has written down for him at great suspense about the charges he had heaped
cost. I have exceeded the bounds of a letter ; up against me.It is easier to guard against
and, though I had taken pen in hand to con- one who
professes hostility than to make head
tend against a wicked heresy, I have been against an enemy who lurks under the guise
compelled to make answer on my own be- of a friend.
half,while waiting for my friend's three
JEROME'S APOLOGY IN ANSWER TO RUFINUS — BOOK III.
The two first books formed a complete whole, but it was intimated that there might be more to come when
Jerome should have received Rufinus' work in full. The two first books were brought to Rufinus by the captain
of a merchant-ship trading with Aquileia, together with a copy of Jerome's friendly letter which had been sup-
pressed by Pammachius. The bearer had (as stated by Rufinus, though Jerome mocks at this as impossible) only
two days Chromatins the Bishop of Aquileia urged that the strife should now cease, and prevailed so
to wait.
far as that Rufinus made no public reply. He wrote a private letter, however, to Jerome, which has not come
down to us, and which does not seem, from the extracts given in c. 4, 6, etc., to have been of a pacific tenor. Its
details may be gathered from Jerome's reply. Jerome intimates that it sought to involve him in heresy, that it
renewed and aggravated the former accusations, speaking of him in language fit only for the lowest characters
on the stage; and that it declared that, if its writer had been so minded, he could have produced facts which
would have been the destruction of his adversary. Jerome, though receiving some expressions of the desire of
Chromatius that he should not reply (perhaps also the regretful expostulation of Augustin, —
Jer. Letter ex, 6,
Aug. Letter 73) declared that it was impossible for him to yield. He could not refrain from defending himself
from a capital charge, nor could he spare the heretics. Peace could only come by unity in the faith.
1. letter is full of falsehood and violence.

Your I will try not to take the same tone.
2. Whycannot we differ as friends? Why do you, by threats of death, compel me to answer?
3. 4. Your shameful taunt that I wished to get copies of your Apology by bribing your Secretary is an
imputation to me of practices which are your own.
5. Eusebius should not have accused you; but your charges against him will not stand.
6. You taunt me with boasting of my eloquence. Will you l)oast of your illiteracy?
7. 8. You wish first to praise, then to amend me, but both with fisticuffs; and make it impossible for me
to k-jep silence.
9. Why cannot you join with me in condemning Origen, and so put an end to our quarrel?
10. The assertion that you had only two days for your answer is a fiction.
11. Your translation, contrariwise to my Commentaries, vouches for the soundness of Origen.
12. You try to shield Origen liy falsely attributing the Apology for him to Pamphilus.
13. In my Commentaries my ([notation of opposite opinions shows that neither is mine.
14. Had you translated honestly, you would not have had Origen's heresies imputed to you.
15. You say the IJishops of Italy accept your views on the Resurrection. I doubt it.
16. You rashly say that you will agree to whatever Theophilus lays down. You have to consider your
friendship for Isidore now his enemy.
17. 18. You speak of the ^^gyptian Bishop Paul. We
received him, though an Origenist, as a stranger;
and he has united himself to the orthodox faith. Not only Theophilus but the Emperors condemn Origen.
19. Against Vigilanlius I wrote only what was right. I knew who had stirred him up against me.
20. As to the letter of Pope Anastasius condemning you, you will find that it is genuine.
21. Siricius who is dead may have written in your favour; Anastasius who is living writes to the East
against you.
22. My departure from Rome for the East had nothing blameable in it as you insinuate.
23. Epiphanius, it is true, gave you the kiss of peace; but he showed afterwards that he had come to
distrust you.
24. parted as friends I believed you a true believer; no one was sent to Rome to injure you.
When we
25. You swear
that you did not write my pretended retractation. Your style betrays you, and I have
given a full answer about my translations already.
26. You bid me beware of falsification and treachery. You warn me against yourself.
27. There is nothing inconsistent in praising a man for some things and blaming him in others. You
have done it in my case.
APOLOGY — BOOK III. 519
28-31. My ignorance of many natural phenomena is no excuse for your ignorance as to the origin of souls.
You ought, according to your boasting dream to know everything. The thing of most importance was forgotten
in your cargo of Eastern wares.
32. Your dream was a boast mine of which you accuse me humbled me.
:
2;^. It was not I who first disclosed your heresies, but Epiphanius long ago and Aterbius before him.
34-36. As to our translations of the Uepl 'Apx^^v, yours was doing harm, and mine was necessary in self-
defence. You should be glad that heresy is exposed.
37. Your Apology for Origen did not save him but involved you in heresy.
38. My friendly letter was to prevent discord the other to crush false opinions.
:
39. 40. Pythagoras was rightly quoted by me. I produce some of his sayings.
41, 42. You threaten me with destruction. I will not replv in the same way. Personalities should be
excluded from controversies of faith.
43, 44. The way of peace is through the wisdom taught in the Book of Proverbs, and through unity in the
faith.
I have read the which you in your

letter
*
up falsehoods against you and to say that I
wisdom have me. You inveigh
written had heard or seen what no one had observed,
against me, and, though you once praised so that among the ignorant my efirontery
me and called me true partner and brother, might be taken for veracity, and tny violence
you now write books to summon me to for resolution. But far be it from me to be
reply to the charges with which you ter- an imitator of you, and to do myself what
rify me. I see that in you are fulfilled I denounce in you. He who is capable of
^ "
the words of Solomon In the mouth of :
doing filthy things may use filthy words.
the foolish is the rod of ^ contumely," and '
" The evil inan out of the evil treasure of
* "
A
fool receives not the words of prudence, his heart bringeth forth that which is evil ;
unless you say what is passing in his heart " for out of the abundance of the heart the
;
and the words of Isaiah * " The fool will : mouth speaketh." You may count it as
speak folly, and his heart will understand good fortune that one whom you once called
vain things, to practise iniquity and speak friend but now accuse has no mind to make
falsehood against the Lord." For what vile imputations against you. I say this not
need was there for you to send me whole from any dread of the sword of your accusa-
volumes full of accusation and malediction, tion, but because I prefer to be accused
and to bring them before the public, when than to be the accuser, to suffer an injury
in the end of your letter you threaten me than to do one. I know the precept of the
with death if I dare to reply to jiour slan- Apostle: ^"Dearly beloved avenge not
ders —
I beg pardon to your praises.^
— yourselves but rather give place unto wrath :
For your praises and your accusations for it is written Vengeance is inine, I will
amount to the same thing from the same ;
repay saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine
fountain proceed both sweet and bitter. I enemy hunger feed him, if he thirst give
beg you to set me the example of the modesty him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap;
and shamefacedness which you recommend coals of fire upon his head." For he that
to me ; you accuse another of lying cease avenges himself cannot claiin the vindication
:
to be a liar yourself. I wish to give no one of the Lord.

an occasion of stumbling, and I will not be- 2. But, before I make my answer to
come your accuser for I have not to con- your letter, I must expostulate with you
; ;
sider merely what you deserve but what is you who are first in age among the monks,
becoming" in me. I tremble at our Saviour's good presbyter, follower of Christ is it ;
words. ''
Whosoever shall cause one of possible for yoti to wish to kill your brother,
these little ones that believe in m.e to stum- when even to hate him is to be a homicide.?
ble, it were better for him that a great mill Have you learned from your Saviour the
stone were hanged about his neck and he lesson that if one strike you on the one
were drowned in the depths of the sea " cheek you should turn to him the other also ?
;
and ' "Woe unto the world because of occa- Did not he make answer to the man who
' "
sions of stumbling for it must needs be struck him,
: If I have spoken evil, bear
that occasions arise but woe to the man witness of the evil, but if well, why smitest
;
through whom the occasion cometh." It thou me.''" You threaten me with death,
would have been possible for me too to pile which can be inflicted on us even by ser-
pents. To die is the lot of all, to commit
1 That
is, private letter, now lost, which was sent with the homicide only of the weak man. What
two books of Rufinus' Apology.
2 Prov. 3 Pride A. V. and then.? If you do not kill me shall I never
xiv, 3. Vulgate.
Perhaps I ought to be grateful to you
* Prov.
xviii, 2, as in Vulgate version. die.?
" Is. xxxii, 5. The words are not those of the Vulgate, nor
of the A. V.
«
Mark ix, 42.
^ Matt, xviii, 7.
1 Luke vi, 45.
3 Rom. xii, 19, 20.
'
John xviii, 23.
520 JEROME.
that you turn this necessity into a virtue. Italy and the islands of the coast of Dalmatia?
VVe read of Apostles quarrelling, namely How did these charges against me ever come
Paul and Barnabas who were angry with to my ears, if they were only lurking in your
each other on account of John whose sur- desk, and those of your friends ? How can you
name was Mark those who were united by dare to say that you are speaking as a Chris-
;
the bonds of Christ's gospel were separated tian not for display but for edification when
for a voyage; but they still remained friends. you set yourself in mature age to say things
Did not the same Paul resist Peter to against your equal which a murderer could
the face because he did not walk uprightly hardly say of a thief, or a harlot against one of
in the Gospel ? Yet he speaks of him as her class, or a buffoon against a farce-player ?
his predecessor in the Gospel, and as a You have for ever so long been labouring to
pillar of the church and he lays before him brinsr forth these mountains of accusations
;
his mode of preaching, lest he should be against me and sharpening these swords to
'
'
running, or had run in vain.' Do not chil- pierce my throat. Your cries have been as
dren differ from parents and wives from loud as Ceres' complaints or a driver's shouts •
husbands in religious matters, while yet to his horses. Was this to make all the prov-
'domestic affections remain unimpaired. If inces through which tliey resounded read
you are as I am, why should you hate me? the praise you wrote of me? and recite your
Even if you believe differently, why should panegyrics upon me in every street, every
you wish to kill me? Is it so, that whoever corner, even in the weaving-shops of the
differs from you is to be slain? I call upon women? This is the religious restraint and
Jesus who will judge what Iam now writing Christian edification of which you speak.
and your letter also, as a witness upon my Your reserve, vour reticence is such that men
conscience, that when the reverend bishop come to me from the West, crowd upon
Chromatins begged me to keep silence, my crowd, and tell me of your abuse of me and ;
wish was to do so, and thus to make an end this, though only from memory, yet with *
of our dissensions, and to overcome evil such exact agreement that I was obliged to
with good. But, now that you threaten me make my answer, not to your writings which
with destruction, I am compelled to reply ;
I had not then read, but to what was said
otherwise, my silence will be taken as an to be contained in them, and to intercept
acknowledgment of the crime, and you will with the shield of truth missiles of
the
interpret my moderation as the sign of an mendacity which were flying about through
evil conscience. all the world.
3. The dilemma in
placed is which I am 4. Your letter goes on :
of your making: it is brought out, not from

the resources of dialectics, of which you are "Pravdo not trouble yourself to give alargesum
of gold to bribe m J secretary, as your friends did in
ignorant, but from among the tools of the the case of my papers containing the Tlepl 'Apx'J^',
murderer and with an intention like his. If before they had been corrected and brought to com-
I keep silence, I am held guilty if I speak, I :
pletion, so that they might more easily falsify
become an evil speaker. You at once for- documents which no one possessed, or at least very
bid me to answer and compel me. Well,
few. Accept the document which I send you
gratis, though you would be glad to pay a large
then I must shun excess on both sides. I will sum to it."
;
buy
say nothing that is injurious but I must dissi- ;
pate the charges made against me, for it is I should have thought you would be
impossible not to be afraid of a man who is ashamed of such a beginning of your work.
prepared to kill you. And I will do this in What I bribe your Secretary Is there any
! !
the order of what you have now set before one who would attempt to vie with the wealth
me, leaving the rest as they are in those most of Croesus^ and Darius?' who is there that
learned books of yours which I confuted be- does not tremble when he is suddenly con-
fore I had read them. fronted with a Demaratus'' or a Crassus?*
You say that you sent your accusation
'
Have you become so brazen-faced, that you
against me not to the many but only to those put your trust in and think lies will pro-
lies
who had been offended by what I had said for ;
tect you and that we shall believe every fiction
one ought to speak to Christians not for dis- which you choose to frame? then was Who
play but for edification.' Whence then, I beg
1 When she lost her daughter Proserpine and lamented her
you to consider, did the report of your having throufiliout tlie world.
written these books roach me? was it Who 2 In the two first books of the
Apology.
that sowed them broadcast through Rome and Kings of I-ydi:i and Persia notorious for their wealth.
3
Father of Tarquinius Priscus, said to have been a wealthy

••
inunigrant from Corinth.

The triumvir surnamed the Rich murdered in Persia B.C.
''
; :
1 Gal. li, 3. 52.

APOLOGY— BOOK III. 521
itwho stole that letter in which you were so uncorrected papers for money in order to
highly praised, from the cell of our brother falsify them, pi-oduce the genuine papers
Eusebius ? Whose artfulness was it, and whose which have not been falsified and if you :
accomplices, through which a certain docu- can shew that there is nothing heretical in
ment was found in the lodgings of that Chris- them, lie will become amenable to the charge
tian woman Fabiola and of that wise man of forgery. But, however much you may
Oceanus, which they themselves had never alter or correct them, you will not make
seen? Do you think that you are innocent be- them out to be catholic. If the error
cause you can cast upon others all the imputa- existed only in the words or in some few
tions which properly belong to you? Is every statements, what is bad might be cut off
one who offends you, however guiltless and and what is good be substituted for it. But,
harmless he may be, at once held to become a when the whole discussion proceeds on a '
criminal? You
think so, I suppose, because single principle, namely, the notion that the
you are possessed of that through which the whole universe of reasonable creatures have
chastity of Danae^was broken down, that fallen by their own will, and will hereafter
which had more power with Gihazi than his return to a condition of unity and that
:
master's sacred character, that for which again from that starting point another fall
Judas betrayed his Master.^ will begin : what is there that you can
5. Let us understand what was the amend, unless 3'ou alter the whole book ?
^
wrong done by my friend
who, you say But if you were to think of doing this, you
parts of your papers when they would no longer be translating another
'
falsified
had not yet been corrected nor carried to man's work ])ut composing a work of your
completion, and it was the more possible to own.
falsify them because very few
if
any as yet However, I hardly see which way your
argument tends. I suppose you mean that
*
possessed them.' I have already said, and
I now repeat, with protestations in the the papers being uncorrected and not having
presence of God, that I did not approve his undergone a final revising were more easily
accusing you, nor of any Christian accusing falsified by Eusebius. Perhaps I am stupid ;
another Christian for what need is there

;
but the argument appears to me somewhat
that matters which can be corrected or set foolish and pointless. If the papers were
right in private should be published abroad uncorrected and had not undergone their
to the stumbling and fall of many? But final revision, the errors in them must be
since each man lives for his own gullet, and imputed not to Eusebius but to your sloth
a man does not by becoming your friend and delay in putting oft^ their correction ;
become master of your will, while I blame and all the blame that can be laid upon him
the accusinar of a brother even when it is is that he circulated among the body of
true, so also I cannot accept against a man Christians writings which you had intended
of saintly character this accusation of falsify- in course of time to correct. But if, as you
ing your papers. How could a man who assert, Eusebius falsified them, why do you
only knows Latin change anything in a put forward the allegation that they were
translation from the Greek? Or how could uncorrected, and that they had gone out
he take out or put in anything in such books befoi-e the public without their final revision?
as the Uepl 'Apx<iv, in which everything is so For papers whether corrected or uncorrected
closely knit together that one part hangs are equally susceptible of falsification. But,
upon another, and anything that may be No one, you say possessed these books, or
taken out or put in to suit your will must at very few. What contradictions this single
once show out like a patch on a garment? sentence exhibits! If no one had these
What you ask me to do, it is for you to do books, how could they be in the hands of
yourself. Put on at least a small measure a few? If a few possessed them, why do
of natural if not of Christian modesty in you state falsely that there were none?
your assertions do not despise and trample Then, when you say that a few had them,
;
upon your conscience, and imagine yourself and own confession the statement
by your
justified by a show of words, when the facts that no one had them is overthrown, what
are against you. If Eusebius bought your becomes of your complaint that your secre-
Tell us the
tary was bribed with money
?
Jove was said to have seduced Danae by changing' himself

secretary's name, the amount of the bribe,
1
into a shower of gold.

2
Jerome often taunts Rufinus with being rich and luxu- the place, the intermediary, the recipient.
rious. See Letter cxxv, iS. cast oft' from
3Necessarius. This no doubt applies to Eusebius of Of course the traitor has been
Cremona or to Paulinian, Jerome's brother, (Jer Ap. i, 21, 28.)
See Ruf. Ap. i, 19, where a similar charge is made.
*Qvioted from Rufinus' letter to Jerome, novir lost.
iThat is in Origen's nepi Apx'"»'»
522 JEROME.
you, and one convicted of so great a crime the attempt to suppress you, for, if once you
has been separated from all familiarity withobtain tlie primacy among us as a writer, and
you. Is it not more likely to be true thatstand on the summit of the rhetorical arch,
the copies of the work which Eusebius all of us who profess to know anything will
obtained were given him by those few not be allowed to mutter a word. I am,
friends whom you speak of, especially since according to you, a philosopher and an ora-
tliese copies agree and coincide with one tor, grammarian, dialectician, one who knows
'
another so completely that there is not the Hebrew, Greek and Latin, a ' trilingual
diderence of a single stroke. We
might ask man. On this estimate, you also will be
also whether it was quite wise to give a bilingual,' who know enough Latin and
'
copy to others which you had not yet cor- Greek to make the Greek think you a Latin
rected.'* The documents had not received scholar and the Latin a Greek and the :
'
their last corrections, and yet other men bishop Epiphanius will be a
'
pentaglossic
possessed these errors of yours which needed man since he speaks
'
in five languages
correction. Do you not see that your false- against you and your favorite.* But I won-
hood will not hold together.'' Besides, what der at the rashness which made you dare
was there for that particular to say to one so accomplished as you profess
at
profit
moment — how you,
would ithave helped you to think me " You, whose accomplishments
:
in escaping from the condemnation of the give you so many watchful eyes, how can you
bishops
—
that the book which was the sub- be pardoned if you go wrong.? How can you
ject of discussion should be open to every- fail to be buried in the silence
of a never
one, and that you should thus be refuted by ending shame.-'" When I read this, and re-
your own words.'' From all this it is clear, flected that 1 must somewhere ôr other have
" if
according to the epigram of the famous made a slip in my words (for any man
orator, that you have a good will for a lie, does not go wrong in word, the same is a
but not the art of framing it. perfect man ") and was expecting that he
6. I will follow the order of your letter, was about to expose some of my faults all ;
and subjoin your very words as you spoke of a sudden I came upon the words " Two :
them. " I admit, that, as you say, I praised days before the carrier of this letter set out
your eloquence in my Preface and I would your declamation against me was put into my
;
praise it again now were it not that contrary hands." What became then of those threats of
to the advice of your TuUy, you make it yours, and of your wôrds
" How can
you:
hateful by excessive boastfulness." Where be pardoned if you go wrong.? How can

have I boasted of my eloquence I did not you fail to be covered with the silence of a
.''
even accept willingly the praise which you never ending shame.?" Yet perhaps, not-
bestowed on it. Perhaps your reason for withstanding the shortness of the time, you
saying this is that you do not wish, yourself, were able to put this in order or else you ;
to be flattered by public praise given in were intending- to hire in one of the learned
guile. Rest assured you shall be accused sort, who would expect to find in my works
openl}' you reject one who would praise the ornaments and gems of an eloquence like
;
"
you you shall have experience of one who yours. You wrote before this
; Accept the :
openly arraigns you. I was not so foolish as document which I send which you wished to
"
to criticize your illiterate style no one can buy at a great price
;
but now you speak
;
" I intended
expose it to condemnation so strongly as you with the pretence of humility.
do whenever you write. I only wished to to follow your example but, since the mes- ;
show your fellow-disciples who shared your senger who was returning to you was hurry-
lack of literary training what progress you ing back again I thought it better to write
had made during your thirty years in the shortly to )'ou than at greater length to
East, an illiterate writer, who takes impu- others." In the meantime you boldly take
dence for eloquence, and universal evil speak- pleasure in your illiteracy. Indeed you once
ing a sign of a good conscience. I am not confessed it, declaring that it was superflu-
'
going to administer the ferule I do not as-

;
ous to notice a few faults of style, when it
sume, as you put it, to apply the strokes of was acknowledged that there were faults in
the leather thong to teach an aged pupil his every part.' 1 will not therefore find fault
letters. But the fact is your eloquence and with you for putting down that a document
teaching is so sparkling that we mere tract- was acquired when you meant that it was
writers cannot bear it, and you dazzle our bought; though acquiring is said of things
eyes with the acuteness of your talents to like in kind, whereas buying implies the
such an extent that we must all seem to be
1 Five tongued.
envious of you and we must really join in
;
»
Ainusium, sweelhcart; namely, Origen. »Jas. iii, 3.
counting out of money nor for such a sen-

: that your praises are made a ground of accusa-
tence as " as he who was tion against me, and if I had not declared
returning to you
was hurrying back again " which is a redun- myself to be without any connexion with my
dancy wortiiy of the poorest style of diction. admirer, I should have been judged as a
I will After I repelled your charges,
only reply to the arguments, raid will heretic.
convict you, not of solaecisms and barbarisms, that is your praises, and without shewing
but of falsehood, cunning and impudence. illwill to you personally, answered the accu-
7- If it is true that you write a letter to sations, not the accuser, and inveighed against
me so as to admonish me, and because you the heretics, to shew that, though defamed
wish that I should be reformed, and that you by you, I was a catholic; you grew angry,
do not wish that men should have a stumbling and raved and composed the most magnifi-
block put in their way, and that some may cent works against me and when you had ;
be driven mad and others be put to silence given them to all men to read and repeat,
;
why do you write books addressed to others letters came to me from Italy and Rome and
against me, and scatter them by your myrmi- Dalmatia, shewing, each more clearly than
dons for the whole world to read? And the last, what all the encomiums were worth
what becomes of your dilemma in which with which in your former laudation you had
you try to entangle me, " Whom, best of decorated me.
masters, did you think to correct? If those S. I confess, I immediately set to work
to whom you wrote, there was no fault to to
reply to the insinuations directed against
find with them if me whom
; you accuse, it me, and tried with all my might to prove
was not to me that you wrote "? And I will that I was no heretic, and I sent these books
reply to you in your own words: "Whom
of my Apology to those whom your book had
did you wish to correct, unlearned master? pained, so that your poison might be fol-
Those who had done no wrong? or me to lowed by my antidote. In reply to this, you
whom you did not write? You think your sent me your former books, and now send me
leaders are brutish and are all
incapable of this last letter, full of injurious language and
understanding your subtilty, or rather your ill accusations. My good friend, what do you
will, (for it was in this that the serpent was mc to do? To keep silence? That
expect
more subtile than all the beasts in paradise,)would be to acknowledge myself guilty. To
in asking that
my admonition to you should be speak? But you hold your sword over my
press- head, and threaten me with an indictment,
of a private character, when you were
ing an indictment against me in public. You no longer before the church but before the
are not ashamed to call this indictment of law-courts. What have I done that deserves
yours an Apology And you complain that I punishment? Wherein have I injured you?
:
opposeashield to your poniard, and with much Is it that I have shewn myself not to be a
religiosity and sanctimoniousness you assume heretic? or that I could not esteem myself
the mask of humility, and say " If I had
:
worthy of your praises? or that I laid bare
erred, why did you write to others, and not in plain words the tricks and perjuries of
"
try to confute me ? I will retort on
you the heretics? What is all this to you who
this very point. What you complain that I boast yourself a true man and a catholic, and
did not do, why did you not do yourself? It who shew more zeal in attacking me than in
is as if a man who is Must I be thought to
attacking another with defending yourself?
kicks and fisticufls, and finds him intending be attacking you because I defend myself?
to shew fight, should say to him : "Do
you or is it impossible that you should be ortho-
not know the command, If a man smites dox unless you prove me to be a heretic ?
'
you on the cheek, turn to him the other'?" What help can it give you to be connected
It comes to this,
my good sir, you are deter- with me? and what is the meaning of your
mined to beat me, to strike out my eye and action ? ;
You are accused by one set of
then, when I bestir myself ever so little, you people and you answer only by attacking
harp upon the precept of the Gospel. Would another. You find an attack made on you
you lilie to have all the windings of your by one man, and you turn your back upon
cunning exposed? —
those tricks of the foxes him and attack another who was for leaving
who dwell among the ruins, of whom Eize- vou alone.
kiel writes,^ " Like foxes in the desert, so
9. I call Jesus the Mediator
to witness that
are thy prophets, O Israel." Let me make it is against my will, and fighting against
you understand what you have done. You necessity, that I come down into the arena
praised me in your Preface in such a way of this war of words, and that, had you not
challenged me, I would have never broken
1 Ezek.
xiii, 4, silence. Even now, let your charges against
524 JEROME.
me and my defence will cease. For
cease, Pallas, and is intersected by faults of style,
it isno edifying spectacle that is presented to as by rough places and chasms at every turn.
our readers, that of two old men engaging in It is clear that this statement about the two
a gladiatorial conflict on account of a heretic ; days is false ; you would not have been able
especially when both of tliem wish to be in that time even to read what I wrote,
thought catholics. Let us leave oft' all much less to reply to it; so that it is evident
favouring of heretics, and there will be no that either you took a good many days in
dispute between us. We once were zealous writing your letter, which its elaborate style
in our praise of Origen let us be equally
;
makes probable or, if this is your hasty
;
zealous in condemning him now that he is style of composition, and you can
write so
condemned by the whole world. Let us join well oft-hand, you would be very negligent
hands and hearts, and march with a ready in your composition to write so much worse
step behind the two trophy-bearers of the when you have had time for thought.
East and West.' We went wrong in our II. You state, with some prevarication,
youth, let us mend our ways in our age. If that you have translated from the Greek what
you are my brother, be glad that I have seen I had before translated into Latin but I do ;
my errors if I am your friend, I must give

;
not clearly understand to what you are allud-
you joy on your conversion. So long as we ing, unless you are still bringing up against
maintain our strife, we shall be thought to me the Commentary on the Ephesians, and
hold the right faith not willingly but of hardening yourself in your eftrontery, as if
necessity. Our enmity prevents our afibrd- you had received no answer on this head.
ing the spectacle of a true repentance. If You stop your ears and will not hear the
our faith is one, of us accept and voice of the charmer. What I have done in
if we both
things, (and it is from this, that and other commentaries
same is to develop
reject the
as even Catiline testifies, that firm friend- both my own opinion and that of others,
ships arise), if we are alike in our hatred of stating clearly which are catholic
and which
heretics, and equally condemn our former heretical. This is the common rule and cus-
mistakes, why should we set out to battle tom of those who undertake to explain books
against each other, when we have the same in commentaries :
They give at length in
Pardon the various opinions, and
objects both of attack and defence? their exposition
me for having praised Origen's zeal for explain what thought by themselves and
is
others. is done not only by those

This
Scriptural learning in my youthful days by
before I fully knew his heresies; and I will who expound the holy Scriptures but also
grant you forgiveness for having written an by those who explain secular books whether
Apology for his works when your head was in Greek or in Latin. You, however, can-
grey. not screen yourself in reference to the Uepl
lo. You state that my book came into 'Apxf-iv
by this fact; for you will be convicted
your hands two days before you wrote yoiu' by your own Preface, in which you under-
letter to me, and that therefore you had no take that the evil parts and those which have
sufficient leisure to make a reply. Otherwise, been added by heretics have been cut oft' but
if you had
spoken against me after full that all that is best remains so that all that ;
thought and preparation, we might think you have written, whether good or bad,
that you were casting forth lightnings rather must be held to be the work, not of the
than accusations. But even so veracious a author whom you are translating, but of
person as you will hardly gain credence yourself who have made the translation.
when you tell us that a merchant of Eastern Perhaps, indeed, you ought to have cor-
wares whose business is to sell what he has rected the errors of the heretics, and to
brought from these parts and to buy Italian have set forth publicly what is wrong in
goods to bring over here for sale, only stayed Origen. But on this point, (since you refer
two days at Aquilcia, so that you were me to the document itself,) I have made
obliged to write your letter to me in a hur- you my answer before reading your
letter.
ried and extempore fashion. For your 13. About the book of Pamphilus, what
books which it took you three years to put happened to me was, not comical as you call
into complete sliape are harilly more care- it, but perhaps ridiculous namely that, ;
>
fully written. Perhaps, however, you had after I had asserted it to be by Eusebius
no one at hand then to amend your sorry not by Pamphilus, I stated at the end
productions, and this is the reason why your of the discussion that I had for many years
literary journey is destitute of the aid of believed that it was by Pamphilus,
and that I
'
non ridiadosa ut In sciibis sed ridicuia, Jerome seems
1
Theophilus of Alexandria — Anastasius of Rome. to object to ridiculosus as bad Latin.
had borrowed a copy of book from you. of his short treatises on the Apostle, in which
this
You may judge how little you say that I so smoothed things down
I fear your derision
from the fact that even now I make the same that the Latin reader will find nothing in
statement. I took it from your manuscript as them which is discrepant from the Catholic
being a copy of a workof Pamphilus. I trusted faith now on the other hand you brand these
;
in you as a Christian and as a monk : I did very books as heretical and, obliterating ;
not imagine that you would be guilty of your former praise, you accuse the man whom
such a wicked imposture. But, after that you had preached up when you thought he
the question of Origen's heresy was stirred would figure as your ally, because you find
throughout the world on account of your trans- that he is the enemy of your perfidy. Which
lation of his work, I was more careful in exam- of us two is the calumniator of the martyr.^
ining copies of the book, and in the library of I, who say that he was no heretic, and that
Caesarea I found the six volumes of Eusebius' he did not write the book which is con-
Apology for Origen. As soon as I had demned by every one or you, who have ;
looked through them, T at once detected tlie published a book written by a man who
book on the Son and the Holy Spirit which was an Arian and changed his name into that
you alone have published under the name of of the martyr? It is not enough for you
the martyr, altering most of its blasphemies that Greece has beer, scandalized you must ;
into words of a better meaning. And this press the book upon the ears of the Latins,
I saw must have been done either by Didy- and dishonor an illustrious martyr as far as
mus or by you or some other (it is quite clear in you lies by your translation. Your in-
that you did it in reference to the ncp^ 'ApxCjv) tention no doubt was not this it was not to ;
by this decisive proof, that Eusebius tells us accuse me but to make me serve for the
that Pamphilus published nothing of his own. defence of Origen's writings. But let me
It is for you therefore to say from whence tell you that the faith of Rome which was
you obtained your copy and do not, for the praised by the voice of an Apostle, does not
;
sake of avoiding my accusation, say that it recognize tricks of this kind. A faith which
was from some one who is dead, or, because has been guaranteed by the authority of an
you have no one to point to, name one who Apostle cannot be changed though an Angel
cannot answer for himself. If this rivulet should announce another gospel than that
has its source in your desk, the inference is which he preached. Therefore, my brother,
plain enough, without my drawing it. But, whether the falsification of the book proceeds
suppose that the title of this book and the from you, as many believe, or from another,
name of the author has been changed by some as you will perhaps try to persuade us,
other lover of Origen, what motive had you in which case you have only been guilty of
it into Latin? rashness in
for turning Evidently this, that, believing the composition of a
through the testimony given to him by a mar- heretic to be that of a martyr, change the
tyr, all should trust to the writings of Origen, title, and free the innocence of the Romans
since they were guaranteed beforehand by a from this great peril. It is of no advantage
witness of such authority. But the Apology to you to be the means of a most illustrious
of this most learned man was not sufficient for martyr being condemned as a heretic of :
you you must write a treatise of your own

; one who shed his blood for Christ being
in his defence, and, when these two documents proud to be an enemy of the Christian faith.
had been widely circulated, you felt secure in Take another course say, I found a book
:
proceeding to translate the Tlepl 'Apxo)v itself which I believed to be the work of a martyr.
from the Greek, and commended it in a Pre- Do not fear to be a penitent. I will not
face, inwhich you said that some things in press you further. I will not ask from
it had been corrupted by the heretics, but whom you obtained it you can name some
;
that you had corrected them from a study of dead man if you please, or say you bought
others of Origen's writings. Then come it from an unknown man in the street for I :
in your praises of me for the purpose of pre- do not wish to see you condemned, but con-
venting any of my friends from speaking verted. should appear that
It is better that it
against you. You put me forward as the you were martyr was
in error than that the
trumpeter of Origen, you praise my eloquence a heretic. At all events, by some means or
to the skies, so that you may drag down the other, draw out your foot from its present
faith into the mire ;you call me colleague entangleme-nt consider what answer you will
:
and brother, and profess yourself the imi- make in thejudgment to come to the com-
tator of my works. Then, while on the which the martyrs will bring against
plaints
one hand you cry me up as having trans- you.
lated seventy homilies of Origen, and some 13. Moreover, you make a charge against
526 JEROME.
yourself which has been brought by no be either Origen's, or yours, and you have
one against you, and make excuses where set them down, presumably, as good. But
no one has accused you. You say that that many of these are bad you cannot deny.
you have read these and in my letter: "I "What is that," you will say, "to nie.^'"
want to know who has given you leave, You must impute it to Origen for I have ;
when translating a book, to remove some done no more than alter what had been
things, change others, and again add others." added by the heretics. Tell us then for
And you go on to answer yourself, and what reason you took out the bad things
to speak against me: " I say this to you: written by the heretics and left those written
Who I pray, has given
you leave, in your by Origen untouched. Is it not clear that
Commentaries, to put down some things parts of the false doctrines of Origen you
out of Origen, somo from Apollinarius, some condemned under the designation of the doc-
of your own, instead of all from Origen trines of heretics, and others you accepted
or from yourself or from some other.-"' All because you judged them to be not false but
It was
this while, wlaile you are aiming at some- true and consonant with your faith .''
thing different, you have been preferring a these last about which I inquired whether
very strong charge against yourself; and you those things which you praised in your
have forgotten the old proverb, that those Preface were good or bad it was these
:
who speak falsehood should have good which you confessed you have left as per-
memories. You say that I in my Commen- fectly good when you cut out all that was
taries havê set down some things out of worst and I thus have phiced you, as I said,
;
Origen, some from Apollinarius, some of on the horse-rack, so that, if you say that
my own. If then these things which I liave they are good, you will be proved to be a
set down under the names of others are the heretic, but if you say they are bad, you
words of Apollinarius and of Origen; what will at once be asked: "Why then did you
is the meaning of the charge which you praise these bad things in your Preface.''"
fasten upon me, that, when I say " Another And I did not add the question which you
" The
says this," following is some one's craftily pretend that I asked; "Why did
conjecture," that "other" or "some one" you by your translation bring evil doctrines
means myself.'' Between Origen and Apol- to the ears of the Latins.''" For to exhibit
linarius there is a vast ditference of interpre- what is bad may be done at times not for the
tation, of style, and of doctrine. When I set sake of teaching them but of warning men
down discrepant opinions on the same passage, against them so that the reader may be on
:
am I tobe supposed to accept both the con- his guard not to follow the error, but may
tradictory views .'' But more of this hereafter. make light of the evils which he knows,
14. Now I ask you this: Who may have whereas if unknown they might become
blamed you for having either added or objects of wonder to him. Yet after this,
changed or taken away certain things in the you dare to say that I am the author of
books of Origen, and have put you to the writings of this kind, whereas you, as a
question like a man on the horse-rack;' mere translator would be going beyond the
Are those things which you put down in translator's province if you had chosen to
your translation bad or good.'' It is useless correct anything, but, if you did not correct
for you to simulate innocence, and by some anything, you acted as a translator alone.
silly question to parry the force of the true You would be quite right in saying this
if
inquiry. I have never accused you for your translation of the Uepl 'hpxi^v had no
translating Origen for your own satisfaction. Preface ;
just as Hilary, when he translated
1 have done the same, and so have Victori- Origen's homilies took care to do it so that
nus, Hilary, and Ambrose but I have ac- both the good and evil of them should be
;
cused you for fortifying your translation of imputed not to the translator but to their
a heretical work by writing a preface ap- own author. If you had not boasted that
proving of it. You compel me to go over you had cut out the worst and left the best,
the same ground, and to walk in the lines you would, in some way or other, have
I myself have traced. For you say in that escaped from the mire. I3ut it is this that
Prologue that you have cut away what had brings to nought the trick of your invention,
been added by the heretics, and have re- and keeps you bound on all sides, so that you
placed it with what is good. If you have cannot get out. And I must ask you not to
taken out the false statement of the heretics, have too mean an opinion of the intelligence
then what you have left or have added must of your readers nor to think that all who
will read your writings are so dull as not to
>
Equuleus, the little horse, an instrument of torture. laugh at you when they see you let real
wounds mortify while you put on a more at which you may shoot with the bow
plasters "
healthy body. of your oratory ? And yet you are indig-
15. What your opinions are on the res- nant if I find fault with your distasteful way
urrection of the flesh, we have already of speaking, though you take up the lowest
learned from your Apology. "No member expressions of the Comedians, and in writing
will be cut oft", nor any part of the body on church affairs adopt language fit only for
destroyed." This is the clear and open pro- the characters of harlots and their lovers on
fession which you make in your innocence, the stage.
and which you say is accepted by all the 17. Now, as to the question which you
bishops of Italy. I should believe your state- raise, when it was that I began to admit the
ment, but that the matter of that book which authority of the pope Theophilus, and was
is not Pamphilus' makes me doubt about associated with him in
community of belief.
you. And I wonder that Italy should have You make answer to yourself: "Then, I
approved what Rome rejected that the suppose, when you were the supporter of
;
bishops should have accepted what the Paul whom he had condemned and made
Apostolic see condemned. the greatest effort to help him, and insti-
16. You further write that it was
by my gated him to recover through an imperial
letters that you had been informed that the rescript the
bishopric from which he had
pope Theophilus lately put forth an exposi- been removed by the episcopal tribunal."
tion of the faith which has not yet reached you I will not begin by answering for myself,
and you pi'omise to accept whatever he may but first speak of the injury which you have
have written. I am not aware that I ever here done to another. What humanity or
said this, or that I sent any letters of the charity is there in rejoicing over the mis-
sort. But you consent to things of which fortunes of others and in exhibiting their
you are still in uncertainty, and things as to wounds to the world.'* Is that the lesson
which you do not know what and of what you have learned from that Samaritan who
kind they will turn out to be, so that you carried back the man that was half dead to
may avoid speaking of things which you the inn.? Is this what you understand by
know quite well, and may not be bound by pouring oil into his wounds, and paying the
the consent you have given to them. There host his expenses.'' Is it thus that you
are two letters of Theophilus,' a Synodal interpret the sheep brought back to the
and a Paschal letter, against Origen and fold, the piece of money recovered, the
his disciples, and others against Apolli- prodigal son welcomed back ? Suppose
narius and against Origen also, which, that you had a right to speak evil of me,
within the last two years or thereabouts, I because I had injured you, and, to use
have translated and given to the men who your words, had goaded you to madness
speak our language for the edification of the and stimulated you to evil speaking: what
church. I am not aware that I have translated harm had a man who remains in obscurit}-
anything else of his. But, when you say done you, that you should lay bare his scars,
that you assent to the opinion of the pope and when they were skinned over, should
Theophilus in everything, you must take care tear them open by inflicting this uncalled for
not to let your masters and disciples hear you, pain ? Even if he was worthy of your re-
and not to offend these numerous persons proaches, were you justified in doing this?
who call me a robber and you a martyr, and If I am not mistaken, those whom you wish
^
also not to provoke the wrath of the man to strike at through him (and I speak the
who wrote letters to you against the bishop open opinion of many) are the enemies of
EpijDhanius, and exhorted you to stand fast the Origenists you use the troubles of one ;
in the truth of the faith, and not to change of them to show your violence against both.^
your opinion for any terror. This epistle in If the decisions of the pope Theophilus so
its complete form is held by those to whom
greatly please you, and you think it impious
it was After this you say, after that an episcopal decree should be nullified,
brought.
" I will
your manner :
satisfy you even when what do you say about the rest of those
you rage against me, as I have in the matter whom he has condemned? And what do
you spoke of before." But again you say, you say about the pope Anastasius, about
"What do you want? have 3'ou anything whom you assert most truly that no one
thinks him capable as the bishop of so great
^ For the years 401 and 402. See Jerome Letters 96 and 9S. a city, of doing an injury to an innocent or
-
Isidore, the Orig'enist monk who was sent to inquire into
an absent man? I do not say this because I
the quarrel between Jerome and
John of Jerusalem. His letter,
written to John and Rufinus prejudging the case, was brought
by mistake to Jerome's friend Vincentius. See Jerome Against
John of Jerusalem Perhaps both Paul and Jerome.
1
c. 37.
528 JEROME.
set myself up as a judge of episcopal de- well know, even at the time when you pre-
cisions, or wish what they have determined vented their being forwarded to me, and
to be rescinded but I say, Let each of them when you used daily to send letter carriers
;
do what he thinks right at his own risk, it is to him repeating to him with vehemence that
for him alone to consider how his judgment his opponent was my most intimate friend,
will be judged. Our duties in our monas- and telling the same falsehoods which you
tery are those of hospitality we welcome all now shamelessly write, so that you might
;
who come to us with the smile of human stir up his hatred against me and that his
friendliness. We must take care lest it grief at the supposed injury done him might
should again happen that Mary and Joseph issue in oppression against me in matters of
do not find room in the inn, and that Jesus faith. But he, being a prudent man and a
should be shut out and say to us, " I was man of apostolical wisdom, came through
"
a stranger and ye took me not in. The time and experience to understand both our
only persons we do not welcome are heretics, loyalty to him and your plots against us. If,
who are the only persons who are welcomed as you declare, my followers stirred up a
by you : for our profession binds us to wash plot against you at Rome and stole your un-
the feet of those who come to us, not to dis- corrected manuscripts while you were asleep ;
cuss their merits. Bring to your remem- who was it that stirred up the pope Theoph-
brance, my brother, how he whom we speak ilus against the public enemy in Egypt? Who
of had confessed Christ: think of that breast obtained the decrees of the princes against
which was gashed by the scourges recall to:
them, and the consent of the whole of this
mind the imprisonment he had endured, the quarter of the world ? Yet 3'ou boast that
darkness, the exile, the work in the mines, you from your youth were the hearer and
and you will not be surprised that we wel- disciple of Theophilus, although he, before
comed him as a passing guest. Are we to he became a bishop, through his native
be thought rebels by you because we give a modesty, never taught in public, and you,
cup of cold water to the thirsty in the name after he became a Bishop, were never at
of Christ.? Alexandria. Yet you dare, in order to deal
i8. I can tell you of something which a blow at me, to say " I do not accuse, or
may make him dearer to us, though change, my masters." If that were true it
still
more odious to you. A
short time ago, the would in my opinion throw a grave suspi-
faction of the heretics which was scattered cion on your Christian standing. As for
away from Egypt and Alexandria came to myself, you have no right to charge me with
Jerusalem, and wished to make common condemning my former teachers:^ but I stand
cause with him, so that as they suffered to-in awe of those words of Isaiah " Woe unto :
gether, they might have the same heresy them that call evil good and good evil, that
imputed to them. But he repelled their ad- put darkness for light and light for darkness,
vances, he scorned and cast them from him that call bitter sweet and sweet bitter." But
:
he told them that he was not an enemy of theit is

you who drink alike the honeywine of
faith and was not going to take
up arms your masters and their poisons, who have
against the Church that his previous action fallen away from your true master the Apos-
:
had been the result of vexation not of un- tle, who teaches that neither he himself or an
soundness in the faith and that he had angel, if they err in matters of faith, must
;
sought only to prove his own innocence, not not be followed.

to attack that of others. You profess to 19. You allude to Vigilantius. What
consider an imperial rescript upsetting an dream this is tliat you have dreamed about
episcopal decree to be an impiety. That is him I do not know. Where have I said
a matter for the responsibility of the man that he was defiled by communion with
who obtained it. But what is your opinion heretics at Alexandria ? Tell me the book,
of men who, when they have been them- produce the letter : but you will find
selves condemned, haunt the palaces of the no such statement. Yet with
absolutely
great, and in a serried column make an at- wonted carelessness of statement or
your
tack on a single man who represents the rather impudence of lying, which makes
faith of Christ.'' However, as to my own you imagine that every one will believe
communion with the Pope Thcophilus, I what you say, you add " When
you :
will call no other witness than the man quoted a text of Scripture against him in
very
whom you pretend that I injured.^ His so insulting a way that I do not dare to
letters were always addressed to me, as
you repeat it with my own mouth." You
* 1 Is.
Theophilus himself. V, 30.
do not dare to repeat it because

you can then instead of bind me with
trying to
make the charge seem worse by keeping cobwebs, hold me fast bound in a net
silence; and, because your accusation has of strong cords. But if it is as written by
no facts to rest upon, you simulate modesty, the Bishop of Rome, it is an act of folly
so that the reader may imagine that on your part to ask for a copy of the letter
you
are acting from consideration towards me, from one to whom it was not sent, and not
although your lies show that you do not from him who sent it, and to send to the
consider your own soul. What is this text East for evidence the source of which you
of Scripture which is too shameful to pro- have in your own country. You had better
ceed out of that most shameless mouth of go to Rome and expostulate with him as
yours.'* What shameful thing, indeed, can to the reproach which he has directed
you mention in the sacred books ? If
you are against you when you were both absent and
ashamed to speak, at any rate you can write innocent. You might first point out that
it down, and then I shall be convinced of he had refused to accept your exposition
wantonness by my own words. I might of faith, which, as you say, all Italy has
be silent on all other points, and I should
approved, and that he made no use of
stillprove by this single passage how brazen your literary cudgel against the dogs you
is your effrontery. You know how little I spoke of. Next, you might complain that
fear your impeachment. If you produce he had sent to the East a letter aimed at
the evidence with which you threaten me,
you which branded you with the mark of
all the blame which now rests on
you will heresy, and said that by your translation of
rest on me. I gave my reply to you when Origen's books Uepl 'Apxi^f the Roman church
I dealt with Vigilantius for he brought the
; which had received the work in its simpli-
same charges against me which you bring city was in danger of losing the sincerity of
first in the guise of friendly eulogy, after- faith which it had learned from the Apostle ;
wards in that of hostile accusation. I am and that he had raised yet more ill will
aware who it was that stiiTed up his ravings against you by daring to condemn this very
against me I know your plots and vices
; ; book, though it was fortified by the attesta-
I am not ignorant of his simplicity which tion of your Preface. It is no light thing
is proclaimed by every one. that the pontiff of so great a city should have
Through his
folly your hatred against me found an out- fastened this charge upon you or have rashly
let for its fury; and, if I wrote a letter to taken it up when made by another. You
suppress it, so that you should not be should go about the streets vociferating and
thought to be the only one who possesses a
" It is not
crying over and over again, my
literary cudgel, that does not justify you in book, or, if it is, the uncorrected sheets were
inventing shameful expressions which you stolen by Eusebius. I published it difierently,
can find in no part of my writings what- indeed I did not publish it at all I gave it ;
ever. You must accept and confess the fact to nobody, or at all events to few and my ;
that the same document which answered his enemy was so unscrupulous and my friends
madness aroused also your calumnies. so negligent, that all the copies alike were
20. matter of the letter of the
In the falsified by him." This, my dearest brother,
pope Anastasius, you seem to have come on is what
you ought to have done, not to
a slippery place you walk unsteadily, and
; turn your back upon him and to direct the
do not see whereto plant your feet. At one arrows of your abuse across the sea against
moment you say that it must have been writ- me for how can it cure your wounds that
;
ten by me at another that it ought to have

; I should be wounded.'' Does it comfort
been transmitted to you by him to whom it a man who is stricken for death to see his
was sent. Then again you charge the writer friend dying with him.?
with injustice or you protest that it matters
; 21. You produce a letter of Siricius^
nothing to you whether he wrote it or not, who now sleeps in Christ, and the letter of
since you hold his predecessor's testimonial, the living Anastasius you despise. What
and, while Rome was beggmg you to give injury you ask, can it do you that he should
her the honor of your presence, you dis- have written (or perhaps not written at all)
dained her through love of your own little when you knew nothing of it.'' If he did
town. If you have any suspicion that the write, still it Is enough for you that you have
letter was forged by me, the witness of the whole world in your
why do you not
ask for it in the chartulary of the Roman favor, and that no one thinks it possible that
See and then, when you discover that it the bishop of so great a city could have done
was not written by the bishop, hold me 1
Bishop of Rome in succession to Damasus. (A.D. 3S5-
manifestly guilty of the crime? You would 398) and succeeded by Anastasius.
VOL. III. M m
530 JEROME.
an injury an innocent man, or even to one
to Scylla, and heard the old stories of the
who was simplyabsent. You speak of rapid voyage of the versatile Ulysses, of the
yourself as innocent, though your translation songs of the sirens and the insatiable whirl-
made all Rome shudder you say you \vere
;
pool of Charybdis. The inhabitants of
absent, but it is only because you dare not that spot told me many tales, and gave me
reply when you are accused. And you so the advice that I should sail not for the col-
shrink from the judgment of the city of umns of Proteus but for the port where
Rome that you prefer to subject yourself to Jonah landed, because the former of those
an invasion of the barbarians than to the was the course suited for men who were
^
opinion of a peaceful city. Suppose that hurried and flying, but the latter was best
the letter of last year was forged by me for a man who was imprisoned
;
but I pre- ;
who tlien wrote the letters which have ferred to take the course by Malea and the
lately been received in the East.'* Yet in Cyclades to Cyprus. There I was received
these last the pope Anastasius pays you by the venerable bishop Epiphanius, of
such compliments that, whoa you read whose testimony to you you boast. I came
them, you will be more inclined to set to to Antioch, where I enjoyed the communion
work to defend yourself than to accuse me. of Paulinius the pontiff' and confessor and
I should like you to consider how inevitable was set forward by him on my journey to
is the wisdom which you are shunning and Jerusalem, which I entered in the middle
the Attic Salt and the eloquence of your of winter and in severe cold. I saw there
diction in religious writing. You are many wonderful things, and verified by the
attacked by others, you are pierced through judgment of my own eyes things which had
by their condemnation, yet it is against me before come to my ears by report. Thence
that you toss yourself about in your fury, I made my way to Egypt. I saw the mon-
and say: "I could unfold a tale as to the asteries of Nitria, and perceived the snakes ^
manner of your departure from Rome; as which lurked among the choirs of the monks.
to the opinions expressed about you at the Then making haste I at once returned to
time, and written about you afterwards, as Bethlehem, which is now my home, and
to your oath, the place where you embarked, there poured my perfume upon the manger
the pious manner in which you avoided com- and cradle of the Saviour. I saw also the
mitting perjury all

;
tliis I could enlarge upon, lake of ill-omen. Nor did I give myself to
but I have determined to keep back more ease and inertness, but I learned many
than I relate." These are specimens of things which I did not know before. As to
your pleasant speeches. And if after this what judgment was formed of me at Rome,
I say anything sharp in answer to you you or what was written afterwards, you are
threaten me with immediate proscription and quite welcome to speak out, especially since
with the sword. You are a most eloquent you have writings to trust to for I am not ;
person, and have all the tricks of rhetoric to be tried by your words which you at
;
you pretend to be passing over things which your will either veil in enigma or blurt out
you really reveal, so that what you cannot with open falsehood, but by the documents
prove by an open charge, you may make of the church. You may see how little I
into a crime by seeming to put it aside. All am afraid of )'0U. If you can produce
this is your simplicity; this is what you against me a single record of the Bishop of
mean by sparing your friend and reserving Rome or of any other church, I will confess
your statements for the judicial tribunal; myself to be chargeable vîth all the iniq-
you spare me by heaping up a mass of uities which I find assigned to you. It
charge against me. would be easy for me to tell of the circum-
22. If any one wishes to hear the arrange- stances of your departure, your age, the
ments for my journey from Rome, they were date of sailing, the places in which you
these. In the month of August,^ when the lived, the companv you kept. But far be it
etesian winds were blowing, accompanied from me to do what I blame you for doing,
by the reverend presbyter Vincentius and and, in a discussion between churchmen, to
my young brother, and other monks who make up a story worthv of the ravings of
are now living at Jerusalem, I went on quarrelling hags. Let this word be enough
board ship at the port of Rome, choosing for your wisdom to remember. Do not
my own time, and with a very large body of adopt a method with another which can at
the saints attending me, I arrived at Rhe- once be retorted on yourself.
guim. I stood for a while on the shore of 23. As regards our reverend friend
1 The Goths
under Alaric passed throufjh Aquileia to in- 1 He means Origenistic heresies but there
; is no trace in
vade Italy in 401. » A.D.
385. his early works of this detection of heresy.
Epiphanius, dent methods, and can trim your path be-

this is strange shuffling of youi'S,
when you say that it was impossible for himtween difterent possibilities, first saying, if
to liave written against you after his giving you can find any one to believe you, that
you the Iciss and joining with you in prayer. neither Anastasius nor Epiphanius ever
It is as if you were to contend that he would wrote a line against you and, secondly,
;
not be dead if a short time before he had been when their actual letters cry out against you,
alive, or as if it were not equally certain and break down your audacious efirontery,
that he had first reproved you and then, despising the judgment of them both, and
after the kiss of peace, excommunicated you. say it does not matter to you whether they
" ^ "
They went out from us," it is said, but wrote or not, since it was impossible for
they were not of us otherwise they would
;
them to write against an innocent and an
no doubt have continued with us." The absent man.
apostle bids us avoid a heretic after a first Then again, you have no right to speak
and second admonition of course this im- evil of that saintly man, as you do when
:
plies that he was a member of the

flock of you say " that it may be seen that he gave
the church befoi*e he was avoided or con- me peace with his words and his kiss, but
demned. I confess I cannot restrain my kept evil and deceit in his heart"
—
for this
laughter when, at the prompting of some is your reasoning, and it is thus that you
clever person, you strike up a hymn in hon- defend yourself. That this is the letter of
our of Epiphanius. Why, this is the silly Epiphanius and that it is hostile to you, all the
'
anthropomorphite,' this is world knows and that it came in its genuine

'
old man,' the :
the man who boasted in your presence of the form into your haads we can prove and it is
;
six thousand books of Origen that he had therefore an astounding shame or rather utter
read, who thinks himself entrusted with shamelessness in you to deny what you cannot
'
the preaching of the Gospel against Origen doubt to be true. What! Is Epiphanius
'
among all nations in their own tongue to be befouled with the imputation that he
who will not let others read Origen for gave you the sign of peace but had deceit in
'
fear they should discover what he has stolen his heart? Is it not much truer to believe that
from him.' Read what he has written, and he first admonished you because he wished to
the letter, or rather letters, one of which I save you from error and bring you back to
will adduce as a testimonial to your ortho- the right way and that therefore he did not
;
so that it may be seen how worthy he reject your Judas kiss, wishing to break
doxy, ^ "
is of your present praise. May God set down by his forbearance the betrayer of the
you free, my brother, and the holy people of faith,
—
but that afterwards when he found
Christ which is entrusted to you, and all the that all his toil was fruitless, and that the
brethren who are with you, and especially leopard could not change its spots nor the
the Presbyter Rufinus, from the heresy of Ethiopian his skin, he proclaimed in his
Origen, and all other heresies, and from the letter what had before been only
a suspicion
which For if many in his mind?
perclition they bring.
heresies have been condemned by the Church 24. It is somewhat the same argument
on account of one word or of two, which which you use against the pope Anastasius,
are contrary to the faith, how much more namely, that, since you hold the letters of
must that man be counted a heretic who has the bishop Siricius, it was impossible that he
invented so many perverse things, so many should write against you. I am afraid you
false doctrines He stands forth as the en- suspect that some injury has been done you.
!
emy of God and of the church." This is I cannot understand how a man of your
the testimony which this saintly man bears acuteness and capacity can condescend to
to you. This is the garland of praise which such nonsense you suppose that your readers ;
he gives you to parade in. Thus runs the are foolish, but you shew that you are fool-
letter which your golden coins extracted from ish yourself. Then after this extraordinary
the chamber of our brother Eusebius, so argumentation, you subjoin this little sen-
that you might calumniate the translator of tence: "Far be such conduct from these
it, and might fix upon me the guilt of a reverend persons. It is from your school that
most manifest crime —
that of rendering a such actions proceed. You gave us all the
Greek word as dearest' which ought to have signs of peace at our departure, and then threw
'
been honourable
'
But what is all this to missiles charged with venom from behind
!
'
you who can control all events by your pru- our backs." In this clause or rather declama-
tory speech, you intended,
no doubt, to
1
John
I 19. ii, shew your rhetorical skill. It is true we
2 From
Epiphanius' letter to John, Bishop of Jerusalem,
translated by Jerome (Jer. Ep. 51 c. 6). gave you the signs of peace, but not to em-
M m 2
532 JEROME.
brace heresy we joined hands, we accom- correct the Latin Scriptures from the Greek,
;
and may deliver to the Churches to read

panied you as you set forth on your journey,
on the understanding that you were cathohc something different from what they received
not that we were heretical. But I want to from the Apostles; but I am not to be al-
learn what these poisoned missiles are which lowed to go behind the Septuagint version
you complain that I threw from behind your which I after strict correction
translated
back. I sent the presbyters, Vincentius. for the men of native tongue a great
my
Paulinianus, Eusebius, Rufinus. Of these, many years ago, and, for the confutation of
Vincentius went to Rome long before you ;
the Jews, to translate the actual copies of
Paulinianus and Eusebius set out a year the Scriptures which they confess to be the
after vou Rufinus two years
had sailed ; truest, so that when a dispute arises between
after, for thecause of Claudius all of them;
them and the Christians, they may have no
either for private reasons, or because an- place of retreat and subterfuge, but may be
other was in peril of his life. Was it pos- smitten most effectually with their own
sible for me to know that when you entered spear. I have written pretty fully on this
Rome, a nobleman had dreamed that a ship point if I rightly remember, in many other
full of merchandise was entering with full places, especially in the end of my second
blown sails? or that all questions about fate book and I have checked your popularity-
;
were being solved by a solution which should hunting, with which you seek to arouse ill
not itself be fatuous ? or that you were trans- will against me among the innocent and the
lating the book of Eusebius as if it were inexperienced, by a clear statement of fact.
Pamphilus'? or that you were putting your To that I think it enough to refer the reader.
own cover upon Origcn's poisoned dish by 26. I think it a point which should not
lending your majestic eloquence to tiiis trans- be passed over, that you have no right to
lation of his notorious work rirpt 'Api'Ji^ ? This complain that the falsifier of your papers
is a new way of calumniating a man. We holds in my esteem the glorious position of
sent out the accusers before you had com- a confessor, since you who are guilty of
mitted the crime. It was not, I repeat, it this very crime are called a martyr and an
was not by our plan, but by the providence apostle by all the pai-tisans of Origen, for
of God, that these men, who were sent out that exile and imprisonment of yours at
for another reason, came to fight against the Alexandria. On your alleged inexperience in
rising heresy. They were sent, like Joseph, Latin composition I have answered you above.
to relieve the coming famine by the fervour But, since you repeat the same things, and,
of their faith. as if forgetful of your former defence, again
35. To what point will not audacity remind me that I ought to know that you
burst forth when once it is freed from re- have been occupied for thirty years in de-
straints? He has imputed to himself the vouring Greek books, and therefore do not
charge made against another so that we may know Latin, I would have you observe that
be thought to have invented it. I made a it is not a few words of yours with which I
charge against some one unnamed, and he find fault, though indeed all your writing is
takes it as spoken against himself he purges worthy of being destroyed.
;
What I wished
himself from another man's sins, being only to do was to shew your followers, whom
sure of his own innocence. For he takes you have taken so much pains in teaching to
his oath that he did not write the letter that know nothing, to understand what amount
passed under my name to the African bishops, of modesty there is in a man who teaches
in which I am made to confess that I had what he does not know, who writes what he
been induced by Jewish iniluence to make is ignorant of, so that they may expect to
false translations of the Scriptures and he find the same wisdom in his opinions. As
;
sends me writings which contain all these to what you add " That it is not faults of
things which he declares to be unknown to words which are offensive, but sins, such as
him. It is remarkable to know how his lying, calumny, disparagement, false witness,
subtlety has coincided with another man's and all evil speaking, and that the
mouth
malice, so that the lies which this other told which speaketh lies kills the soul," and your
in Africa, he in accord with him declared deprecation, "Let not that ill-savour reach
"
to be true and also how that elegant style my nostrils
;
I would believe what you say,
;
of his could be imitated by some chance and were it not that I discover facts inconsist-
unskilled person. You alone have the ent with this. It is as if a fuller or a tanner
privilege of translating the venom of the in speaking to a dealer in pigments should
heretics, and of making all nations drink a warn him that he had better hold his nose
draught from the cup of Babylon. You may as he passed their shops. I will do what
you recommend I will stop my nose, so

;
on which you advisedly dissemble your
that it not be put to the torture by the
may knowledge and therefore begin questioning
;
delightful odour of your truth-speaking and me about angels and archangels as to the ;
your benedictions. mode of their existence, the place and nature

37. In reference to your alternate praise of their abodes, the differences, if there be
and disparagement of me, you argue with any, existing between them and then as to ;
great acuteness that you have the same right the course of the sun, the waxing and
to speak good and evil of me that I have to waning of the moon, the character and
find fault with Origen and Didymus whom movements of the stars. I wonder that you
'
I once praised. I must instruct you, then, did not set down the whole of the lines :
wisest of men and chief of Roman dialecti- Whence come the earthquakes, -whence the high-
cians, that there is no fault of logic in prais- swoll'n seas
ing a man in certain respects while you Breaking their bounds, then sinking back to rest;
blame him in others, but only in approving The Sun's ecHpse, the labours of the moon;
The race of men and beasts, the storm, the fire,
and disappi-oving one and the same thing. Arcturus' rainy Hjads, and the Bears :
I will take an example, so that, though you

Why haste the winter's suns to bathe themselves
may not understand, the wise reader may Beneath the wave, what stays its lingering nigfits.
join me in understanding the point. In the
case of Tertullian we Then, leaving things in heaven, and con-
praise his great talent,
but we condemn his heresy. In that of descending to those on earth, you philos-
ophize on minor points. You say: "Tell
Origen we admire his knowledge of the us what are the causes of the fountains, and
Scriptures, but nevertheless we do not ac- of the wind what makes the hail and the
cept his false doctrine. As to Didymus, ;
showers why the sea is salt, the rivers

however, we extol both his powers of mem-
;
sweet what account is to be given of clouds

ory, and the purity of his faith in the Trinity,
;
and storms, thunderbolts, and thunder and

while on the other point in which he erred
in trusting to Origen we withdraw from lightning." You mean that if I do not know
all this, you are entitled to say you know
him. The vices of our teachers are not to
nothing about the origin of souls. You
be imitated, their virtues are. There was
wish to balance your ignorance on a single
a man at Rome who had an African, a very
point by mine on many. But do not you,
learned man, as his grammar teacher; and
he thought that he was rising to an equality
who in page after page stir up what you
call my smoke, understand that I can see
with his teacher because he copied his stri-
dent voice and his faulty pronunciation. your mists and whirlwinds.'' You wish to
be thought a man of extensive knowledge,
You in your Preface to the Uepl'Apx<^v speak *
and among the disciples of Calpurnius to
of me as your brother and call me your
most eloquent colleague, and proclaim my enjoy a great reputation for wisdom, and
therefore you raise up the whole physical
soundness in the faith. From these three
world in front of me, as if Socrates had said
points you cannot draw back carp at me in vain when he
;
on all other points as you please, so long as passed over to the study of
Ethics: "What is above us is nothing to
you do not openly contradict this testimony us." So then, if I cannot tell
which you bear to me for in calling me you why the
ant, which is such a little creature, whose
;
friend and colleague, you confess me worthy is a mere point, has six feet, whereas
of your friendship; when you proclaim me body
an elephant with its vast bulk has only four
an eloquent man, you cannot go on accusing
and snakes glide
me of ignorance and when you confess to walk on; why serpents
;
and
on their chests bellies why the
that I am in all points a catholic, you cannot along
;
fix on me the of
worm which is commonly called the millipede
guilt heresy. Beyond these has such a
three points you may charge me with any- swarming array of feet I am ;
like without prohibited from knowing anything about the

thing you openly contradicting of souls You ask me what I know
From all this calculation the net origin !
yourself. about souls, so that, when I make any state-

result is that you are wrong in blaming in
ment about them, you may at once attack it.
me what you formerly praised but that I
am not in fault when, in the case of the
And if I say that the church's doctrine is that
;
same men, I praise what is laudable and

God forms souls every day, and sends them
into the bodies of those who are born, you
blame what is censurable.
out the snares your master
28. You pass on to the origin of souls, will at once bring Where is God's
invented, and ask. justice if
and at great length exclaim against the
smoke which you say I raise. You want to 1
Virg-il Georg. ii, 473, ^n. i, 746.
2 A Latin rhetorician of the time of Hadrian and Antoninus
be allowed to express ignorance on a point Pius. Some of his exercises are still extiint.
534 JEROME.
he grants souls to those who are born of the cause of the sky and the stars, when
adultery or incest? Is he not an accessoiy to you brought to land a ship full of such
men's sins, if he creates souls for the adul- wares as these. I acknowledge my poverty;
terers who make the bodies? as if, when I have not grown rich to this extent in the
you hear that seed corn had been stolen, East like you. You learned in your long so-
you arc to suppose the fault to lie in the journ under the shadow of the Pharos what
nature of the corn, and not in the man who Rome never knew Egypt instructed you in :
stole the wheat and that therefore the earth lore which Italy did not possess till now.
;
had no business to nourish the seed in its 30. Your Apology says that there are three
bosom, because the hands of the sower who opinions as to the origin of souls one held :
cast them in were unclean. Hence comes by Origen, a second by Tertullian and Lac-
also your mysterious question. Why do in- tantius (as to Lactantius what you say is
fants die? since it is because of their sins, manifestly false), a third by us simple and
as you hold, that they received bodies. foolish men, who do not see that, if our opin-
There exists a treatise of Didymus addressed ion is true, God is thereby shewn to be unjust.
to you, in which he meets this inquiry of After this you say that you do not know what
yours, with the answer, that they had not is the truth. I say, then, tell me, whether
sinned much, and therefore it was enough you think that outside of these three opinions
punishment for them just to have touched any truth can be found so that all these three
their bodily prisons. He, who was your may be false or whether you think one of ;
master and mine also, when you asked this these three is true. If there is some other
question, wrote at my request three books of possibility, why do you confine the liberty
comments on the prophet Hosea, and dedi- of discussion within a close-drawn line? and
cated them to me. This shows what parts why do you put forward the views which are
of his teaching we respectively accepted. false and keep silence about the true ? But
29. You press me to give my opinions if one of the three is true and the two others
about the natiu'e of things. If there were false, why do you include false and true in
room, I could repeat to you the views of Lu- one assertion of ignorance? Perhaps you
cretius who follows Epicurus, or those of pretend not to know which is true in order
Aristotle as taught by the Peripatetics, or of that it
may be safe for you, whenever you
Plato and Zeno by the Academics and the may please, to defend the false. This is the
Stoics. Passing to the church, where we smoke, these are the mists, with which you
have the rule of truth, the books of Genesis try to keep away the light from men's eyes.
and the Prophets and Ecclesiastes, give us You are the Aristippus ^ of our day you :
much information on questions of this kind. bring your ship into the port of Rome full
But if we profess ignorance about all these of merchandize of all kinds you set your ;
things, as also about the origin of souls, professorial chair on high, and represent to
you ought in your Apology to acknowledge us Hermagoras" and Gorgias^ of Leontinum :
your ignorance of all alike, and to ask your only, yoti were in such a htu'ry to set sail that
calumniators why they had the impudence you left one little piece of goods, one little
to force you to reply on this single point question, forgotten in the East. And yoti
when they themselves know nothing of all cry out with reiteration that you learned both
those great matters. But Oh how vast was
! at Aquileia and at Alexandria that God is
the wealth contained in that trireme^ which the creator of both our bodies and our souls.
had come full of all the wares of Egypt and the This then, forsooth, is the pressing question,
East to enrich the poverty of the city of Rome. whether our souls were created by God or
by the devil, and not whether the opinion of
*
"Thou art that hero, well-nam'd Maximus,
Origen is true that our souls existed before
Thou who alone by writing sav'st the state."
oin- bodies and committed some sm because
Unless you had come from the East, that of which they have been tied to these gross
bodies; or whether, again, the}' slept like
very learned man would be still sticking fast
the and all Christians dormice in a state of torpor and of slumber.
among mathematici,^
would still be ignorant of what might be Every one is asking this question, but you
said against fatalism. You have a right to say nothing about it nobody asks the other, ;
ply me with about

questions and but to that you direct your answer.
astrology
my smoke' which
'
31. Another part of

In Macarius' ilream, see Ruf. Apol. i, 11.
'
-A parody uonn the verse nf V'irjjil and Knnius on Fabius 1 of Cyrene. A

disciple of Socrates, founder of the Cyrenaic
Maximus called Cunctator because liy his tactics of delay he sect, the precursors of the Epicureans.
saved Rome from the Carthaijinians. " Thou art Maximus 2 Rhetorician of Rhodes.
(greatest) who savedst the state by delaying (cunctattdo) ," Statesman and Sophist, Came to Athens on a mission B.C.
'
•Astrologers or magicians. 327, and settled there.

you frequently laugh at is my pretence, as praised. You cannot say. It matters nothing
you say, to know what I do not know, and to me what another man dreamed, for in
the parade I make of great teachers to de- those most enlightening books of yours you
ceive the common and ignorant people. tell us that this was the motive which led you
You, of course, are a man not of smoke but to make the translation you could not bear ;
of flame, or rather of lightning; you ful- that an eminent man should have dreamed
minate when you speak you cannot con-;
in vain. This is all your endeavour. If you
tain the flames which have been conceived can make me out guilty of perjury, you think
within your mouth, and like Barchochebas,^ you will be deemed no heretic.
the leader of the revolt of the Jews, who 33. I now come to the most serious charge
used to hold in his mouth a lighted straw of all, that in which you accuse me of having
and blow it out so as to appear to be breath- been unfaithful after the restoration of our
ing forth flame so you also, like a second
:
friendship. confess that, of all the re-
I
Salmoneus,^ brighten the whole path on proaches which you bring against me or
which you tread, and reproach us as mere threaten me with, there is none which I
men of smoke, to whom perhaps the words would so much deprecate as that of fraud,
^" Thou touchest the hills deceit and breach of faith. To sin is human,
might be applied,
and they smoke." You do not understand to lay snares is diabolical. What Was it !
"
the allusion of the Prophet when he speaks for this that I joined hands with you over
of the smoke of the locusts it is no doubt
;
the slain lamb in the Church of the Resurrec-
the beauty of your eyes which makes it im- '
tion, that I might steal your manuscripts at
possible for you to bear the pungency of our Rome ? or that I might send out my dogs
' '
smoke. to gnaw away your papers before they were

32. As to your charge of perjury, since corrected Can any one believe that we
'
.'*
you refer me to your book and since ^ I have

;
made ready the accusers before you had
made my reply to you and Calpurnius in the committed the crime.'' Is it supposed that
previous books, it will be sufficient here to we knew what plans you were meditating in
observe that you exact from me in my sleep your heart.'' or what another man had been
what you have never yourself fulfilled in your dreaming.'' or how the Greek proverb was
waking hours. It seems that I am guilty of having its fulfilment in your case, "the pig
a great crime because I have told girls and teaches Minerva".'' If I sent Eusebius to
virgins of Christ, that they had better not bai'k against you, who then stirred up the
read secular works, and that I once promised passion of Aterbius and others against you.^
when warned in a dream not to read them. Is it not the fact that he thought that I also
But your ship which was announced by rev- was a heretic because of my friendship with
elation to the city of Rome, promises one you .''
And, when
had given him satisfac-
I
thing and effects another. It came to do tion as to the heresies of Origen, you shut
away with the puzzle of the mathematici :
yourself up at home, and never dared to
what it does is to do away with the faith of meet him, for fear you should have to con-
Christians. It had made its run with sails demn what you wished not to condemn, or
full set over the Ionian and ^gean, the Adri- by openly resisting him should subject your-
atic and Tyrrhenian seas, only to make ship- self to the reproach of heresy. Do you
wreck in the Roman port. Are you not think that he cannot be called as a witness
ashamed of hunting up nonsense of this kind against you because he is your accuser.''
and putting me to the trouble of bringing up Before ever the reverend bishop Epiphanius
similar things against you? Suppose that came to Jerusalem, and gave you the signs
some one had seen a dream about you such as of peace by word and kiss, yet having evil '
'
might make you vainglorious it would have ; thoughts and guile in his heart before I ;
been modest as well as wise in you not to translated for him that letter^ which was
seem to know of it, instead of boasting of such a reproof to you, and in which he wrote
other people's dreams as a serious testimony you down a heretic though he had before
to yourself. What a difference there is be- approved you as orthodox Aterbius was ;
tween your dream and mine !Mine tells barking against you at Jerusalem, and, if he
how I was humbled and repressed yours had not speedily taken himself oft", would
;
boasts over and over again how you were have felt not your literary cudgel but the
stick you flourish in your right hand to drive
1 Son of a
Star; the leader of the Jewish revolt against Ha-
drian, A.D. 132-g.
the dogs away.'*
King: of Elis whom Jove destroyed for imitating thunder "But why," you ask, "did you
2
and liglitning- by his chariot and brazen bridge and torches. 34.
3 Ps.
civ, 52.
*
Supposed to refer to Rev. ix, 7, 17. ' 1
fi
Possibly a nick-name for one of Rufinus' friends or to you
:
Jerome Letter li., Epiphanius to John of Jerusalem.
even when you pose as Calpurnius.' See above c. 28, note. * See Ruf. Apol. to Anastasius, i.
536 JEROME.
accept my manuscripts which had been falsi- self;for they charged me with hypocrisy,^
fied? and why, when I had translated the as I could shew by producing their letters,
rifpt 'Apxiji' did you dare to put your pen to because I kept silence when I knew you to
the same work? If I had erred, as
any man be a heretic and because by incautiously
;
may, ought you not to summon me to reply maintaining peace with you, I fostered the
by a private letter, and to speak smoothly to intestine wars of the Church. You call them
me, as I am speaking smoothl}' in my present my disciples; they suspect me of being your
letter?" My whole fault is this that, when fellow-discij^le ; and, because I was some-
accusations were brought against me in the what sparing in rejection of your praises,
my
guise of disingenuous praise, I tried to purge they think me to be initiated, along with you,
myself from them, and this without invidi- into the mysteries of heresy. This was the
ously introducing your name. I wished to service your Prologue did me you injured ;
refer to many persons a charge which you me more by appearing as my friend than you
alone had brought, not so as to retort the would had you shewn yourself my enemy.
charge of heresy upon you, but to repel it
They had persuaded themselves once for all
from myself. Could I know that you would (whether rightly or wrongly is their business)
be angry if I wrote against the heretics ? You that you were a heretic. If I should deter-
had said that you had taken away the hereti- mine to defend you, I should only succeed in
cal passages from the works of Origen. I
getting myself accused by them along with
therefore turned my attacks not upon you but you. They cast in my teeth your laudation
upon the heretics, for I did not believe that of me, which they suppose to have been
you were a favourer of heresy. Pardon me, written not in craft but sincerity and they ;
if I did this with too

great vehemence. I
vehemently reproach me with the very things
thought that I should give you pleasure. which you always praised in me. What am
You say that it was by the dishonest tricks I to do? To turn my disciples into my
of those who acted for me that your manu- accusers for your sake ? To receive on my
scripts were brought out before the public, own head the weapons which were hurled
when they were kept secretly in your cham- against my friend? _
ber, or were in possession only of the man 36. In the matter of the books Uepl 'Apxuv,
who had desired to have the translation I have even a claim upon your gratitude.
made for him. But how is this reconcilable You say that you cut off anything that was
with your former statement that either no offensive and replaced it by what was better.
one or very few had them ? If they were I have represented things just as they stood
kept secret in your chamber, how could they in the Greek. By this means both things
be in the possession of the man who had are made to appear, your faith and the heresy
desired to have the translation made for of him whom you translated. The leading
him ? If the one man for whom the manu- Christians of Rome wrote to me Answer :
scripts had been written had obtained them your accuser; if you keep silence, you will
in order to conceal them, then All
they were not be held to have assented to his charges.
kept secret in your chamber, and they were of them unanimously demanded that I should
not in the hands of those few who, as you
bring to light the subtle errors of Origen, and
now declare, possessed them. You accuse us make known the poison of the heretics to the
of having stolen them away; and then again ears of the Romans to put them on their
you reproach us with having bought them guard. How can this be an injury to you ?
for a great sum of

money and an immense Have you a monopoly of the translation of
bribe. In a single matter, and in one little these books ? Are there no others who take
letter, what a tissue of various and discordant part in this work? When you
translated
falsehoods !You have full liberty for accu- parts of the Septuagint, did you mean
to pro-
sation, but I have none for defence. When hibit all others from translating it after your
you bring a charge, you think nothing about version had been published? Why, I also
friendship. When I begin to reply, then have translated many books from the Greek.
your mind is full of the rights of friendship. You have full power to make a second trans-
Let me ask you Did you write these manu-
:
lation of them at your pleasure for both the ;
scripts for concealment or for publication? good and the bad in them must be laid to the
why were they written? charge of their author. And this would hold
If for concealment,
If for publication,
why did vou conceal them ? in your case also, had you not said that you
35. But fault, you will say, was this,
my liad cut out the heretical parts and translated
that I did not restrain
your accusers who only what was positively good.
This is a
were my
friends. Why, I had enough to »See the end of the letter of Pamraachius and Oceanus;
do to answer their accusations my- Jerome Letter Ixxxiit.
against
difficulty which you have made foi" yourself, and courteous but which you never received.
;
3nd which cannot be solved, except by con- The truth can easily be ascertained. Many
fessing that you have erred as all men err, persons at Rome have had copies of this
and condemning your former opinion. letter for the last three years ;
but they re-
37- But what defence can you make in fused to send it that you
to you knowing
reference to the Apology which you have were throwing out insinuations against my
written for the works of Origen, or rather reputation, and making up stories of the
in reference to the book of Eusebius, though most shameful kind and unworthy of our
you have altered much, and translated the Christian profession. I wrote in ignorance
work of a heretic under the title of a martyr, of all this, as to a friend but they would ;
yet you have set down still more which is not transmit the letter to an enemy, such as
incompatible with the faith of the church. they knew you to be, thus sparing me the
You as well as I turn Latin books into effects of my mistakes and you the reproaches
Greek can you prohibit me from giving the
;
of your conscience. You next bring argu-
works of a foreigner to my own people? If I ments to shew that, if I had written such a
had made my answer in the case of some other letter, I had no right to write another con-
work of yours in which you had not attaining many reproachesagainst you. But
tacked me, it might have been thought that, here is which pervades all that you
the error
in translating what you had already trans- say, and of which I liave a right to complain ;
lated, I was acting m hostility to you, and whatever I say against the heretics you im-
wishing to prove you inaccurate or tmtrust- agine to be said against you. What ! Am
worthy. But this is a new kind of com- I refusing you bread because I give the here-
plaint, when you take it amiss that an an- tics a stone to crush their brains.'' But, in
swer is made you on a point on which you order to justify your disbelief in my letter,
have accused me. All Rome was said to you are obliged to make out that that of
have been upset by your translation everj- ; pope Anastasius rests upon a similar fraud.
one was demanding of me a remedy for On
this point I have answered you before.
this ;
not that I was of any account, but that you really suspect that it is not his writ-
If
those who asked this thought me so. You ing, you have the means of convicting me
say that you who had made the translation of the forgery. But if it is his writing, as
were my friend. But what would you have his letters of the present year also written
had me do Ought we to obey God or man ? against you prove, you will in vain use your
.''
To guard our master's property or to con- false reasonings to prove my letter false,
ceal the theft of a fellow-servant.'' Can I not since I can shew from his genuine letter that
be at peace with you unless I join with you in mine also is genuine.
committing acts which bring reproach.'* If 39. In order to parry the charge of false-
is your humour to become quite
you had not mentioned my name, if you had hood, it
not tricked me out in your flatteries, I might exacting. You are not to be called to pro-
have had some way of escape, and have duce the six thousand books of Origen, of
made many excuses for not translating what which you speak ;
but you expect me to be
had already been translated. But you, my acquainted with the records of Pythagoras.
all
friend, have compelled me to waste a good What truth is there in all the boastful lan-
many days on this work, and to bring out guage, which you blurted out from your
before the public eye what should have been inflated cheeks, declaring that you had cor-
engulfed in Charybdis ; yet still, though I rected the U.£fjl 'Apx(^^' by introducing words
had been injured, I observed the laws of vvh'ch you had read in other books of Origen,
friendship, and as far as possible defended and thus had not put in other men's words
myself without accusing you. It is a too but restored his own.-* Out of all this forest
suspicious and complaining temper which of his works you cannot produce a single
you shew when you take home to yourself bush or sucker. You accuse me of raising
as a reproach what was spoken against the up smoke and mist. Here you have smoke
heretics. If it is impossible to be your and mist indeed. You know that I have
friend unless I am away with them but,
the friend of heretics, I dissipated and done ;
shall more with neck is broken, you do not bow

easily put up your enmity though your
than with their friendship. it down, but, with an impudence which
38. You imagine that I have contrived exceeds even your ignorance, you say that
yet another piece of falsehood, namely, that I am denying what
is quite evident, so as to
I have composed a letter to you in my own excuse yourself, after promising mountains
name, pretending that it was written long of gold, for not producing even a leatherlike
ago, in which I make myself appear kindly farthing from your treasury.
I acknowledge
538 JEROME.
that your animosity against me rests on good words." " We must not touch the crown,"
grounds, and that your rage and passion is that is "We must maintain the laws of the
genuine; for, unless I made persistent de- state." "Do not eat out your heart," that
mands for what does not exist, you would " Cast
is, away sorrow from your mind."
be tliought to have what you have not. You "When you have started, do not return,"
ask me for the books of Pythagoras. But that is, "After death do not regret this life."
who has informed you that any books of his " Do not walk on the
public road," that is,
are extant? It is true that in my letter which
" Do not follow the errors of the multitude."
" Never admit a swallow into the
you criticize these words occur: "Suppose family,"
that I erred in youth, and that, having been that " Do not admit chatterers and talka-
is,
trained in profane literature, I at the begin- persons vmder the same roof with you."
tive
ning of my Christian course had no sufficient "Put fresh burdens on the burdened; put
"
doctrinal knowledge, and that I attributed to none on those who lay them down that is, ;
the Apostles things which I had read in " When men are on the road to
virtue, ply
"
Pythagoras or Plato or Empedocles; but I them with fresh precej^ts when they aban- ;
was speaking not of their books but of their don themselves to idleness, leave them
tenets, with which I was able to acquaint alone." I said I had read the doctrines of the
myself through Cicero, Brutus, and .Seneca. Pythagoreans. Let me tell you that Pythag-
oras was the first to discover the immortality
'
Read the short oration for Vatinius, and
others in which mention is made of secret so- of the soul and its transmigration from one
cieties. Turn over Cicero's dialogues. Search body to another. To this view Virgil gives
through the coast of Italy which used to be his adherence in the sixth book of the yEneid
^
called Magna Grascia, and you will find there in these words :
various doctrines of Pythagoras inscribed These, when the wheel full thousand years has
on brass on their public monuments. Whose turned,
are those Golden Rules? They are Pythag- God calls, a long sad line, in Lethe's stream
oras's ; and in these all his principles are To drown the past, and long once more to see
lamblicus
^ The skies above, and to the flesh return.
contained in a summary form.
wrote a commentary upon them, following 40. Pythagoras taught, accordingly, that he
in this, at least partly, Moderatus a man of had himself been originally Euphorbus, and
great eloquence, and Archippus and Lysides then Callides, thirdly Hermotimus, fourthly
who were disciples of Pythagoras. Of these, Pyrrhus, and lastly Pythagoras and that those ;
Archippus and Lysides held schools in things which had existed, after certain revolu-
Greece, that is, in Thebes they retained so tions of time, came into being again so that
; ;
fully the precepts of their teacher, that they nothing

in the world should be thought of as
made use of their memory instead of books. new. He said that true philosophy was a medi-
One of these precepts is: "We must cast tation on death that its daily struggle was to ;
away by any contrivance, and cut out by fire draw forth the soul from the prison of the body
and sword and contrivances of all kinds, dis- into liberty that our learning was recollec-
:
ease from the body, isrnorance from the soul, tion, and many other things which Plato
luxury from the belly, sedition from the state, works out in his dialogues, especially in the
discord from the family, excess from all Phaido and Timieus. For Plato, after having
^
things alike." There are other precepts of formed the Academy and gained innumera-
Pythagoras, such as these. " Friends have all ble disciples, felt that his philosophy was
things in common." "A friend is a second deficient on many points, and therefore went
self." "Two moments are specially to be to Magna Gnecia, and there learned the
observed, morning and evening: that is, doctrines of Pythagoras from Archytas of
things which we are going to do, and things Tarentum and Timaitis of Locris and this :
wliich we have done." " Next to God we

system he embodied in the elegant form and
must worship truth, for this alone makes style which he had learned from Socrates.
men akin to God." Tliere are also enigmas The whole of this, as we can prove, Origen
which Aristotle has collated with much dili- carried over into his book Tlepl'Kpxuv, only
" Never
gence in his works: go lieyond the changing the name. What mistake, then, was I
" Do not transgress the rule making, when I said that in my youth I had
Stater," that is,
of justice; " " Never stir the fire with the imputed to the Apostles ideas which I had
" Do not
sword," that is, provoke a man found in Pythagoras, Plato and Empedocles?
when he is angry and excited with hard I did not speak, as yoti calumniously pretend,
of what I had read in the books of Pythag-
'
In the oration affaiiiat Vatinius mention is made of his
boastini^ himself to be :i
Pythajjoiian. oras, Plato and Empedocles, but of what I
' Nco-Phitonist of Alexandria, 4th century.
•This is given by Jerome both in Greek and Latin.
iVirg, .(En. 748-51.
had read as having existed in their writings, of all connexion with you. This is the way
that is, what other men's writings shewed me you trumpet forth my praises, this is the way
to have existed in them. This mode of speak- you exhort me to peace. You do not grant
ing is quite common. I might say, for me liberty for a groan or a tear in my grief.
instance " The opinions which I read in 43. It would be possible for me also to
Socrates I beheved to be true," meaning what paint you in your own colours, and to meet
I read as his opinions in Ph;to and others of your insanity with a similar rage to say;
the Socratic school, though Socrates him- what I know and add what I do not know ;
self wrote no books. So I might say, I and with a license like yours, or rather fury
wished to imitate the deeds which I had read and madness, to keep up things false and
of in Alexander and Scipio,^ not meaning true alike, till I was ashamed to speak and
that they described their own deeds, but you to hear and to upbraid you in such a
:
that I had read in other men's works of the way as would condemn either the accused
deeds which I admired as done by them. or the accuser; to force myself on the reader
Therefore, though I may not be able to inform by mere eftrontery, make him believe that
you of any records of Pythagoras himself as what I wrote unscrupulously I wrote truly.
being extant, and proved by the attestation But far be it from the practice of Christians
of his son or daughter or others of his while oftering up their lives to seek the life
disciples, yet you cannot hold me guilty of of others, and to
become homicides not with
falsehood, because I said not that I had read the swôrd but the will. This may agree with
his books, but his doctrines. You are quite your gentleness and innocence for you can ;
mistaken if you thought to make this a screen draw forth from the dung heap within your
for your falsehood, and to maintain that breast alike the odour of roses and the stench
because I cannot produce any book written of corpses and, contrary to the precept of
;
by Pythagoras, you have a right to assei't that the Prophet, call that bitter which
once you
six thousand books of Orlgen have been lost. had praised as sweet. But it is not neces-
41. I come now to your Epilogue, (that sary for us, in treating
of Christian topics,
is to the revilings which you pour upon me,) to throw out accusations which ought to be
in which you exhort me to repentance, and brought before the law courts. You shall hear
threaten me wîth destruction unless I am nothing more from me than the vulgar saying :
converted, that is, unless I keep silence under "When you have said what you like, you
your accusations. And this scandal, you say, shall hear what you do not like." Or if the
will recoil upon my ov^n head, because it is coarse proverb seems to you too vulgar, and,
I who by replying have provoked you to the being a man of culture, you prefer the words
madness of writing when yovi are a man of of philosophers or poets, take from me the
extreme gentleness and of a meekness worthy words of Horner.^
of Moses. You declare that you are aware of "What words thou
speakest, thou the like shalt
crimes which I confessed to you alone when hear."
you were my most Intimate friend, and that One I should like to learn from
you will bring these befoi-e the public that one of thing
;
such eminent sanctity and fastid-

I shall be in
painted own colours and
my ;
remember am iousness, (whose holiness is such that in

that I ought to that I lying at
5'our feet, otherwise you might
cut oft' my the presence of your very handkerchiefs and
head with the sword of your mouth. And, aprons the devils cry out)
whom do you ;
take for your model in your writings? Has

after many such things, in which you toss
about like a draw any one of the catholic writers, in a contro-
yourself \^madman, you
of opinions, imputed moral oftences to
yourself up and say that you wish for peace, versy
but still with the intimation that I am to the man with whom he is arguing ? Have your
for the that is that I am masters taught you to do this? Is this the
keep quiet future,
in which you have been trained, that,
not to write against the heretics, nor to system
answer a man, you should
answer any accusation made by you if I do when you cannot
oft' his head? that when you cannot
;
take
this, I shall be your good brother and col-
silence a man's tongue, you should cut it
league, and a most eloquent person, and your
friend and companion and,
;
what is still
out ? You have nothing much to boast of, for
more, you will pronounce all the translations you
are doing only what the scorpions^ and
cantharides do. This is what Fulvia did
I have made from Origen to be orthodox.
to Cicero and Herodias to John. They
But, if I utter a word or move a step, I shall at
once be unsound and a and unworthvcould not bear to hear the truth, and there-
heretic,
1
Gestaquain Alexandra et Scipione Ugeram. The Latin iTiiad.xx.2s0.
construction will bear Jerome's meaning, but cannot be exactly
2
Antony's wife who had Cicero's head brought to her, and
or elegantly rendered in English. bored through the tongue with a golden bodkin.
540 JEROME.
fore they pierced the tongue that spoke doxy. If that is the cause of discord be-
truth with the pin that parted their hair. tween us, I can submit to death, but not to
Tlie duty of dogs is to barlv hi then* masters' silence. It would have been right to
go
service why may I not bark in the service of through the whole of the Scriptures for
;
Clirist? Many have written against Marcion answers to your ravings, and, like David
or Valentinus, Arius or Eunomius. By playing on his harp, to take the divine words
which of them was any accusation brought to calm your raging breast. But I will con-
of immoral conduct? Did they not in each tent myself with a few statements from a
case bring their wliole eflort to bear upon single book I will oppose Wisdom to
;
folly ;
the refutation of the heresy ? It is the mach- for I hope if you despise the words of men
ination of the heretics, that is of your mas- you will not think word of
lightly of the
ters, when convicted of betrayal of the faith, God. Listen, then, to that which Solomon
to betake themselves to evil speaking. So the wise says about you and all who are
Eustathius ' the Bishop of Antioch was made addicted to evil speaking and contumely :
into a unawares.
father So Athanasius " Foolish
men, while they desire injuries, be-
Bishop of Alexandria cut off a third hand come impious and hate wisdom.' Devise not evil
^
of Arsenius for, when he appeared
;
alive
against thy friend. Be not angry with a man
after having been supposed to be dead, he without a cause.The impious exalt contumely.
was found to have two. Such things also ^Remove from
thee the evil mouth, keep far from
now are falsely charged against the Bishop thee the wicked lips, the eyes of him that speaketh
evil, the of the unjust, the hands which
of the same church, and the true faith is shed the tongue blood of the just,^ the heart that de-
assailed by gold, which constitutes the vi.seth evil thoughts, and the feet which hasten to
power of yourself and your friends. But I do evil. He that resteth upon falsehood feedeth
need not speak of controversy with heretics, the winds, and followeth the flying birds. For he
hath left the ways of his own vineyard, and hath
who, though they are really without, yet call made the wheels of his tillage to err. He walketh
themselves Christians. How many of our through the dry and desert places, and with his
writers have contended with those most im- hands he gathereth barrenness,'' The mouth of the
to destruction, and ^he who uttereth
pious men, Celsus and Porphyry! but which frovvard is near
of them has left the cause he was engfasêd in evil words is the chief of fools. Every simple man
is a soul that is blessed; but a violent man is dis-
to busy himself with the
imputation of crime honourable. ^ By the fault of his lips the sinner
to his
adversary, such as ought to be set down falleth into a snare. ''All the ways of a fool are
not in church-writings but in the calendar right in his own eyes. ^The fool showeth his anger
^
of the judge.? For what advantage have you on that very day. Lying lips are an abomination
to the Lord. '''
He that keepeth his lips guardeth
gained if you establish a man's criminality his own soul but he that is rash with his lips ;
but tail in your argument.'' It is quite un- shall be a terror to himself "The evil man in his
necessary that in bringing an accusation violence doeth evil things, and the fool spreadeth
you should risk your own head. If your out his folly. '''Seek for wisdom among the evil
and thou shalt not find it. ''The rash man shall
object is revenge, you can hire an execu- eat of the fruit of his own
ways. '*The wise man
tioner, and satisfy your desire. You
pretend by taking heed avoideth the evil but the fool is;
to dread a scandal, and

yet you are ready to confident, and joins himself to it. 'Â long-sufler-
kill a man who was once
your brother, ing man is strong in his wisdom; the man of little
whom now and whom mind is very unwise. '* He whooppresseth the poor
you accuse, you "The tongue of the Avise
reproacheth his Maker.
always treat as an enemy. Yet I wonder knoweth good things, but the mouth of fools speak-
how a man like you, who knows what he is eth evil. '*A quarrelsome man preferreth strife,
about, should be so blinded by madness as and every one that lifteth up his heart is unclean
before God. "Though hand join with hand unjust-
to wish to confer a benefit
upon me by draw- ^"
He that loveth
forth soul out of and should ly, they shall not be unpunished.
ing my prison,^ life must be to his mouth. ^^
Insolence go-
not suffer it to remain with you in the dark- eth before sparing and evil
bruising, thoughts before a fall.
ness of this world. ^'
He whocloseth his eyes speaketh perverse things,
me
to keep silence, cease and provoketh all evil with his lips.
" The lips of a
43. If you wish
fool lead him into evil, and the foolhardy speech
from accusing me. Lay down your sword,
calleth down death. The man of evil counsel shall
and I will throw away my shield. To one suffer much loss. ** Better is a poor man who is
tiling only I cannot consent; that is, to spare just than a rich man that speaketh lies.
**
It is a
the hei'etics, and not to vindicate ortho- glory to a man to turn away from evil words but
my ;
he that is foolish bindeth'himself therewith. Love

*'"'
1
Eustathius was deposed at the instigntion of Euseblus the
Ari;in bishop of Nicoinedia, wlin brought charjês both of >
Prov. iii,
-Sabcllianism and of iininorality against him. Socrates, Eccl.
Hist. i. 24.
2 At the
^ This
Synod at Tyre in .^35. See Socrates Eccl. Hist. i. iq.
expression was us^'d by the Origcnists of death.
This life was a prison house into which souls had fallen;
Jerome imputes this opinion to RuHnus, and Rufinus to him.
See Ruf. Apol. i. a6.
A COMMENTARY ON THE APOSTLES' CREED 541
not detraction, lest thou be rooted out. The bread -

exorcise the madness of one who was raving,
of Ijing is sweet to a man, but afterwards his and to pour in the antidote of a single book
mouth shall be filled with gravel. ' He that gaineth
treasures with a lying tongue followeth vanitj, and
into his poisoned breast. But 1 fear I shall
shall come into the snares of death. ^
Saj thou
have no success, and that I shall be com-
nought in the ear of a fool, lest haply the wise pelled to sing the song of David, and to take
mock at thy words. The bludgeon and the sword
''
words only consolation

^
and the arrow are hurtful things; *so is the man

his for my :
who beareth false witness against his friend. *As "The wicked are estranged from the womb, they
the birds and the sparrows fly away, so the curse go astray even from the belly. They have spoken
shall be vain and shall not overtake him. 'Answer lies. Their madness is like the madness of the
not an unwise man according to his lack of wis- serpent; like the deaf adder which stoppeth her
dom, lest thou become like unto him but answer ; ears, which will not hear the voice of the charm-
a fool according to his folly, lest he appear to him- ers, and of the magician wisely enchanting.
self to be wise. * He who layeth wait for his friends, God shall break their teeth in their mouth the ;
when he is discovered saitli, I did it in sport. Â Lord shall break the great teeth of tlie lions. They
faggot for the coals, and wood for the fire, and a shall come to nothing, like water that runneth
man of evil words for the tumult of strife. '"If away. He bendeth his bow until they be brought
thine enemy ask thee aught, sparingly but with a low. Like wax that melteth, they shall be carried
loud voice, "consent thou not to him, for there are away; the fire hath fallen upon them and they
seven degrees of wickedness in his heart. '-The have not seen the sun."
stone is heavy, and the sand hard to be borne; but
^
the anger of a fool is heavier than either; indigna- And again :
tion is cruel,
anger sharp, and envy is impatient.
is
" The
'^The impious man speaketh against the poor and ; righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the
he that trusteth in the audacity of his heart is most vengeance upon the impious; he shall wash his
foolish. '*
The unwise man putteth forth all his hands in the blood of the sinner. And man shall
anger, but the wise dealeth it out in parts.
''
An say, Verily, there is a reward
for the righteous ;
evil son —
his teeth are swords, and his grinders verily, there is a God that judgeth those that are
are as harrows, to consume the weak from off the on the earth."
earth, and the poor from among men." "
44. In the end of your letter you say I :
Such are the lessons in which I have been hope that you love peace." To this I will
trained and therefore I was unwilling to answer in a few words If you desire peace,
;
:
return bite for bite, and to attack you by way lay down your arms. I can be at peace with
of retaliation and I thought it better to one who shews kindness I do not fear one
;
;
'3
who threatens me. Let us be at one in
XX, 17. ^ XXV, 18.
1 Prov. ^
xxvii, 21. xxviii, 25, 26,
5
xxi, (1. 6
xxvi, 2. 1"
xxvii, 14.
1*
xxix, II. faith, and peace will follow immediately.
* 7 1' 1"
xxiii, 9. xxvi, 4, 5. xxvi, 24, 25. xxx, 14.
8 12 iPs. 2 Ps.
XXT, 18. xxvi, 19. xxvii, 3, 4. lviii,3-S. Iviii, 10, II.
A COMMENTARY ON THE APOSTLES' CREED.

This exposition of the Creed was made at the request of Laurentius, a Bishop whose see is unknown, but is
conjectured by Fontanini, in his Hfe of Rufinus, to have been Concordia, Rufinus' birthplace.
Its exact date cannot be fixed ; but from the fact that he says nothing of his difficulty in writing Latin after
being so long in the East, as he does in several of his books, and from the comparative ease of the style, it is
most probable that it was written in the later years of his sojourn at Aquileia, that is, about 3'^7~3^9-
Its value is considerable (i ) as bearing witness to the state of the Creed in local churches at the beginning
of the 5th century, especially their variations. (In the church of Aquileia, in Jes« Christ^?. Patrem invisibilem
of
et impassibileni. Resurrectio hiijus carnis) (2) as showing the adaptation of Eastern ideas to the formation
;
Western theology; (3) as giving the Canon of the books of Scripture, and the Apocrypha of both the Old and
New dispensations.
The exposition is clear and reasonable; and, with the exception of a very few passages, such as the argu-
ment from the Phcenix for the Virgin Birth of our Lord, is still of use to us.
We
prefix the words of the creed on which Rufinus makes his commentary.
It seems desirable to give the original Latin, as well as the English version of the Creed of Aquileia. The
words or letters which are peculiar to this creed are put in italics.
1. Credo in Deo Patre omnipotenti invisibili et im- 1. I believe inGod the Father Almighty, invisible
passihili. and impassible.
2. Et i n Jesu Christo, unico Filio ejus. Domino nostro ;
2. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
3. Qui natus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine; 3. Who was born from the Holy Ghost, of the Virgin
Mary;
4. Crucifixus sub Pontio Pilato, et sepultus; 4. Was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and buried;
5.
Descendit ad infernaj tertia die resurrexit a mor- 5. He descended to hell on the third day he rose
;
tals; again from the dead.

542 RUFINUS.
6. Ascendit in coelos; sedct ad dexteram Patris; 6. He ascended to the heavens; he sitteth at the right
hand of the Father;
7. Inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos; 7. Thence he is to come to judge the quick and the
dead.
8. Et in Spiritu Sancto ; 8. And in the Holy Ghost;
9. Sanctam Ecclesiam; 9. The Holy Church.
10. Remissionem peccatorum; 10. The remission of sins.
11. Hiijus carnis resurrectionem. 11. The resurrection of this flesh.
My mind has as little inclination for 2. Our forefathers have handea down to
writing as sufficiency, most faithful Bishop us the tradition, that, after the Lord's ascen-
( Papa) Laurentius,' for I well know that it sion, when, through the coming of the Holy
is a matter of no little Ghost, tongues of flame had settled upon
peril to submit a
slender ability to general criticism. But, each of the Apostles, that they might speak
since in your letter you rashly (forgive my diverse languages, so that no race however
saying so) require me, by Christ's sacra- foreign, no tongue however barbarous,
ments, which I hold in the greatest rever- might be inaccessible to them and beyond
ence, to compose something for you concern- their reach, they were commanded by the
ing the Faith, in accordance with the tradi- Lord to go severally to the several nations to
tional and natural meaning of the Creed, preach the word of God. Being on the eve
although in so doing you impose a burthen therefore of departing from one another,
upon me beyond my strength to bear (for I they first mutually agreed upon a standard of
do not forget the opinion of the wise, which their future preaching, lest haply, when sepa-
so justly says, that "to speak of God even rated, they might in any instance vary in the
what is true is perilous ") still, if you will statements which they should make to those
;
aid with your prayers the necessit)' which whom they should invite to believe in Christ.
your requisition has laid upon me, I will try Being all therefore met together, and being
to say something, moved rather by a reveren- filled with the Holy Ghost, they composed,
tial regard for your
injunction than by pre- as we have said, this brief formulary of their
sumptuous confidence in my ability. What future preaching, each contributing his sev-
I write, however, will
hardly seem worthy eral sentence to one common summary: and
of the consideration of persons of mature un- they ordained that the rule thus framed
derstanding, but suited rather to the capacity should be given to those who believe.
of children and young beginners in Christ. To this formulary, for many and most
I find, indeed, that some eminent writers sufficient reasons, they gave the name or
have published treatises on these matters Symbol. For Symbol {Kviijiolov) in Greek
piously and briefly written. Moreover, I answers to both "Indicium" (a sign or
know that the heretic Fhotinus has written token) and " CoUatio " (a joint contribution
on the same but with the object, not of ex- made by several) in Latin.
;
For this the
plaining the meaning of the text to his read- Apostles did in these words, each contribut-
ers, but of wresting things simply and truth- ing: his several sentence. It is called
" In-
't5
" "
fully said in support of his own dogma, dicium or a
Signum," sign or token, be-
while yet the Holy vSpirit has taken care that cause, at that time, as the Apostle Paul says,
in these words nothing should be set down and as is related in the Acts of the Apostles,
which is ambiguous or obscure, or inconsist- many of the vagabond Jews, pretending to
ent with other truths for therein is that be apostles of Christ, went about preaching
:
"
prophecy verified, Finishing and cutting for gain's sake or their belly's sake, naming
short the word in equity because a short the name of Christ indeed, but not deliver-
:
word will the Lord make upon the earth." ^ ing their message according to the exact tra-
It shall be our endeavour, then, first to restore ditional lines. The Apostles therefore pre-
and emphasize the words of the Apostles in scribed this formulary as a sign or token by
their native simplicity and, secondly, to which he who preached Christ truly, accord-
;
supply such things as seem to have been ing to Apostolic rule, might be recognised.
omitted by former expositors. But that the Finally, they say that in civil wars, since the
" short word," as we have armour of both sides is alike, and the lan-
scope of this
called it, may be made more plain, we will guage the same, and the custom and mode
enquire from the beginning how it came to of warfare the same, each general, to guard
against treachery, is wont to deliver
be given to the Churches. to his
soldiers a distinct symbol or watchword in —
"
»
Nothing' is kno^vTl oPthis Popp Laurentius. The title Latin
Papa," at first given to IJishops promiscuously, was not yet "signum" or "indicium" so that—
restricted to the Bishop of Rome. Gregory VII., in a CouQCil if one is met
held at Rome in 1073, forbade it to be g-ivcn to any otlier.
with, of whom it is doubtful to
» Isaiah x.
23, 33, and so cited Rom. ix. 2S.
Septuag.,
which side he belongs, being asked the sym-
A COMMENTARY ON THE APOSTLES' CREED. 543
bol (watchword) , he discloses whether he is must first of all believe that He is,and that
friend or foe. And for this reason, the tra- He is a rewarder of those who believe on
dition continues, the Creed is not written on Him." '
The Prophet
also says, "
Except
paper or parchment, but is retained in the ye believe,* ye shall not understand." That
hearts of the faithful, that it may be certain the way to understand, therefore, may be
that no one has learnt it by reading, as is open to you, you do rightly first of all, in
sometimes the case with unbelievers, but by professing that you believe for no one em-
;
tradition from the Apostles. barks upon the sea, and trusts himself to the
The Apostles therefore, as we have said, deep and liquid element, unless he first be-
being about to separate in order to preach lieves possible that he will have a safe
it
the Gospel, settled upon this sign or token vovasre neither does the husbandman com-
;
of their agreement in the faith and, unlike

; mit his seed to the furrows and scatter his
the sons of Noah, who, when they were grain on the earth, but in the belief that the
about to separate from one another, builded showers will come, together with the sun's
a tower of baked bricks and pitch, whose warmth, through whose fostering influence,
top might reach to heaven, they raised a aided bv favouring winds, the earth will pro-
monument of faith, which might withstand duce and multipl}' and ripen its fruits. In
the enemy, composed o£ living stones and fine, nothing in life can be transacted if there
pearls of the Lord, such that neither winds be not first a readiness to believe. What
might overthrow it, nor floods undermine it, wonder then, if, coming to God, we first of
nor the force of storms and tempests shake all profess that we believe, seeing that, with-
it.
Right justly, then, were the former, out this, not even common life can be lived.
when, on the eve of separation, they builded We have premised these remarks at the out-
a tower of pride, condemned to the confusion set,since the Pagans are wont to object to
of tongues, so that no one might understand us that our religion, because it lacks reasons,
his neighbour's speech while the latter, who
; rests solely on belief. We
have shewn,
were building a tower of faith, were endowed therefore, that nothing can possibly be done
with the knowledge and understanding of all or remain stable unless belief precede.
languages ;
so that the one might prove a Finally, marriages are contracted
in the be-
sign and token of sin, the other of faith. children will be born and children
lief that ;
But it is time now that we should say are committed to the care of masters in the
something about these same pearls, among belief that the teaching of the masters will
which is placed first the fountain and source be transferred to the pupils and one man
of all, when it is said, — assumes the ensigns of empire, believing that
;
3. I Believe in God the Father peoples and cities and a well-equipped army
Almighty. also will obey him. But if no one enters
But before I begin to discuss the meaning upon any one of these several undertakings
of the words, I think it well to mention that except in the belief that the results spoken
in different Churches some additions are of will follow, must not belief be much more
found in this article. This is not the case, requisite if one would come to the knowledge
however, in the Church of the city of Rome of God? But let us see what this "short
;
"
the reason being, as I suppose, that, on the word of the Creed sets forth.
one hand, no heresy has had its origin there, " I Believe in God the Father
4.
and, on the other, that the ancient custom is Almighty." The Eastern Churches almost
there kept up, that those who are going to be universally deliver the article thus,
" I be-
"
baptized should rehearse the Creed publicly, lieve in one God the Father Almighty ;
that is, in the audience of the people the and again in the next article, where we say,
;
consequence of which is that the ears of "And in Christ Jesus, His only Son, our
those who are already believers will not ad- Lord," they deliver it, "And in one (Lord)
"
mit the addition of a single word. But in our Lord Jesus Christ, His only Son con- ;
other places, as I understand, additions ap- fessing, that is, " one God," and"" one Lord,"
pear to have been made, on account of cei"- in accordance with the authority of the
tain heretics, by means of which it was Apostle Paul. But we shall return to this
hoped that novelty in doctrine would be ex-
by-and-by. For the present, let us turn our
cluded. We, however, follow that order attention to the words, " In God the Father
which we received when we were baptized Almighty."
in the Church of Aquileia. "God," so far as the human mind can
I Believe, therefore, is placed in the form an idea, is the name of that nature
forefront, as the Apostle Paul, writing to the
" He that cometh to God » Heb. xi. 10. »Dan. xii. 10, or Is. vii. g.
Hebrews, says,
544 RUFINUS.
which above I would first, with your leave,

or substance is all things. the heavens :
"Father" is a word expressive of a secret draw your attention to this firmament which
and iiietrable mystery. When you hear tlie our eyes behold, and ask you
to explain, if
word " God," you must understand thereby you can, the nature of this visil^le luminary,
a substance without beginning, without end, —
how that celestial fire generates from itself
simple, uncompounded, invisible, incorporeal, the brightness of light, how it also produces
inertable, inappreciable, vvhicii has in it heat and though these arc three in reality,
;
nothinsr which has been either added or how they are yet one in substance. And if
created. For He is without cause who is are capable of investigating each of
you
absolutely the cause of all things. When these, even then you must acknowledge that
you hear the word Father," you must un-

*•'
the mystery of the Divine
generation is by
derstand by this the Father of a Son, which so much the more diverse and the more
Son is the image of the aforesaid substance. transcendent as the Creator is more powerful
For as no one is called "Lord" unless he than the creatures, as the artificer is more
have a possession or a sei"vant whose lord he excellent than his work, as He who ever is
" master " unless is more noble than that which had its begin-
is, and as no one is called
he have a disciple, so no one can possibly be ning out of nothing.
called " father" unless he have a son. This That God then is the Father of His only
very name of "Father," therefore, shews Son our Lord is to be believed, not dis-
for it is not lawful for a servant to
plainly that, together with the Father there cussed ;
subsists a Son also. dispute about the nativity of his lord. The
But I would not have you discuss how Father hath borne witness from heaven,
God the Father begat the Son, nor intrude saying, " This is '
My beloved Son, in
too curiously into the profound mystery, lest I am Whom
well pleased: hear Him."
haply, by prying too eagerly into the bright- The Father saith that He is His Son and
ness of light inaccessible, you should lose bids us hear Him. The Son saith, " He
the faint glimpse which, by the gift of God, who seeth Me seeth the Father also,"
^
and
has been vouchsafed to mortals. if " I and the Father are one," ' and " I came
Or, you
suppose that this is a subject to be investi- forth from God and am come into the
gated with all possible scrutiny, first propose world."
*
Where is the man who can thrust
to yourself questions which concern oui*- himself as a disputant between these words
selves, and then, if you are able to deal of Father and Son, who can divide the God-
satisfactorily with them, speed on from head, separate its volition, break asunder the
earthly things to heavenly, from visible to substance, cut the spirit in parts, and deny
invisible. Determine first, if you can, how that what the Truth speaks is true? God
the mind, which is within you, generates a then is a true Father as the Father of the
word, and what is the spirit of the memory Truth, not begetting extrinsically, but gener-
which is in it and how these, though
; ating the Son from that which Himself is ;
diverse in reality and in operation, are yet that is, as the All-wise He generates Wis-
one in substance or nature and though they ; dom, as the Just Justice, as the Everlasting
proceed from the mind, yet are never sepa- the Everlasting, as the Ln mortal Immor-
rated from it. And if these, though they are tality, as the Livisible the
Lwisible because ;
in us and in the substance of our own soul, He is Light, He generates Brightness, be-
yet seem to be hidden fi*om us in proportion cause He is Mind, He generates the Word.
as they are invisible to our bodily sight, let 5. Now
whereas we said that the Eastern
us take for our enquiry things which are Churches, in their delivery of the Creed,
more open to view. How
does a spring
*
say, "In one God the Father Almighty,"
" in one Lord," the "one" is not to be
generate a river from itself? By what spirit and
is it borne into a
rapidly flowing stream ? understood numerically but absolutely. For
How happens it that, while the river and the example, if one should say, "one man" or
spring are one and inseparable, yet neither "one horse," here "one" is used numeri-
can the river be understood to be, or can be cally. For there may be a second man and
called, the spring, nor the spring the river, a third, or a second horse and a third. But
and yet he who has seen the river has seen where a second or a third cannot be added, if
the spring also.? Exercise yourself first in we say " one" we mean one not numerically
explaining these, and explain, if you are able, but absolutely. For example, if we say, " one
things which you have under your hands ; Sun," here the meaning is that a second or a
and then you may come to loftier matters. third cannot be added, for there is but one
Do not think, however, that I would have » Deo,
> Matt. xvii. 5. John x.
jo. CDeum, not| as before,
you ascend all at once from the earth above »
John xiv. 9. *
John xvi. aS.
Sun. Much more then is God, when He is But the Son, in that He condescended to as-
said to be called " one," not numeri-
"one," sume flesh, was both seen and also suflered
cally but absolutely, that is, He is therefore in the flesh. Which also the Prophet fore-
saitl to be one because there is no other. In told when he said, "This is our God: no
like manner, also, it is to be vmderstood of other shall be accounted of in comparison of
the Lord, that He is one Lord, Jesus Christ, Him. He hath found out all the way of
by or through Whom God the Father pos- knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob His
sesses dominion over all, whence also, in the servant and to Israel His beloved. After-
next clause, God is called " Almighty." ward He shewed Himself upon the earth,
God is called Almighty because He and conversed with men."^
possesses rule and dominion over all things.^ 6. Next there follows, "And in Christ
"
But the Father possesses all things by His Jesus, His only Son, our Lord." "Jesus
Son, as the Apostle says, "By Him were is a Hebrew word meaning " Saviour."
created all things, visible and invisible, "Christ" is so called from "Chrism," i.e.
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or unction. For we read in the Books of
principalities, or powers."^ And again, Moses, that Auses, the son of Nave," when
" he was chosen to lead the people, had his
writing to the Hebrews, he says, By Plim
also He made the worlds," and " He ap- name changed from "Auses" to "Jesus," to
pointed Him shew that this was a name proper for princes
'
heir of all things." By
"
appointed
"
we are to understand " gener-
and generals, for those, namely, who should
ated." Now if the Father made the worlds"save" the people vv^ho followed them.
by Him, and all things were created by Him, Therefore, both were called "Jesus," both
and He is heir of all things, then by Him the one who conducted the people, who had
He possesses rule also over all things. Be- been brought forth out of the land of Egypt,
and freed from the wanderings of the wil-
cause, as light is born of light, and truth of
truth, so Almighty is born of Almighty. Asderness, into the land of promise, and ih\
it is written of the Seraphim in the Revela- other, who conducted the people, who' had
tion of John, "And they have no rest day been brought forth from the darkness of
and night, crying Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord ignorance, and recalled from the errors of
God of Sabaoth, which was and which is the world, into the kingdom of heaven.
and which is to come, the Almighty."'* He " Christ" is a name
proper either to High
then who "is to come" is called "Al- Priests or Kings. For formerly both high
" is
mighty."" And what other is there who priests and kings were consecrated with
the
to come but Christ, the Son of God.'* ointment of chrism but these, as mortal :
To the foregoing is added " Invisible and corruptible, with material and corrupti-
AND Impassible." I should mention that ble ointment. "Jesus is made Christ, being
these two words are not in the Creed of the anointed with the Holy Spirit, as the
Roman Church. They were added in our Scripture saith of Him "Whom the Father
Church, as is well known, on account of the hath anointed with the Holy Spirit sent down
Sabellian heresy, called by us " the Patri- from heaven." And Isaiah had prefigured
^
of the Son,
passian," that, namely, which says that the the same, saying in the person
Father Himself was born of the Virgin and " The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because
became visible, or aftirms that He suffered in He hath anointed Me, He hath sent Me to
the flesh. To exclude such impiety, therefore, preach good tidings to the poor."*
concerning the Father, our forefathers seem Having shewn them what "Jesus" is,
to have added these words, calling the Father Who saves His people, and what "Christ"
" invisible and impassible." For it is evi- is, Who is made a High Priest for ever, let
dent that the Son, not the Father, became us now see in what follows, of Whom these
" His
incarnate and was born in the flesh, and that things are said, only Son, our Lord."
from that nativity in the flesh the Son became Here we are taught that this Jesus, of whom
" visible and Yet so far as re- we have spoken, and this Christ, the mean-
passible."
gards that immortal substance of the God- ing of whose name we
have expounded, is
head, which He possesses, and which is one "die only Son of God" and "our Lord."
and the same with that of the Father, we must Lest, perchance, you should think that these
believe that neither the Father, nor the Son, human names have an earthly significance,
nor the Holy Ghost is "visible or passible." iBanich iii. 35-37. Baruch is not specified by name in
Rnfinus's list of tlie Canonical books, but it is in Cyril's, as
1
Compare Cyril's words, îtoJ omnium teneat poieiilatitm tliougli a part of Jeremiah, "Jeremiah,
with Baruch, ami the
Tôrtlship over ;ill ;
o TrafroKpaTwp, 6 -navToiU Kaaruii'^ 6 Trui-n-r^ Lamentations and the Epistle." ( Caterli. a, § 36.)
iôutTiaînv. {Calt'ch., S, § },) . Riifinus evidently h:id St. 2 That is
Joshua tlie son ot Nun. It does not appear what
Cyril's
' ex|)Osition in view here ;is repeatedly elsewlii_-rc. passasfe is referred to.
s Col. i. i6. 2 Heb. i. 2., » II«b. iv. S. 3 Acts X. 3S. * Isa. Ixi. I. Comp. Luke iv. iS.
VOL. III. N n
546 RUFINUS.
it is added that He
" the
therefore is only of heaven is like unto a net cast into the sea,
Son God, our Lord." For He is born which draws in fishes of every kind," are we
^
f)f
One of One, because there is one loriglitness to suppose that the substance of the kingdom
of Hght, and there is one word of the un- of heaven is likened in all respects to the
derstanding. Neither docs an incorporeal nature of twine of which a net is made, and
generation degenerate into the plural num- to the knots with which the meshes are tied."*
ber, or suffer division, where He \Vho is No the sole object of the comparison is to
;
born is in no wise separated from Him Who shew that, as a net brings fishes to the shore
begets. He is "only" (unique), as thought from the depths of the sea, so by the preach-
is to the mind, as wisdom is to the wise, as a ing of the kingdom of heaven men's souls
word is to the understanding, as valour is to are liberated from the depth of the error of
the brave. For as the Father is said by the this world. From whence it is evident that
" alone ^
Apostle to be wise," so likewise the examples or illustrations do not answer in
Son alone is called wisdom. He is then every particular to the things which thev are
the "only Son." And, although in glory, brought to exemplify or illustrate. Other-
cverlastingness, virtue, dominion, power. He wise, if they were the same in all respects,
is what the Father is, yet all these He hath they would no longer be called examples or
not unoriginately as the Father, but from the illustrations, but rather would be the things
Father, as the Son, without beginning and themselves.
equal and although He is the Head of all
;
8. Then further it is to be observed that
things, yet the Father is the Head of Him. no creature can be such as its Creator. And
For so it is " The Head of Christ is tliercfore, as the divine substance or essence
written,
'
God." admits of no comparison, so neither does the
7. When hear the word " Son," Divinity.
you Moreover, every creature is of
you must not think of a nativity after the nothing. If therefore a spark which is so un-
flesh but remember that it is spoken of an substantial but yet is fire, begets of itself a
;
incorporeal substance, and a simple and creature which is of nothing, and maintains
vuicompounded nature. For if, as we said in it the essential nature of that from which
above, whether when the understanding it springs, (i.e. the fire of the parent spark),
generates a word, or the mind sense, or light why cotdd not the substance of that eternal
brings forth brightness from itself, nothing Light, which ever has been because it has
of this sort is sought for, or any manner of in itself nothing which is not substantial,
weakness and imperfection imagined in this produce from itself substantial brightness.-'
kind of generation, how much purer and Rightly, therefore, is the Son called "only,"
more sacred ought to be our conception of " unique." For He who hath been so born
the Creator of all these is
"only" and "unique." That which is
!
But perhaps you say, " The generation of unique can admit of no comparison. Nor
which you speak is an unsubstantial genera- can He who made all things be like in sub-
tion. For light does not produce substantial stance to the things which He has made.
brightness, nor the understanding generate a This then is Christ Jesus, the only Son
substantial word, but the vSon of God, it is of God, who is also our Lord. "Only"
affirmed, was generated substantially." To may be referred both to Son and to Lord.
this we reply, first, When in other things For Jesus Christ is "only" both as truly
examples or illustrations are used, the re- Son and as one Lord. For all other sons,
semblance cannot hold in every particular, though they are called sons, are so called
l)ut only in some one point for which the by the grace of adoption, not by verity
illustration is employed. For instance. When of nature and if there be others who ;
it is said in the Gospel, "The kingdom of are called lords,

they are called so from
heaven is like leaven, which a woman hid in an authority bestowed not inherent. But
three measures of meal," are we to imagine Christ alone is the only Son and the only
'
that the kingdom of heaven is in all respects Lord, as the Apostle saith, "One Lord
like leaven, so that like leaven it is palpable Jesus Christ, by Whom are all things."*
and perishable so as to become sour and Therefore, after the Creed has in due order
imfit for use? Obviously the illustration was set forth the ineffal)le mystery of the nativity
employed simply for this object
—
to shew of the Son from the Father, it now descends
how, through the preaching of God's word to the dispensation which He vouchsafed to
which seems so small a thing, men's minds enter upon for man's salvation. And of
couUl be imbued witli the leaven of faitli. Him whom just now it called the " only Son
So likewise, when it is said, "The kingdom of God " and " our Lord," it now says.
» 1 Tim.i. 17.
2 I Cor. xi. 3. S Matl. xiii. 33. 1 Matt. xiii. 47. 2 I Cor, viii. 6.
" Who was

born by {de) the Holy born of Thee shall be called the Son of
9.
Ghost of the
Vhigin Mary." This God." ^
See here the Trinity mutually co-
nativity among men is in the way of dis- operating with each other. The Holy Ghost
pensation,^ whereas the former nativity is of is spoken of as coming upon the Virgin, and
the divine substance the one results from his the Power of the Highest as overshadowing
;
condescension, the other from his essential her. What is the Power of the Highest but
nature. He is born by the Holy Ghost of Christ Himself, Who is the Power of God
the Virgin. Here a chaste ear and a pure and the Wisdom of God.? Whose is this
mind is required. For you must understand Power.? The Power of the Highest. There
that now a temple hath been built within the ishere then the Plighest, there is also the
secret recesses of a Virgin's for Him womb Power of the Highest, there is also the Holy
of Whom erewhile you learnt that was He Ghost. This is the Trinity, everywhere
born ineffably of the Father, And just as latent, and everywhere apparent, distinct in
in the sanctification of the Holy Ghost no names and persons, but inseparable in the
thought of imperfection is to be admitted, so substance of the Godhead. And although
in the Virgin-birth no defilement is to be im- the Son alone is born of the Virgin, yet
agined. this birth was a new birth given
For there is present also the Highest, there is
to this world, and rightly new. For He Who present also the Holy Ghost, that both the
is the
only Son in heaven is by consequence conception and the bringing forth of the
the only Son on earth, and was uniquely Virgin may be sanctified.
born, born as no other ever was or can be. II. These
things, since they are asserted
The words of the Prophets concerning upon the warrant of the Prophetical Script-
Him, " A Virgin "
shall conceive and bring ures, may possibly silence the Jews, infidel
forth a Son," are known to all, and are and incredulous though they be. But the
cited in the Gospels again and again. The Pagans are wont to ridicule us when they
Prophet Ezekiel too had predicted the mirac- hear us speak of a Virgin-birth. must, We
ulous manner of that birth, calling Mary therefore, say a few words in reply to their
" the Gate of the
figuratively Lord," the cavils. Every birth, I suppose, depends
gate, namely, through which the Lord en- upon three conditions. There must be a
tered the world. For he saith, "The gate woman of mature age, she must have inter-
which looks towards the East shall be closed, course with a man, her womb must not be
and shall not be opened, and no one shall barren. Of these three conditions, in the
pass through it, because the Lord God of birth of which we are speaking, one was
Israel shall pass through it, and it shall be this, forasmuch as
wanting, the man. And
closed."
^
What could be said with such He Whose
speak was not an
of birth we
evident reference to the inviolate preserva- earthly but a heavenly man, was supplied by
tion of the Virgin's condition.? That Gate the Ileavenly Spirit, the virginity of the
of Virginity was closed through it the mother being preserved inviolate. And yet
;
Lord God of Israel entered through it He why should it be thought marvellous for a
;
came forth from the Viro-in's womb into this virgin to conceive, when it is well known
worlil and the Virgin-state being preserved that the Eastern bird, which they call the
;
inviolate, the gate of the Virgin remained Phoenix, is in such wise born, or born again,
closed for ever. Therefore the Holy Ghost without the intervention of a mate, that it
is spoken of as the Creator of the Lord's remains continually one, and continually by
flesh and of His temple. being born or born again succeeds itself.?*
10. Starting from this point you may That bees know no wedlock, and no bring-
understand the majesty of the Holy Ghost ing forth of young, is notorious. There are
also. For the Gospel witnesses of Him that also other things which are found to be sub-
when the angel said to the Virgin, " Thou ject to some such law of birth. Shall it be
shalt bring forth a Son and shalt call His thought incredible, then, that that was done
name Jesus, for He shall save Plis people by divine power, for the renewal and restora-
from their sins," * she replied, " How shall tion of the whole world, of which instances
this be, seeing I know not a man?" on iLukei.
which the angel said to her, "The Holy
31,34, 35. ^, . ,,,,..-
i^Tlie fable ot the Phoenix was very generally bchcved in
the ancient Church, and was used as an illustration both ot
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power the Virgin-birth, as here, and of the Resurrection. Cyril ot
of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Jerusalem (xviii. S), whom Rulinus evidently had in view.
refers to it as a providentially designed conhrmalion of the
Wherefore that holy Thing which shall be latter. Possibly the Septuagint translation of Ps. xcii. 12,
"The righteous shall flourish as a palm tree," cu« ij>oivi$ may
have been thought to sanction the fable. On the Literature
1
Correspondinofto —
the Grrek word Economy the " arrange- connected with the Phtenix, see Bp. Jacobson's edition of the
ment" or ''plan " by wliiih tlie Word became incarnate, Apostolical Fathers, Clemens Romanus, Ep. i. § 25, note, ji
2, LXX.
s Isa. vii. 14. " Ezek. xhv. * Matt. i. 21.
104.
N n
548 RUFINUS.
are obseiTed in the nativity of animals? sun alights upon a quagmire, does it receive
And yet it is strange that the Gentiles should any pollution from it? or is the sun the worse
think this impossible, \vho believe tlicir own for shedding his light upon foul objects?
Minerva to have been born from the brain Fire, too, how far inferior is its nature to the
of Jupiter. What is more difficult to things of which we are speaking? Yet no
believe, or what more contrary to nature? substance, whether foul or vile, is believed to
Here, there is a woman, the order of nature pollute fire if applied to it. When the case
is kept, there is conception, and in due time is plainly thus with regard to material things,
birth there, there is no female, but a man do you suppose that aught of pollution and
alone, and
;
—
birth! Why does he who defilement can befall that supereminent and
believes the one marvel at the other? Again, incorporeal nature, which is above all fire
they say that Father Bacchus was born from and

light? Then, lastly, note this also:
all
Jupiter's thigh. we say that man was created by God out of

Here is another portent,
yet it is believed. Venus also, whom they the clay of the earth. But if God is thought
call Aphrodite, was born, they believe, of to be defiled in seeking to recover His own
tlie foam of the sea, as her compounded work, much more must He
be thought so in
name shews. affirm that Castor and making that work originally.
They And it is idle
Pollux were born of an egg, the Myrmidons to ask why He passed through what is re-
of ants. There are a thousand other things pugnant to our sense of modesty, when you
which, though contrary to nature, find credit cannot tell why He made what is so repug-
with them, such as the stones thi'own by nant. And therefore it is not nature but
Deucalion antl Pyrrha, and the crop of men general estimation that has made us think
sprung from thence. And when they believe these things to be such. Otherwise, all
such myths and so many of them, does one things that are in the body, being formed
thing seem impossible to them, that a woman from one and the same clay, are distin-
of mature age, not defiled by man but impreg- guished from one another only in their uses
nated by the Holy Ghost, should conceive and natural offices.
a divine progeny? who, forsooth, if they are 13. But there is another consideration
hard of belief, ought in no wise to have which we must not leave out in the solution
given credence to those prodigies, being, as of this question, namely, that the substance
they are, so many and so degrading; but if of God, which is wholly incorporeal, cannot
they do believe them, they ought much more be introduced into bodies or be received by
readily to receive these beliefs of ours, so them in the first instance, unless there be
honourable and so holy, than theirs so dis- some spiritual substance as a medium, which
creditable and so vile. is capable of receiving the divine Spirit.
1 2. But they say, perhaps, If it was For instance, if we say that light is able to
possible to God that a virgin should con- irradiate all the members of the body, yet by
ceive, it was possible also that she should none of them can it be received except by
bring forth, but they think it unmeet that a the eye. For it is the eye alone which is
being of so great majesty should enter the receptive of light. So the Son of God is
world in such wise, that even though there born of a virgin, not associated with the
had been no defilement from intercourse flesh alone in the first instance, but begotten
with man, there should yet be the unseemli- with a soul as a medium between the flesh
ness attendant upon the act of delivery. To and God. With the soul, then, serving as a
which let us reply briefly, meeting them on medium, and receiving the Word of God in
their own level. If a person should see a the secret citadel of the rational spirit, God
little child in the act of being sufibcated in a was born of the Virgin without any such
a quagmire, and himself, a great man and disparagement as you imagine. And there-
powerful, should go into the mire, just at fore nothing is to be esteemed base or un-
its verge, so to
say, to rescue the dying seemly wherein was the sanctification of the
child would you blame this man as defiled
; Spirit, and where the soul which was capa-
for having stepped into a little mire, or ble of God became also a partaker of flesh.
would you praise him as merciful, for hav- Account nothing impossible where the power
ing preserved the life of one that was of the Most High was present. Have no
perishing? But the case supposed is that thought of human weakness where there
of an ordinary man. Let us return to the was the plenitude of Divinity.
nature of Him Whowas born. How
much, 14. He was Crucified under
Pontius
think you, is the nature of the Sun inferior to Pilate and was Buried: He Descended
him ? How
much beyond doubt, the Creature INTO Hell. The Apostle Paul teaches us that
to the Creator? Consider now if a ray of the we ought to have " the eyes of our understand-
ing enlightened"^ "that we may understand yields to lust, is"^ receiving the purchase-
what is the
height and breadth and depth." " money of his soul. Under that bond then
" The breadth and depth" is a every man was held by those most wicked
height and
description of the Cross, of which that part rulers, which same bond Christ, when He
which fixed in the earth he calls the depth,
is came, tore down and stripped them of this
the height that which is erected upon the their power. This Paul signifies under
earth and reaches upward, the breadth that a great mystery, when he says of Him,
" He
which is spread out to the right hand and destroyed the hand-writing which was
to the left. Since, therefore, there are so against us, nailing it to Plis cross, and led
many kinds of death by which it is given to away principalities and powers, triumphing
men to depart this life, why docs the Apostle over them in Himself." Those rulers, ^
wish us to have our understanding enlight- then, whom God had set over mankind,
ened so as to know the reason why, of all of having become contumacious and tyrannical,
them, the Cross was chosen in preference took in hand to assail the men who had been
for the death of the Saviour. We must committed to their charge and to rout them
know, then, that that Cross was a triumph. utterly in the conflicts of sin, as the Prophet
It was a signal
trophy. A triumph is a Ezekiel mystically întimates when he says,
token of victory over an enemy. Since then " In that day angels shall come forth hasten-
Christ, when He came, brought three king- ing to exterminate Ethiopia, and there shall
doms atonce into subjection under His sway be perturbation among them in the day of
" That
(for this He signifies when he says, Egypt; for behold He comes."' Having
in the name of knee should bow, stript them then of their almighty power,
Jesus every
of things in heaven, and things on earth, and Christ is said to have triumphed, and to
things under the earth "),^ and conquered have delivered to men the power which was
all of these by His death, a death v/as sought taken from them, as also Himself saith to
answerable to the mystery, so that being His disciples in the Gospel, " Behold I have
lifted up in the air, and subduing the powers given you power to tread upon serpents and
of the air, He might make a display of His scorpions, and upon all the might of the
*
victory over these supernatural and celestial enemy." The Cross of Christ, then,
powers. Moreover the holy Prophet says brought those who had wrongfully abused
that " all the day long He stretched out His the authority which they had received into
hands"* to the people on the earth, that He subjection to those who had before been in
might both make protestation to unbelievers subjection to them. But us, that is, man-
and invite believers finally, by that part kind, it teaches first of all to resist sin even
:
wliich is sunk under the earth, He signified unto death, and willingly to die for the sake
His bringing into subjection to Himself the of religion. Next, this same Cross sets
kingdoms of the nether world. before us an example of obedience, in like
15. Moreover, to —
touch briefly some manner as it hath punished the contumacy
of the more recondite topics, —
when God of those wdio were once our rulers. Hear,
made the world in the beginning, He set therefore, how the Apostle would teach us
over it and appointed certain powers of obedience by the Cross of Christ: "Let
celestial virtues, by whom the race of mortal this mind be in you, which was in Christ
men might be governed and directed. That Jesus, Who, being in the form of God,
this was so done Moses signifies in the vSons thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
in Deuteronomv, " When the Most Hicrh but made Himself of no reputation, taking
divided the nations. He appointed the bounds upon Him tlie form of a servant, being
of the nations according to the numlêr of made in the likeness of men and, being ;
the angels of God." But some of these, as found in fashion as a man, He became
he who is called the Prince of this world, obedient unto death, even the death of the
did not exercise the power which God had Cr.oss >» 5 As, then, a consummate master
committed to them according to the laws by teaches both by example and precept, so
which they had received it, nor did they Christ taught the obedience, which good
teach mankind to obey God's command- men are to render even at the cost of death,
ments, but taught them rather to follow by Himself first dying in rendering it.
their own perverse guidance. Thus we 16. But perhaps some one is alarmed
were brought under the bonds of sin, beat hearing us discourse of the death of Him
cause, as the Prophet saith,
" We
were sold of Whom, a short while since, we said that
®
under our sins." For every man, when he
1
Col. ii. 14, 15. * Luke x.
19.
lEph. i. iS. 3 Phil. ii. 10. B Deut. xxxii. S, LXX. 2 '
\7yeA01 LXX, Nu}itii,Yu\i^.

SEph. iii. 18. * Isa. Ixv. 2. * Rom. vii. 14. 3 Ezck. XXX. g.
^
pha. ;i, ^.s.
550 RUFINUS.
He is vvitli
everlasting God tlic Fatlier, a king were to proceed to a prison, and to
and that He was
begotten of the Father's go in and open the doors, undo the fetters,
substance, and is one with God the Father, break in pieces the chains, the bars, and the
in dominion, majesty, and eternity. But be bolts, and bring forth antl set at liberty the
not alarmed, O faithful hearer. Presentl}' prisoners, and restore those who are sitting
tliou wilt see Him of Whose death thou in darkness and in the shadow of death to
hearest once more immortal; for the dcatli light and life. The king, therefore, is said
to which He submits is about to spoil death. indeed to have been in prison, but not under
For the object of that mystery of the Incarna- the same condition as the prisoners who were
tion which we expounded just now was that detained there. They were in prison to be
the divine virtue of the Son of God, as punished. He to free them from punishment,
though it were a hook concealed beneath 1 8.They who have handed down the
the form and fasliion of human flesh (He Creed to us have with much forethought
" found in
being, as the Apostle Paul says, specified the time when these things were
fashion as a man"),^ might lure on the done —
"under Pontius Pilate," lest in —
Prince of this world to a conflict, to wliom any respect the tradition should falter, as
ollering His flesh as a lâit, His divinity thouirh vagfuc and luicertain. But it should
underneath might catch him and hold him l)e known that the clause,
" He descended
fast with its hook, through the shedding of into Hell," is not added in the Creed of the
His immaculate blood. For He alone Who
Roman Church, neither is it in that of the
knows no stain of sin hath destroyed the Oriental Churches. It seems to be implied,
sins of all, of those, at least, who have however, when it is said that " He was
marked the door-posts of their faith with buried." Ikit in the love and zeal for the
His blood. As, therefore, if a fish seizes a Divine Scriptures which possess you, you
baited hook, it not only does not take the say to me, I doubt not, " These things ought
bait ofl' the hook, but is drawn out of the to be proved by more evident testimonies
water to be itself food for others, so He Who
from the Divine Scriptures. For the more
had the power of death seized the body of important the things are which are to be be-
Jesus in death, not being aware of the liook lieved, so much the more do they need apt
of Divinity inclosed within it, but having and undoubted witness." True. But we, as
swallowed it he was caught forthwith, and speaking to those who know the law, have left
the bars of hell being burst asunder, he was unnoticed, for the sake of brevity, a whole
drawn forth as it were from the abyss to forest of testimonies. But if this also be
become food for others. Which result the required, let us cite a few out of many,
Prophet Ezekiel long ago foretold under this knowing, as we do, that to those who are
same figure, saying, " I will draw thee out acquainted with the Scriptures, a very ample
with My hook, and stretch thee out upon the sea of testimonies lies open.
earth : the plains shall be filled with thee, 19. First of all, then, we
must know that
and I will set all the fowls of the air over the doctrine of the Cross is not regarded by
thee, and I will satiate all the beasts of the all in the same light. It is one thing to the
earth with thee." The Prophet David also Gentiles, to the Jews another, to Christians
"^
" Thou hast broken the heads of the another as also the
Apostle says,
" We
says,
great dragon. Thou hast given him to be preach Christ crucified, to the
;
Jews a —
meat to the people of Ethiojîa." And Job stunibling-block, to the Gentiles foolishness,
''
in like manner witnesses of the same mys- but to those who are called, both Jews and
tery, for he says in tlie person of the Lord Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the
" Wilt thou draw forth the wisdom of God "
and, in the same place,
'
speaking to him, ;
dragon with a hook, and wilt thou put thy " For the preaching of the Cross is to those
"
bit in his nostrils?
'
who perish foolishness, but to those who are
" the Power of
17. It is with no loss or disparagement saved," that is, to us, it is
therefore of His Divine nature that Christ God."
•
The Jews, to whom it had been
suiFers in the flesh, but His Divine nature delivered out of the Law, that Christ should
through the flesh descended into death, that were oflended by His Cross,
abitle for ever,
by the infirmity of the flesh He might ctlcct because they were unwilling to believe His
salvation ; not that He might be detained by resurrection. To the Gentiles it seemed
death according to the law of mortality, luit foolishness that God shoultl have submitted
that He might by Himself in his resur- to death,because they were ignorant of the
rection open the gates of death. It is as if mystery of the Incarnation. But Christians, ,
who had accepted His birth and passion in

iPhil.ii.S. 3Ps. Kxir. 14, LXX.
* Ezck. xxix.
4, 5. ijobxli. I.
1 I Cor. i. 23, 24.
>
1 Cor, i. iS.
"
the flesh and the his words were made soft.^
His resurrection from Judas came to
dead, of course believed that it was the Jesus and said unto Ilim, Hail, Master,
power of God which had overcome death. and kissed Him."' Thus through the soft
First, therefore, hear how this very thing blandishment of a kiss he implanted the
is
prophetically declared by Isaiah, that the execrable dart of betrayal. On which the
Jews, to whom the Prophets had foretold Lord said to him, "Judas, betrayest " '
thou
these things, would not believe, but that the Son of Man with a kiss You ob- .^
they who had never heard them from the serve that He was appraised by the traitoi"'s
" To whom covetousness at Of
Prophets, would believe them. thirty pieces of silver.
He was not spoken of they shall see, and this also the Prophet speaks, "And I said
they that have not heard shall understand."
^
unto them, If ye think good, give me my
Moreover, this same Isaiah foretells that, price, or if not, forbear;" and presently,
while those who were engaged in the study "I received from them," he says, "thirty
of the Law from childhood to old age be- pieces of silver, and I cast them into the
'
lieved not, to the Gentiles every mystery house of the Lord, into the foundry."
should be transferred. His words are Is not this what is written in the Gospels,
:
"•And the Lord of Hosts shall make a feast that Judas, " repenting of what he had
on this mountain unto all nations they shall done, brought back the money, and threw
:
drink joy, they shall drink wine, tliey shall it down in the temple and departed?"*
be anointed with ointment on this mountain. Well did He call it His price, as though
blaming and upbraiding. For He had done
'
Deliver all these things to the nations."
This was the counsel of the Almighty re- so many good works among them. He had
specting all the nations. But they who given sight to the blind, feet to the lame, the
boast themselves of their knowledge of the power of walking to the palsied, life also to
Law will, perhaps, say to us, " You blas- the dead for all these good works they paid ;
pheme in saying that the Lord was subjected Him death as His price, appraised at thirty
to the corruption of death and to the suffering pieces of silver. It is related also in the
of the Cross." Read, therefore, what you Gospels that He was bound. This also the
find written in the Lamentations of Jere- word of prophecy had foretold by Isaiah,
miah "The Spirit of our countenance, saying, " Woe unto their soul, who have
:
^
Christ the Lord, was taken in our corrup- devised a most evil device against them-
tions, of whom we said, we shall live under selves, saying, Let us bind the just One,
* ^
His shadow among the nations." Thou seeing that He is unprofitable to us."
hearest how the Prophet says that Christ 21. But, says some one, "Are these
the Lord was taken, and for us, that is, for things to be understood of the Lord.^ Could
our sins, delivered to corruption. Under the Lord be held prisoner by men and
whose shadow, since the people of the Jews dragged to judgment.^" Of this also the
have continued in unbelief, he says the same Prophet shall convince you. For he
Gentiles lie, because we live not in Israel, " The Lord Himself shall come into
says,
but among the Gentiles. judgment^ with the elders and princes of the
20. But, if it does not weary you, let me people." The Lord is judged then accord-
point out as briefly as possible, specific refer- ing to the Prophet's testimony, and not only
ences to prophecy in the Gospels, that those judged, but scourged, and smitten on the
who are being instructed in the first elements face with the palms (of men's hands), and
of the faith may have these testimonies writ- spitted on, and suffers every insult and in-
ten on their hearts, lest any doubt concerning dignity for our sake. And because all
the things v^^hich they believe should at any who should hear these things preached by
time take them by surprise. We
are told in the Apostles would be perfectly amazed,
the Gospel that Judas, one of Christ's friends therefore also the Prophet speaking in their
and associates at table, betrayed Him. Let me person exclaims, " Lord, who hath believed
show you how this is foretold in the Psalms our report.'' " ' For it is incredible that God,
:
" He who hath eaten

My bread hath lifted up the Son of God, should be spoken of and
" "
his heel against Me and in another place preached as having sutTered these things.
:
;
"My friends and My neighbours drew near For this reason they are foretold by the
and set themselves against Me " and again Prophets, lest any doubt should sjjring up in
:
"^
" His words were made softer than oil and

'
yet those who are about to believe. Christ the
be they very darts." What then is meant by Lord Himself therefore in His own person,
ilsa. Hi. 15. Comp. Rom. XV. 31. sps.xli.g.
2 Isa. XXV. 6. " Ps. XXXV. 1 Matt. xxvi. 49. ^ '
15. Matt, xxvii. 3, 5. Isa. liii. i.
3 Their
corruptions, LXX. ' Ps. Iv. 21. 2 Luke xxii. 48. ^ Isa. iii. 9, LXX.
* Lamentations iv. 20. 3 Zech. xi. 12, 13, LXX. <5
Isa. iii. 14.
552 RUFINUS.
says, "I gave scourges, before her shearer, so He opened not His
ISIy l)ack to the
and My cheeks to the palms,^ I turned not mouth. In His humiliation His judgment
"
away My face from shame and was taken away." '
spitting." It is written that there

This also is written among His other suf- was put on Him a crown of thc^rns. Of this
ferings, that they bound Him, and led Him hear in the Canticles the voice of God the
away to Pilate. This also the Prophet Fatlier marvelling at the iniquity of Jerusa-
" Go forth
foretold, saying, "And they bound him and lem in the insult done to His Son :
conducted Him as a pledge of friendship and see, ye daughters of Jerusalem, the

{xcnium) to King Jarim."^ But some one crown w'herewith His mother hath crowned
" But Pilate was not a
king." Hear Him."
"'
ol)jects, Moreover, of the thorns another

then what the Gospel relates next, " Pilate Prophet makes mention "I looked that she :
hearing that He was from Galilee, sent should bring forth grapes, and she brought
Him to Herod, who was king in Israel at forth thorns, and instead of righteousness
that time."* And rightly does the Prophet a cry." But that thou mayest know the "*
add the name "Jarim," which means "a .secrets of the mystery, it behoved Him,
wild-vine," for Herod was not of the house came to take away the sins of the Who
of Israel, nor of that Israelitish vine which world, to free the earth also from the
the Lord liad brouglit out of Egypt, and curse, which it had received through
" *
planted in a very fruitful hill," but was the sin of the first man, when the Lord said
a wild vine, i.e. of an alien stock. " Ctu'sed be the earth in
Rightly, thy labours thorns * : :
was he called " a be- and thistles shall it bring fortli to thee."
therefore, wild-vine,"
cause he in nowise sprung from the shoots For this cause, therefore, is Jesus crowned
of the vine oi Israel. And whereas the with thorns, that that first .sentence of con-
Prophet used the ])hrase xcnium^^^
''^
"A
demnation might lie remitted. He is led to
pledge (jf friendship," this also corresponds, the cross, and the life of the whole world is
"For Herod and Pilate," as the Gospel suspended on the wood of which it is made.
witnesses, "from being enemies were made I would point out how this also is confirmed
by testimony from the Prophets. You find
*
friends," and, as though in token of their
" Come and let
reconciliation, each sent Jesus bound to the Jeremiah speaking of it thus,
other. What matter, so long as Jesus, as us cast wood into His bread, and crush Him
Saviour, reconciles those who were at vari- out of the land of the living." And again, "
"
ance, and restores peace, and also brings Moses, mourning over them, says, Thy life
back concord Wherefore of this also it
! shall be suspended before thine eyes, and
is written in Job, "May the Lord reconcile thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt not
the hearts of the princes of the earth."
'
believe thy life."
^
But we must pass on, for
22. It is related that when Pilate would already we
are exceeding our proposed
fain have released Him all the people cried measure of brevity, and are lengthening
out, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him!"" This out our "short wôrd " by a long disserta-
also the Prophet Jeremiah foretells, saying, tion. Yet we will add a few words more,
in the person of the Lord Himself, lest we "My
should seem altogether to have
inheritance is become to Me
as a lion in tlie passed over what we undertook.
forest. He hath uttered his voice against 23. It is written that when the side of
" He shed thereout blood
Me, wherefore I have hated it. And there- Jesus was pierced '
fore (saith He) I have forsaken and left and water." This has a mystical meaning.
My house." ^ And again in anotlier place, For Himself had said, "Out of His belly
"
Against whom have ye opened your shall flow rivers of living water." But He
^
mouth, and against whom have ye let loose shed forth blood also, of wliich the Jews
your tongues?"'" When He stood before sought that it might be upon themselves and
His judge, it is written that "He
held His upon their children. He shed forth water,
peace."" Many Scrijjtures testify of this. therefore, which might wash believers; He
In the Psalms it is written, " I became as a shed forth blood also which might condemn
man that heareth not, and in whose mouth unbelievers. Yet it might be understood also
are no reproofs." '- And again, "I was as a as prellguring tlie twofold grace of baptism,
deaf man, and heard not, and as one that is one that which is given by the baptism of
dumb and openeth not his mouth." And water, the other that which is sought through
again another Prophet saith, "As a lamb martyrdom in the outpouring of blood, for
both are called baptism. But if you ask
PaTrio-fioTa, LXX.
1 " IûUe xxiii. 12.
AiaAAao-ffwr, I,XX.
2 Isa. 1.6. xii.
Job 2^. "
3 Hos. X. 6. 8 Luke xxiii. 21. ^' M;itt. xxvi.
63.
1
Isa. liii.
7,8.
< Gen. iii. 17, iS. Jolin xix. 34.
* Luke xxiii. 6, 7. "
Jer. xii. 7, S.
'= Ps. xxxviii. ij, 14.
= Cant. iii. ii. ^
]cx. xi. 19.
*
Jolin vii. 3S.
f'
Js:i. V. 1. 10 Isa. Ivii. 3 isa. V. 4, 7. ' Deut. xxviii. 66.
4, i
further why our Lord is said to have poured though thou hadst trodden in the wine-
forth blood and water from His side rather press?" To which Himself replies, "I
than from any other member, I imagine that have trodden the wine-press alone, O
by the rib in the side the woman is signified. For He alone it is
^
daughter of Sion."
Since tlae fountain of sin and deatli proceeded Who hath not sinned, and hath taken away
from the first woman, wlio was tlie rib of the the sins of the world. For if by one man
first Adam, the fountain of
redemption and Hfe death could enter into the world, how much
is drawn from tlie rib of the second Adam. more by one man. Who was God also, could
24. It is written that in our Lord's passion life be restored !
there was darkness over the earth from the 26. It related also that vinegar was
is
sixtli hour until the ninth. To this also you given Him to drink, or wine mingled with
will find the Prophet witnessing, "Thy Sun myrrh which is bitterer than gall. Hear
shall go down at
mid-day."^ And again, what the Prophet has foretold of this :
" In that "

the Prophet Zechariah, day there They gave Me gall to eat, and when I
shall be no more light. There shall be cold was thirsty they gave Me vinegar to drink.""
and frost in one day, and that day known Agreeably with which Moses, even in his
to the L-ord and it shall be neither day nor day, said to the people, " Their vine is of
;
night, but at evening time there shall be the vineyards of Sodom, and their branch of
light."' What plainer language could the Gomorrah their grape is a grape of gall,
;
*
Prophet have used for his words to seem not and their cluster a cluster of bitterness."
so much a prophecy of the future as a narra- And again, the Prophet upbraiding them
tive of the past? He foretold both the cold says, " Oh foolish people and unwise, have
*
and the frost. For Peter was warming him- ye thus requited the Lord?" Moreover, in
self at the fire because it was cold and he the Canticles the same things are foretold,
:
was suffering cold not only in respect of the where even the garden in which the Lord
time (the early hour), but also of his faith. was crucified is indicated " I have come :
There is added, "" and that day shall be into my garden, my sister, my spouse, and
known to the Lord and it shall be neither have gathered in my myrrh."" Here the
;
" neither
day nor" night." What is day nor Prophet has plainly set forth the wine
night ? Did he not plainly speak of the mingled with myn^h which the Lord has
darkness interposed in the day, and then the given Him to drink.
That was not " He
37. Next it
light afterwards restored? is written that gave up
day, for it did not begin with sun-rise, the ghost." This also had
•*
been foretold
neither was it complete night, for it did not, by the Prophet, who says, addressing the
when the day was ended, receive its due Father in the Person of the Son, "Into
space from the beginning or prolong it to Thy hands I commend My Spirit."
'
He is
tlie end but the light which had been related also to have been buried, and a great
;
driven away by the crime of wicked men stone laid at the door of the sepulchre.
is restored at evening time. For after the Hear what the word of prophecy foretold
ninth hour, the darkness is driven away, and by Jeremiah concerning this also,
"
They
the sun is restored to the world. Again, have cut oft' my life in the pit, and have
another Prophet witnesses of the same, laid a stone upon Me." These \vords_ of '^
" The His burial.

light shall be darkened upon the the Prophet point most plainly to
Here are yet others, " The righteous hath
^
earth in the day-time."
2^. The Gospel further relates that the been taken away from beholding iniquity,
soldiers parted the garments of Jesus among and his place is in peace."
^
And in another
themselves, and cast lots upon His vesture. " I will give the malignant for his
place,
The Holy Spirit provided that this also burial;"^*' and yet once more, "He hath
should be witnessed beforehand by the Proph- lain down and slept as a lion, and as a
" " "
ets, for David parted my lion's whelp who shall
says, They rouse Him
up ;
?
garments among them, and upon my vesture 2S. That He descended into hell is also
*
they did cast lots." Nor were the Proph- evidently foretold in the Psalms, where it is
ets silent even as to the robe, the scarlet said, " Thou hast brought Me also into
robe, which the soldiers are said to have put the dust of the death."
^-
And again,
upon Him in mockery. Listen to Isaiah, "What profit is there in my blood, when
" Who is this that cometh from Edom, red I shall have descended into corruption?"'^
in his garments fiôm Bozrah ? Wherefore 1 Isa. Ixiii. 1-3. 6 Mark " Gen. xlix. 9.
xv.'37.
are thy garments red, and thy raiment as ~ Ps. Ixix. 21. 7 Ps. xxxi.S- '2 Ps. xxii. 15.
3 Deut. xxxii. 32. 8 Lara. iii. 53. J3 Ps, XXX. 0.
1
Ainos, viii. 9. 3 Amos viii. 9. * Deut. xxxii. 6. Isa. Ivii. I, 2.
» Zech. xiv. 6, 7, LXX. * Ps. xxii. iS. 6 Cant. V. I. 10 Isa. liii. 9,LXX.
554 RUFINUS.
And again, I
"
descended into tlie deep and entered into the holy City,"^ that city,
^
mire, where there is no bottom." More- which the Apostle says, "Jeru-
doubtless, of
over, Jolin says, "Art Thou He that sliall salem which is above is free, which is the
come (into hell, witliout doubt), or do ^sc Mother of us all." ^ As also he says again
look for another?"-' Whence also Peter to the Hebrews, " It became Him, for
things, and by Whom are all
" Christ Whom
says that being put to death in the are all
llesh, but quickened in the Spirit which things, Who had brought many sons into
dwells in Him, descended to the spirits who glory, to make the Author of their salvation
^
were shut up in prison, who in the days of perfect through sutlering." Sitting, there-
Noah believed not, to preach unto them " ^ ; fore, on the right hand of God in the high-
where als(j what lie did in hell is declared. est heavens, He placed there that human
Moreo\ er, the Lord says by the Prophet, as flesh, made through sufferings,
perfect
" Thou wilt which had fallen
though speaking of the future, by the lapse of
to death
not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou the first man, but was now restored by the
suHer Tliy Holy One to see corruption."
"*
virtue of the resurrection. Whence also the

Which again, in prophetic language he " Who hath raised us up
Apostle says,
" O and made us sit together in the
speaks of as actually fulfilled, Lord, together
TIkju hast brought my soul out of hell :
heavenly places."
*
For He was the potter.
Tluva hast saved me from them that go Who. as the Prophet Jeremiah teaches,
down into the pit," ' There follows next, — " took
up again with His hands, and
39. The third dav He rose again formed anew, as it seemed good to Him,
FiiOM THE DEAD. The glory of Christ's the vessel which had fallen from His
resurrection threw a lustre upon everything hands and was broken in pieces." And **
which before IkkI the appearance of weak- it seemed good to Him that the mortal
ness and frailty. If a while since it seemed and corruptible body w^hich He had as-
to you impossible that an immortal Being sumed, this body raised from the rocky
could die, you see now that He who has sepulchre and rendered immortal and
in-
overcome death and is risen again cannot be corruptible. He should now place not on
mortal. But understand herein the good- the earth but in heaven, and at His Father's
ness of the Creator, that so far as you by right hand. The Scriptures of the Old
sinning have cast yourself down, so far has Testament are full of these mysteries. No
He descended in following you. And do Prophet, no Lawgiver, no Psalmist is silent,
not impute lack of power to God, the Crea- but almost every one of the sacred pages
tor of all things, by imagining his work to speaks of them. It seems superfluous,
have ended in the fall into an abyss which therefore, to linger in collecting testimonies ;
He in His redemptive purpose was unable to yet we will cite some few remitting those who ,
reach. We
speak of infernal and supernal, desire to drink more largely to the well-
because we are bounded by the definite cir- springs of the divine volumes themselves.
cumference of the body, and are confined with- " I laid
30. It is said then in the Psalms,
in the limits of the region prescribed to us. me down and slept, and rose up again,
But to God, Who
is present everywhere and because the Lord sustained me."
^
Again,
absent nowhere, what is infernal and what in another place, " Because of the wretched-
supernal? Notwithstanding, through the as- ness of the needy and the groaning of the'
sumption of a body there is room for these poor, now will I arise, saith the Lord."
also. Thewhich had been deposited in And elsewhere, as we have said above, " O
flesh
the sepulchre, is raised, that that might be Lord, thou hast brought my soul out of
fullilled which was spoken by the Prophet, hell Thou hast saved me from them that go ;
" Thou wilt not sufier One to see down into the pit." And in another place, **
Thy Holy
c(jrruption."
"
He returned, therefore, a " Because Thou hast turned and quickened
victor from the dead, leading with Him the me, and brought me out of the deep of the
spoils of hell. For He led forth those who earth again."* In the Syth Psalm He is
were held in ca]5tivity by death, as He Him- most evidently spoken of: "He became as
self had foretold, when He said, " When a man without help, free among the dead."
'"
I shall be lifted
up from the earth I shall It is not said "a man," but "as a man."
draw all unto Me." To this the Gospel For in that He descended into hell. He was
'
bears witness, when it says, " The graves " as a man :" but He was "free among the
were opened, an<l many bodies of saints dead," because He could not be detained by
which slept arose, and appeared imto many,
s xviii. Ps. Ixxi. in.
Matt, xxvii. 1
53, 53. Jcrem. 4.
10
'
Ps. Ixix. 2. * Ps. xvi. 10. " Ps. xvi. 10. -Gal.iv.23. ePs. iii. s. Ps. lxxxviii.4, s.
2 Luke vii. 20. " Ps. XXX. 3. 'John xii, 3a. 3 Ileb. ii. 10. ' Ps. xii. S.
* 1 Pet. 10-20. * 6. * Ps. XXX. 3.
iii. Eph. ii.
death. And therefore in the one nature the men," ^ those gifts, namely, which Peter,
power of human weakness, in the other the in the Acts of the AjDostles, spoke of con-
power of divine majesty is exhibited. The cerning the Holy Ghost, " Being therefore by
Prophet Hosea also speaks most manifestly of the right hand of God exalted, He hath shed'
the third day in this wise," After two days He forth this gift which ye do see and hear."
will heal us but on the third day we shall He gave the gift of the Holy Ghost to men,
;
rise and shall live in His presence." This because the captives, '
the devil had whom
he says in the person of those who, rising before carried into hell through sin, Christ
with Him on the third day, are recalled by His resurrection from death recalled to
from death to life. And they are the same heaven. He ascended therefore into heaven,
persons who say, "On
day we not where God the Word had not been
the third
shall rise again, and His pres- before, for He was always in heaven, and
shall live in
ence." But Isaiah says plainly, " Who abode in the Father, but where the Word
brought forth from the ^ earth the great made flesh had not been seated before.
Sliepherd of the sheep." Then, that the Lastly, since this entrance within the gates
women were to see His resurrection, while of heaven seemed new to its ministers and
the Scribes and Pharisees and the people princes, they say to one another, on seeing
disbelieved, this also Isaiah foretold in these the nature of flesh penetrating into the secret
" Ye
words, women, who come from be- recesses of heaven, as David full of the Holy
" Lift
holding, come for it is a people that hath
:
Ghost, declares, up your gates, ye
no understanding." But as to the women
''
princes, and be ye lift up ye everlasting

who are related to have gone to the sepul- gates, and the King of glory shall enter in.
chre after the resurrection, and to have sought Who is the King of glory.? The Lord
Him without finding, as Mary Magdalene, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in bat-
^
who is related to have come to the sepul- Which words are spoken not with
tle."
chre before it was light, and not finding reference to the power of the divine nature,
Him, to have said, weeping, to the angels but with reference to the novelty of flesh
who were there, " They have taken away ascending to the right hand of God. The
the Lord, and I know not where they have same David says elsewhere,
" God hath
laid Him"'* even—this is foretold in the ascended jubilantly, and the Lord with the
Canticles: "On
my bed I sought Him sound of the trumpet."
"
For conquerors
Whom my soul loveth I sought Him in are wont to return from battle with
;
the
the night, and found Plim not."
^
Of those sound of the trumpet. Of Him also it is
also who found Him, and held Him by the said, buildeth up His ascent in "Who
feet, it is foretold, in the same book,
" I heaven."* And again, hath as- "Who
will hold Him my soulWhom
loveth, and cended above the cherubims, flying upon
will not let Him go."" Take these pas- the wings of the winds." ®
33. To sit at the right
sages, a few of many for being intent on;
hand of the Father
brevity we cannot heap together more. is a mystery belonging to the Incarnation.
31. He
ascended into Heaven, and For it does not befit that incorporeal nature
sitteth on the right hand of the without the assumption of flesh neither is ;
Father From thence

: He
shall come the excellency of a heavenly seat sought for
TO JUDGE the quick AND THE DEAD. the divine nature, but for the human.
These clauses follow with suitable brevity Whence it is said of Him, " Thy seat, O
at the end of this part of the Creed which God, is prepared from thence forward;
treats of the Son. What is said is plain, but Thou from everlasting."
art The seat, '
the question is how and in what sense it is then, whereon the Lord Jesus was to sit,
to be understood. For
ascend," and to to " was prepared from everlasting, " in whose
"sit," and to "come," unless you under- name every knee should bow, of things
stand the words in accordance with the in heaven and things on earth, and things
dignity of the divine nature, appear to point under the earth and every tongue shall
;
to something of human weakness. For confess to Him that Jesus is Lord in the
having consummated what was to be done glory of God the Father;"** of Whom
on earth, and having recalled souls from the also' David thus speaks, "The Lord said
captivity of hell, He is spoken of as ascend- unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand
ing up to heaven, as the Prop'êt had until I make Thine enemies Thy
footstool."'
foretold, " Ascending up on high He led Referring: to which words the Lord in the
and gave giftii unto " If therefore
captivity captive, Gospel said to the Pharisees,
Ps. Ixviii. 18. *Ps. xlviii. 5. ' Ps. xciii. 2.
iHoseavi.2. 3 jsa. xxvii. 11, LXX. ^Cant. iii. i. 2 Acts ii. 33. Ps. Ixxxix. 2, s phil. ii. 10, 11.
2 Heb. xiii. 20.
*Johnxx. 13.
6 Cant,
iii.4.
3 Ps. xxiv. 7, LXX. eps.xviii. 10. ^ps.cx. i.
556 RUFINUS.
David in spirit Ilim Lord, how is Ancient of

calleth and was brought near
days,
He his Son?" '
By which He shewed that before Him and there was given to Him
;
according to the Spirit He was the Lord, dominion, and honour, and a kingdom.
according to the flesh He was the Son, of And all peoples, tribes, and languages sliall
David. Whence also the Lord Himself says serve Him. And His dominion is an eter-
in another place, " Verily I say unto you, nal dominion which shall not pass away,
henceforth ye shall see the Son of Man bit-
'
and His kingdom shall not be destroyed."

ting at
"
the right hand of tlie
power of By these words we are tauglit not only of
God." And the Apostle Peter says of His coming and judgment, but of His
" Who is on the right hand of God, dominion and kingdoni, that His dominion
Clu'ist,
seated in tlie heavens."
^
And Paul also, is eternal, and His kingdom indestructible,
" without end; as said in the
writing to the Ephesians, According to it is Creed,'
" and His kingdom there shall be no
the working of the might of His power, of
which He wrought in Christ, when He end." So that one who says that Christ's
raised Him from the dead, and seated Him kingdom shall one day have an end is very
on His right hand."* far from the faith. Yet it behoves us to
33. That He shall come to judge the know tliat the enemy is wont to counterfeit
quick and the dead we are taught by many this salutary advent of Christ with cunning
testimonies of the divine Scriptures. But fraud in order to deceive the faithful, and
before we cite what the Prophets say on this in the place of the vSon of Man, Who is
point, we think it necessary to remind you looked for as coming in the majesty of His
that this doctrine of the faith would ha\e us Father, to prepare the Son of Perdition with
of
daily solicitous concerning the coming of the prodigies and lying signs, that instead
Judge, that we may so frame our conduct as Christ he may introduce Antichrist into the
having to give account to the Judge who is world of whom the Lord Himself warned ;
at hand. For this is what the Propliet said the Jews beforehand in the Gospels, " Be-
of the man who is blessetl, that, " He or- cause I am come in My Father's Name, and
When, ye received INIe not, another will come^ in his
"
dereth his words in judgment."
however. He is said to judge the quick and own name, and him ye will receive." And
the dead, tliis does not mean that some will again, *' VVhen ye shall see the abomination
come to judgment wlio are still living, others of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the
who are already dead but that He will Prophet, standing in the holy place, let him
;
judge both souls and bodies, where, by souls that readeth understand."* Daniel, there-
are meant " the quick," and the bodies " the fore, in his visions speaks very fully and
" but
dead as also the Lord Himself saith in amply of the coming of that delusion
;
:
the Gospel, " Fear not them who are al)lc it is not worth while to cite instances, for
to kill the body, but are not able to hurt the we have enlarged enough already; we
soul ;but rather fear Him who is able to therefore refer any one who may wish to
"
destroy both soul and body in Gehenna." know more concerning these matters to the
34. Now let us shew briefly, if
you will, visions themselves. The Apostle also
him-
that these things were foretold by the Proph- self says, " Let no man deceive you by any
ets. You will yourself, since you are so means, for that day shall not come except
minded, gather together more from the am- there come a falling away first, and that
ple range of the Scriptures. The Prophet man of sin be revealed, the Son of Perdi-
Malachi says, •' Behold tlie Lord Almighty tion, who opposeth and exalteth himself
shall come, and who sliall aiîde the day ot above everything that is called God, or that
His coming, or who shall abide the sight of is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the tem-
Him.'' For He doth come as the fire of a ple of God, shewing himself as though him-
furnace and as fuller's soap and He shall self were God."* And soon afterwards,
:
sit, rehning and purifying as it were gold "Then shall that wicked one be revealed,
and silver." ' But that thou mayest know whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the
more certainly Who this Lord is- of Whom breath of His mouth, and shall destroy with
these things are said, hear what the Prophet the brightness of His coming: whose com-
" I
Daniel also foretells saw," saith he, ing is after the working of Satan with
: all
" in the vision of the *
And
night, and, l)ehold, power and signs and lying wonders."
One like the Son of Man coming with the 1 Dan. vii.
clouds of heaven, and He came nigh to the 13, 14.
2 "The Creed" is cither the Constantinnpolitan, or, more
probably, that ol |erusaleni, with which Kutiiuis, as a Presbyter
*
IMatt. xxii. 4.?-45 ^ Ps. cxii. j. of tliat church, inust have been familiar. There is no reason
- iMatt. xxvi. 04 Luke xxii. 69.
;
" Matt. x. 28. to suppose that tlie clause was in the Creed of Aquileia.
3 Pet. 7 3 V. 4 V B 2Thess.
I iii. 22. Matt, iii. 1-3. John ii. 3, 4.
* Matt. xxiv. « 2 Tliess.
Jiph. j. 19, au. 15. ii. S, 9.
" And therefore In order, therefore, that the Persons may

again, shortly afterwards,
the Lord shall send unto them strong dehi- be distinguished, the terms expressing rela-
sion, that they may believe a lie, that all tionship (the properties) are varied, where-
may be judged who have not believed the by the first is understood to be the Father,
truth." For this reason, therefore, is this
'
of Whom are all things. Who Himself also
"delusion" foretold unto us by the words hath no Father, the second the Son, as born
of Prophets, Evangelists, and Apostles, lest of the Father, and the tliird the Holy Ghost,
any one should mistake the coming of Anti- as proceeding from both,' and sanctifying all
christ for the coming of Christ. But as the things. But that in the Trinity one and
Lord Himself says, " When they shall say the same Godhead may be set forth, since,
unto you, here He " in " we
lo, is Christ, or lo, is
prefixing the preposition say that
there, believe it not. For many false Christs we believe " in God the Father," so also we
and false prophets come and " in Christ His " in the
shall shall say, Son," so also
seduce many." But let us see how He
'
Holy Ghost." But our meaning will be

hath pointed out the judgment of the true made more plain in what follows. For the
Christ: " As the lightning shineth from the Creed proceeds, —
east unto the west, so shall the coming of the " The holy Church the for-
36. ;
Son of ]Mau be."' When, therefore, the giveness OF SIN, THE RESURRECTION OF
true Lord Jesus Christ shall come. He will THIS FLESH." It is not Said,
" hi the
holy
sit and set up his throne of judgment. As Church," nor " In the forgivness of sins,"
also He says in the Gospel, "He shall nor " /// the resurrection of the flesh." For
that is, if the preposition " in" had been added, it
*
sejDarate the sheep from the goats,"
the righteous from the unrighteous as the would have had the same force as in the
;
" We
must all stand before preceding articles. But now in those
Apostle writes,
the judgment-seat of Christ, that every man clauses in which the faith concerning the
may i"eceive the awards due to the body, Godhead is declared, we say " In God the
" In Jesus Christ His Son,"
according as he ^hath done, whether they be Father," and
good or evil." Moreover, the judgment and "/« the Holy Ghost," but in the rest,
will be not only for deeds, but for thoughts where we speak not of the Godhead but of
" Their creatures and
also, as the same Apostle saith, mysteries, the preposition
or else " in " is not added. do not say " We We
thoughts mutually accusing excusing
one another, in the day when God shall believe /;/ the holy Church," but " be- We
®
judge the secrets of men." But on these lieve the holy Church," not as God, but as
points let this suffice. Next follows in the the Church gathered together to God and
—
:
order of tlie faith, we believe that there is " forgiveness of

35. And in the Holy Ghost. What sins;" we do not say
"
believe in the "We
has been delivered above somewhat at large forgiveness of sins and we believe that ;
" Resurrection of the flesh "

concerning Christ relates to the mystery of there will be a ;
His Incarnation and of His Passion, and, by we do not say " Wê believe /;^ the resur-
thus intervening, as belonging to His Per- rection of the flesh." By this monosyllabic
son, has somewhat delayed the mention of preposition, therefore, the Creator is distin-
the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, if the divine guished from the creatures, and things divine
nature alone be taken into account, as in the are separated from things human.
" I believe This then is the Holy Ghost, who in the
beginning of the Creed we say
in God the Father Almighty," and after- Old Testament inspired the Law and the
" In
wards, Jesus Christ His only Son our Prophets, in the New the Gospels and the
Lord," so in like manner we add, "And in Epistles. Whence also the Apostle says,
the Holy Ghost." But all of these particu- "All Scripture given by inspiration of God is
lars which are spoken of above concerning profitable for instruction."
^
And therefore it
Christ relate, as we have said, to the dispen- seems proper in this place to enumerate, as we
sation of the flesh (to His Incarnation). have learnt from the tradition of the Fathers,
By the mention of the Holy Spirit, the mys- the books of the New and of the Old Testa-
tery of the Trinity is completed. For as ment, which, according to the tradition of our
one Father is mentioned, and there is no forefathers, are believed to have been inspired
other Father, and one only-begotten Son is by the Holy Ghost, and have been handed
mentioned, and there is no other only-begot- down to the Churches of Christ.
ten Son, so also there is one Holy Ghost, 37. Of the Old Testament, therefore, first
and there cannot be another H0I3' Ghost. of all tlicre have been handed down five
3 " " from the mouth of
Cor. V. Or, according to another reading,
'
1 Ibid. II, 12. Ibid. 27. 2 10.
2 Matt. xxiv. 23, 24.
* Matt. XXV, 32- * Rom. ii. IS, 16. God." » 3 Tim. iii. i6.
558 RUFINUS.
books o£ Moses, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, to the Holy Church. We have mentioned
Numbers, Deuteronomy Then Jesus Nave, above why the Creed does not say here, as
;
" Li the
(Joshua tlie son of Nun), The Book of in the preceding article, Holy
judges together with Ruth then four Church."
; They, therefore, w'ho were
"books of Kings (Reigns), which the taught above to believe in one God, under
Hebrews reckon two; the Book of Oinis- the mystery of the Trinity, must believe
sions, which is entitled the Book of Days this also, tliat there is one holy Church in
(Chronicles), and two books of Ezra (Ezra which there is one faith and one Ixiptism, in
and Nehemiah), which the Hebrews reckon which is believed one God the Father, and
one, and Esther; of the Prophets, Isaiah, one Lord Jesus Christ, His Son, and one
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel moreover Holy Ghost. This is that holy Church
;
of the twelve (minor) Prophets, one book which is without spot or wrinkle. For many
;
Job also and the Psalms of David, each one others have gathered together Churches,
book. Solomon gave three books to the as Alarcion, and Valentinus, and Ebion,
Churches, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles. and AIanicha3us, and Arius, and all the
These comprise the books of the Old Testa- other heretics. But those Churches are not
ment. without spot or wrinkle of unfaithfulness.
Of the New there are four Gospels, Mat- And therefore the Prophet saitl of them, " I
thew, Mark, Luke, John the Acts of the hate the Church of the malignants, and I
;
Apostles, written by Luke fourteen Epistles will not sit with the ungodly." But of this '
of the Apostle Paul, two of the Apostle Church which keeps the faith of Christ
Peter, one of James, brother of the Lord entire, hear what the Holy Spirit says in the
and Apostle, one of Jude, three of John, the Canticles, " My dove is one the perfect one ;
Revelation of John. These are the books of her mother is one." He then who re- '^
which the Fathers have comprised within ceives this faith in the Church let him not
the Canon, and from which they would turn aside in the Council of vanity, and let
have us deduce the proofs of our faith. him not enter in with those who practise
38. But it should be known that there are iniquity.
also other books which our fathers call not For Marcion's assemblv is a Council of
"Canonical" but "Ecclesiastical:" that is vanity in that he denies that the Father
to sav, Wisdom, called the Wisdom of Solo- of Christ is God, the Creator, who by His
mon, and another Wisdom, called the Son made the world. Ebion's is a Council
Wisdom of the Son of Syrach, which of vanity since he teaches that, while we
last-mentioned the Latins called by the gen- believe in Christ, we are withal to observe
eral title Ecclesiasticus, designating not the the circumcision of the flesh, the keeping
author of the book, but the character of the of the Sabbath, the accustomed sacrifices,
writing. To the same class belong the and all the other ordinances according to
Book of Tobit, and the Book of Judith, and the letter of the Law. Manichajus' is a
the Books of the Maccabees. In the New Council of vanity in regard of his teach-
Testament the little book which is called the ing; first in that he calls himself the Para-
Book of the Pastor of Hermas, [and that] clete, then that he says that the world
which is called The Two Ways,' or the was made by an evil God, denies God the
Judgment of Peter all of which they would Creator, rejects the Old Testament, asserts
;
have read in the Churches, but not appealed two natures, one good the other evil,
to for the confirmation of doctrine. The mutually opposing one another, aflfirms that
other writings they have named " Apocry- men's souls are co-eternal with God, that,
pha." These they would not have read in according to the Pythagoreans, they return
the Churches. through divers circles of nativity into cattle
These are the traditions which tlic Fathers and animals and beasts, denies the resurrec-
have handed down to us, which, as I said, tion of our flesh, maintains that the passion
I have thouglit it opportune to set forth in and
nativity of the Lord were not in the
this place, for the instructionof those who of flesh, but only in appearance.
verity
are being the first elements of the
tausflit It was the Council of vanity when Paul
Church and of the Faith, that they may of Samosata and his successor Photinus
know from what fountains of the Word of afterwards taught, that Christ was not born
God their draughts must be taken. of the Father before the world, but had His
39. We
come next in the order of belief beginning from Mary, and believed not that
being God He was born man, but that of
" The
p:irt of
> It is believed that this book forms
'roachinj^
of the Twelve Apostles " lately discovered and luiblishcd at
» Cant.
Constantinople.
>
Ps. xxvi. 5.
vi. Q.
man He was made God. It was the which he was born and, lastly, hopes that ;
Council of vanity when Arius and Eiinomius He will come the Judge of all, through
taught as their determinate opinion that the Whom also both the forgiveness of sins
Son of God was not born of tlie very sub- AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE FLESH
stance of the Father, Init was created out of are preached.
nothing, and that the Son of God had a 40. As to the Forgiveness of Sins, it
beginning, and is inferior to the Father ought to be enough simple to believe. For
;
moreover they affirm that the Holy Ghost who would ask the cause or the reason when
is not
only inferior to the Son, but is also a a Prince grants indulgence.'' When the lib-
ministering Spirit.' Theirs also is a Council erality of an earthlj' sovereign is no fit sub-
of vanity who confess indeed that the Son is ject for discussion, shall man's temerity
of the substance of the Father, but distin- discuss God's largess.'' For the Pagans are
guish and separate the Holy Spirit, while wont to ridicule us, saying that we deceive
yet the Saviour shews in the Gospel that the ourselves, fancying that crimes committed
power and Godhead of tlie Trinity are one in deed can be purged by words. And
and the same, saying, "Baptize all nations they say, " Can he who has committed
in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, murder be no murderer, and he who has
and of the Holy Ghost," ' and it is plainly committed adultery be accounted no adul-
impious for man to put asunder what God terer.'' How then shall one guilty of crimes
hath joined together. That also is the of this sort all of a sudden be made holy.'"'
Council of vanity which a pertinacious and But to this, as I said, we answer better by
wicked contention formerly gathered to- fcxith than by reason. For he is King of all
gether, affirming that Christ assumed human who hath promised it He is Lord of heaven
:
flesh indeed, but not a rational soul withal, and earth who assures us of it. Would
since Christ conferred one and the same you have me refuse to believe that He who
salvation on the flesh, and the animal soul, made me a man of the dust of the earth can
and the reason and mind of man. That also of a guilty person make me innocent? And
is the Council of vanity which Donatus that He who when I was blind made me
drew together throughout Africa, by charg- see, or when I was deaf made me hear, or
ing the Church with traditorship (deliver- lame walk, can recover for me my lost in-
ing up the sacred books), and with which nocence.'' And to come to the witness of
Novatus disturbed men's minds by denying Nature —
to kill a man is not always crimi-
the grant of repentance to the lapsed, anol nal, but to kill of malice, not by law, is
condemning second marriages, though con- criminal. It is not the deed then, in such
tracted possibly of necessity. All of these matters, that condemns me, because some-
then avoid as congregations of maKgnants. times it is rightly done, but the evil intention
Those also, if such there be, who are said to of the mind. If then my mind which had
assert that the Son of God does not see or been rendered criminal, and in which the
know the Father, as Himself is known and sin originated, is corrected, why should I
seen by the Father; or that the kingdom of seem to you incapable of being made inno-
Christ will have an end or that the flesh cent, who before was criminal? For if it is
;
will not be raised in the complete restoration plain, as I have shewn, that crime consists not
of its substance these also who deny that in \.\vi deed but in the will, as an evil will,
;
there will be a just judgment of God in re- promptetl by an evil demon, has made me
spect of all, and affirm that the devil will be obnoxious to sin and death, so the will
absolved from the punishment of damnation prompted by the good God, being changed
due to him. To all these, I say, let the be- to good, hath restored me to innocence and
liever turn a deaf ear. But hold fast by the life. It is the same also in all other crimes.
holy Church, which confesses God the In this way there is found to be no opposi-
Father Almighty, and His only Son, Jesus tion between our faith and natural reason,
Christ our Lord, and the Holy Ghost, of while forgiveness of sins is imputed not to
one concordant and harmonious substance, deeds, which when once done cannot be
believes that the Son of God was born of the changed, but to the mind, which it is certain
Virgin, suffered for man's salvation, rose can be converted from bad to good.
again from the dead in the same flesh in 41. This last article, which affirms the
Resurrection of the Flesh, concludes
1
Mittendarium, "-Miltendarii, Palatini qui in sacro Palatio
militahant, el in provincias extraordinarie mittebantur, a the sum of all perfection with succinct
Principe, lit eorum niandata perferrenl ," Officers attached to
the Palace, who were sent into the provinces by the Emperor brevity. Although on this point also the
on extraordinary occasions, as bearers of his orders. — Glos- faith of the Church is impugned, not only
sarium Maniiale ex Magnis Glossariis Du Fresne, etc.
i Matt, xxviii. ig. by Gentiles, but by heretics likewise. For
56o RUFINUS.
Valentinus altogether denies the resurrection fabric.'' Do you refuse to admit the fact
of the flesh, so do the Manicheans, as we when you see mortal ingenuity search for
shewed above. But they refuse to listen to veins of metal deeply buried in the ground,
the Prophet Isaiali when he says, "The dead and the experienced eye discover gold where
shall rise, and they who are in the graves the inexperienced thinks there is nothing but
shall be raised," or to most wise Daniel, earth Why should we refuse to grant
'
.''
when he declares, "Then they who are in these things to Him who made man, when
the dust of the earth shall arise, these to he whom He made can do so much ? And
eternal life, but those to shame and confu- when mortal ingenuity discovers that gold
sion."
*
Yet even in the Gospels, which has its own proper vein, and silver another,
they appear to receive, they ought to learn and that a far diflerent vein of copper, and
from our Lord and Saviour, Who says, diverse and distinct veins of iron and lead
when instructing the Sadducees, " As touch- lie concealed beneath what has the appeai-
ing the I'csurrection of the dead have ye not ance of earth, shall divine power be thought
:
read how lie saith to Moses in the Bush, I am unable to discover and distinguish the com-
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the ponent particles belonging to each man's
God of Jacob? Now God is not the God of flesh, even though they seem to be dis-
the dead but of the living." Where in what persed ?
'
goes before He declares what and how great 43. But let us endeavour to assist those
is the glory of the resurrection, saying, souls which fail in their faith through reasons
*'
But in the resurrection of the dead they drawn from nature. If one should mix dif-
will neither marry or be given in marriage, ferent sorts of seeds together and sow them
"
but will be as the angels of God." But the indiscriminately in the earth, will not the
virtue of the resuncction confers on men an grain of each several kind, wherever it may
angelical state, so that they who have risen have been thrown, shoot forth at the proper
from the earth shall not live again on the time in accordance with its own specific
earth with the brute animals but with angels nature so as to reproduce the condition of its
in heaven —
yet those only whose purer life own form and its own body.
has fitted them for this —
those, namely, who Thus then the substance of each individual
even now preserving the flesh of their soul flesh, though its particles have been vari-
in chastity, have brought it into subjection ously and diversely scattered, has within it
to the Holy Spirit, and thus with every stain an immortal principle, since it is the flesh
of sins done away and changed into spiritual of an immortal soul, and at the time which
glory by the virtue of santification, have God in His good pleasure shall appoint,
been counted worthy to have it admitted into there will be collected from the earth and
the society of angels. drawn to it, its own component particles,
" How can the which will be restored to that form which
42. But unbelievers cry,
flesh, which has been putrifiedand dissolved, death had formerly dissolved. And thus it
or changed into dust, sometimes also swal- will come to pass that to each soul will be
lowed up by the sea, and dispersed by the restored, not a confused or foreign body but
waves, be gathered up again, and again its own which it had when alive, in order
made one, and a man's body formed anew that the flesh together with its own soul may
"
out of it.'' To whom our first answer is in for the conflicts of the present life either be
Paul's words: " Thou fool, that which thou crowned if undefiled, or punished if defiled.
sowest is not quickened, except it die. And And accordingly our Church,' in teaching
that which thou sowest, tliou sowest not the the faith, instead of "the Resurrection of
body, which shall be, but bare grain of the flesh," as the Creed is delivered in other
wheat or of some other seed but God giveth Churches, guardedly adds the pronoun
:
it a
body as seemeth good to Ilim." Did "this" '''
—
"the resurrection of f/i/s flesh,"
" Of this," that is, no doubt, of the
you not believe that that which you see taking person
place every year in the seeds which you cast who rehearses the Creed, making the sign of
into the ground will come to pass in your the cross
upon his forehead, while he says
flesh which by the law of God is sown in the word, that each believer may know that
the earth.'' Why, pray, have you so mean his flesh, if he have kept it clean from sin,
an opinion of God's power that you do not will be a vessel of honour, useful to the
believe it possible for the scattered dust of Lord, prepared for every good work but, ;
which each man's flesh was composed to be if defiled by sins, that it will be a vessel of
re-collected and restored to its own original wrath destined to destruction.
' Is. xxvi. 19. * Mark xii. 26, 27. I Cor. XV. 36-3S.
* Dan. xii. 3. *
Matt. xxii. 30,
'
The Cluirch of Aquileia.
But now, concerning the glory of the out of your graves."

'
Let me recall, further,
resurrectionand the greatness of the promise how Job, who abounds in mystical lan-
by which God has bound Himself, if any guage, plainly predicts the resurrection of the
one desires to be more fully informed, he dead. "There is hope for a tree ;
for if it
will find notices ahnost all the divine be cut down it will sprout again, and its
in
volumes, out of which, simply by way of shoot shall never fail. But if its root have
bringing them to remembrance, we will waxed old in the earth, and the stock thereof
mention a few passages in the present be dead in tlie dust, yet through the scent of
place, and then make an end of the work water it will flourish again, and put forth
which you have enjoined. The Apostle shoots as a young plant. But man, if he be
Paul makes use of such arguments as the dead, is he departed and gone ? And mortal
following in asserting that mortal flesh will man, if he have fallen, shall he be no
rise again. " But if there be no resurrection more.''"^ Dost thou not see, that in these
of the dead, then is not Christ risen. And words he is appealing to men's sense of
if Christ be not risen, our preaching is vain shame, as it were, and saying, "Is mankind
and your faith is vain."* And presently so foolish, that when they see the stock of a
afterwards, "But now is Christ risen from tree which has been cut down shooting forth
the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep. again from the ground, and dead wood again
For since by man came death, by man came restored to life, they imagine their own case
also the resurrection of the dead. For as in to have no likeness to that of wood or
Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all trees ? " But convince you that Job's words
be made alive. But every man in his own are to be read as a question, when he says,
order. Christ the first-fruits, afterwards they " But mortal man when he hath fallen shall
"
that are Christ's at His coming, then cometh he not rise again take this proof from what
.''
^
the end." And afterways he adds, "Be- follows; for he adds immediately, "But it
" ^
hold I shew you a mystery : We
shall all a man be dead, shall he live.'* And pre-
rise indeed, but we shall not^ all be sently afterwards he says, " I will wait till
" *
changed;" or as other copies read, "We
I be made again ; and afterwards he re-
shall all sleep, indeed, but we shall not all peats the same: shall raise again "Who
be changed in a moment, in the twinkling upon the earth my skin, which is now
;
of an eye, at the last trump for the trumpet draining this cup of suffering.'"'*
;
shall sound, and the dead shall rise incor-

*
45. Thus much in proof of the profession
ruptible, and we shall be changed." How- which we make in the Creed when we say
" The resurrection of this flesh." As to the
ever, whichever be the true text, writing to
the Thessalonians, he " I would not addition " this," see how consonant it is
says,
have you ignorant, brethren, concerning with all that we have cited from the divine
those who ai*e asleep, that ye sorrow not, books. What else does Job signify in the
as the others who have no hope. For if we place which we explained above, " He will
believe that Jesus died and rose again, so raise again myskin, which is now draining
those also who sleep through Jesus shall God this cup of suffering, "that is, which is under-
bring with Him. For this we say unto you going these torments? Does he not plainl}-
by the word of the Lord, that we who are say that there will be a resurrection of this
alive and remain at the coming of the Lord flesh, this, I mean, which is now undergo-
shall not prevent them that sleep. For the ing the extremity of trials and tribulations.?
Lord Himself shall descend from heaven Moreover, when the Apostle says, "This
with a shout, with the voice of the arch- corruptible must put on incorruption, and
^
angel, with the trump of God, and the this mortal must put on immortality," are
dead who are in Christ shall rise first then not his words those of one who in a manner
:
we who are alive and remain shall be caught touches his body and places his finger upon
up together with them in the clouds to meet it.-* This body then, which is now corruptible,
Christ in the air, and so shall we ever be will by the grace of the resurrection be in-
with the Lord."' corruptible, and this which is now mortal
44. But that you may not suppose this to be will be clothed with virtues of immortality,
" Christ
a novel doctrine peculiar to Paul, I will ad- that, as rising from the dead dietli
duce also what the Prophet Ezekiel foretold no more, death hath no more dominion over
" ^
so those who shall rise in Christ
by the Holy Ghost. Behold," saith he, Him,"
" I will open your graves and bring you forth shall never again feel corruption or death.
1 I Cor. XV. 13, 14. * Ibid. 51,53. 1Ezek. xxxvii. < Ibid. ^ I Cor. XV. S3.
* Ibid.
30-24.
» I Thess. iv. 13-17. 'Job xiv. 7-10. "Job xxvi. 26, 27.
' Rom. vi. Q.
»A reading current in Rufinus' time. 'Job xiv. 14.
VOL. III. o o
562 RUFINUS.
not because the nature of flesh will have tain that Hewill change their bodies also
been cast off, but because its condition and into the glory of a spiritual body.
quality will have been changed. There will 47. Nor let this promise seem to you con-
be a body, therefore, which will rise from trary to the natural structure of the body.
the dead incorruptible and immortal, not For if we according to what is
believe,
only of the righteous, but also of sinners of ; written, that God
took clay of the earth and
the righteous that they may be able ever to made man, and that the origin of our body
abide with Christ, of sinners that they may was this, that, by the will of God, earth was
undergo without end the punishment due to changed into flesh, why does it seem absurd
them. to you or contrary to reason if, on the same
46. That the righteous shall ever abide principles on which earth is said to be ad-
with Christ our Lord we have proved above, vanced to an animal body, an animal body
where we have shewn that the Apostle says, in turn should be believed to be advanced to
" Then we which are alive and remain shall a These things and many
spiritual body.''
be caught up together with them in the like these you will find in the divine
clouds to meet Christ in the air, and so shall
Scriptures concerning the resurrection of the
we ever be with the Lord." And do not
righteous.
'
There will be given to sinners

also, as we said above, a condition of incor-
marvel that the flesh of the saints is to be
ruption and immortality at the resurrection,
changed into such a glorious condition at the
that, as God assigns this state to the right-
resurrection as to be caught up to meet God,
eous for perpetuity of glory, so He may as-
suspended in the clouds and borne in the air,
since the same Apostle, setting forth the
sign the same to sinners for prolongation of
great things which God bestows on them confusion and punishment. For this also
that love Him, says, " Who shall change the Prophet's words, which we referred to
our vile body that be made like unto above, state clearly: "Many shall rise from
it
may
His glorious body."^ nowise absurd the dust of the earth, some to life eternal, and
It is
'
then, if the bodies of the saints are said to others to confusion and eternal shame."
be raised up into the air, seeing that they 48. If then we have understood in what
are said to be renewed after the image of august significance God Almighty is called
Christ's body, which is seated at God's right Father, and in what mysterious sense our
hand. But this also the holy Apostle adds, Lord Jesus Christ is held to be His only
speaking either of himself or of others of his Son, and with what entire perfection of
own place or merit, " He will raise us up meaning His Spirit is called the Holy Spirit,
together with Christ and make us sit to- and how the Holy Trinity is one in sub-
^
gether in the heavenly places." Whence, stance but has distinctions of relation and
since God's saints have these promises and of Persons, what also is the birth from a
an infinite number like them respecting the Virgin, what the nativity of the Word in
resurrection of the righteous, it will now not the flesh, what the mystery of the Cross,
be difficult to believe those also which the what the purpose of our Lord's descent into
" the
Prophets have foretold, namel}'^, that hell, what the glory of the Resurrection, and
righteous shall shine as the sun and as the the delivery of souls from their captivity in
brightness of the firmament in the kingdom the infernal regions, what also His ascension
of God."* For who will think it diflicult into heaven, and the expected advent of the
that they should have the brightness of the Judge moreover how the holy Church ought
;
sun, and be adorned with the splendour of to be acknowledged as opposed to the con-
the stars and of this firmament, for whom the gregations of vanity, what is the number of the
life and conversation of God's angels are sacred Volume, what conventicles of here-
being prepared in heaven, or who are repre- tics ought to be avoided, and how in the
sented as being hereafter to be conformed to forgiveness of sins there is no opposition
the glory of Christ's body.? In reference to whatever between the divine freedom and
which glory, promised by the Saviour's natural reason, and how not only the sacred
mouth, the holy Apostle says, "It is sown oracles but also the example of Lord and
as an animal body it will rise a
spiritual Saviour Himself, and the conclusions of nat-
;
*
For if it is true, as it certainly is ural reason, confirm the truth of the resur-
body."
true, that God will vouchsafe to associate rection of our flesh; if, I say, we have —
every one of the righteous and of the saints intelligently followed these in succession
in companionship with the angels, it is cerin accordance with the rule of the tradition
hereinbefore expounded, we pray that the
1 1 Thess. iv. 17- * Matt. xiii. 43.
» Phil. iii. 21. • ICor. XV. 44.
^
Eph. ii. 6. >
Dan. xii, 2.
PREFACE TO THE RECOGNITIONS OF CLEMENT. 563
Lord will grant to us, and to all who hear and be delivered from confusion and eternal
these words, that having kept the faith shame, through Clirist our Lord, through
which we have received, having finished our Whom
to God the Father Almighty with
course, we may await the crown of right- the Holy Ghost is glory and dominion for
eousness laid up for us, and be found among ever and ever. Amen.
those who shall rise agam to eternal life,
THE PREFACE TO THE BOOKS OF RECOGNITIONS OF ST. CLEMENT

Addressed to Bishop Gaudetithis.
(For the occasion and date' of this work see the Prolegomena, p. 412.)
You possess so much vigour of character, who are as my own soul, I present to you
my dear Gaudentius, you who are so signal Clement returning to Rome. I present him
an ornament of our teachers, or as I dressed in a Latin garb. Do not think it
would rather say, you have the grace of strange if the aspect which his eloquence
the Spirit in so large a measure, that even presents is less bright than it might be. It
what you say in the way of daily conversa- makes no difference if only the meaning is
tion, or of addresses that you preach in felt to be the same.
church,^ ought to be consigned in writing These are foreign wares, then, which I am
and handed down for the instruction of pos- importing at a great expense of labour and ;
terity. But I am far less quick, my native I have still to see whether our countrymen
talent being but slender, and old age is will regard with gratitude one who is brmg-
already making me sluggish and slow and ingthem the spoils (spolia) of his warfare, and
;
this work is nothing but the payment of a who is unlocking with the key of our language
debt due to the command laid upon me by a treasure house hitherto concealed, though he
the virgin Sylvia whose memory I revere. does it with the utmost good will. I only
She it was who demanded of me, as you trust that God may look favourably on your
have now done by the right of heirship, to good wishes, so that my present may not be
translate Clement into our language. The met in any quarter by evil eyes and envious
debt is paid at last, though after many de- looks and that we may not witness that ex-
;
It is a part of the booty, and in my tremely monstrous phenomenon,

lays. expressions
opinion no small one, which I have carried of illwill on the part of those on whom the
oft' from the libraries of the Greeks, and gift is conferred, while those from whom it is
which I am collecting for the use and ad- taken part with it ungrudgingly. It is but
vantage of our countrymen. I have no food right that you, who have read this work in
of my own to bring them, and I must import the Greek should point out to others the de-
their nourishment from abroad. However, sign of my translation —
unless indeed, you
foreign goods are apt to appear sweeter ;
feel that in some respects I have not ob-
and sometimes they are really more useful. served the right method of rendering the
Moreover, almost anything which brings original. You are, I believe well aware
healing to our bodies or is a defence against that there are two Greek editions of this
disease or an antidote to poison comes from work of Clement, his Recognitions that
;
abroad. Judsea sends us the distillation of the there are two sets of books, which in some
balsam tree, Crete the leaf of the dictamnus, few cases differ from each other though the
Arabia her aromatic flowers, and Lidia the bulk of the narrative is the same. For In-
crop of the spikenard. These goods come stance, the last part of the woi-k, that which
to us, no doubt, in a less perfect condition gives an account of the transformation of
than those which our own fields produce, but Simon Magus, exists in one of these, while
they preserve intact their pleasant scent and in the other it is entirely absent. On the
their healing power. Therefore, my friend other hand there are some things, such as the
1 The date is after the Peroration to the Epistle to the dissertation on the unbegotten and the be-
Romans (see p. 56S) but it seemed better not to divide the gotten God, and a few others,
;
Prefaces, etc., to the translations of Origen's Commentaries.

which, though
* Si
quid in Ecclesia declamatur,
I
they are found in both editions, are, to say

O o 2
564 RUFINUS.
the least of them, beyond my understanding the city of; Rome before Clement. How
and these I have preferred to leave others then, some men
ask, can Clement in his
to deal with rather than to present them in letter to James say that Peter passed over to
an inadequate manner. As to the rest, I have him his position as a church-teacher.' The
taken pains not to swerve, even in the slight- explanation of this point, as I understand,
est decree from either the sense or the die- is as follows. Linus and Cletus were, no
tion ;
and this, though it makes the expres- doubt. Bishops in the city of Rome before
sion less ornate, renders it more faithful. Clement, but this was in Peter's life-time ;
There is a letter in which this same Clem- that is, they took charge of the episcopal
ent writing to James the Lord's brother, work, while he discharged the duties of the
gives an account of the death of Peter, and apostolate. He is known to have done the
says that he has left him as his successor, as same thing at Ca3sarea ; for there, though he
ruler and teacher of the church and further was himself on the spot, yet he had at his side
;
incorporates a whole scheme of ecclesiasti- Zacchieus whom

he had ordained as Bishop.
cal government. This I have not prefixed to Thus we may see how both things may be
the work, both because it is later in point of true namely how they stand as predecessors
;
time, and because it has been previously of Clement in the list of Bishops, and yet how
translated and published by me. Neverthe- Clement after the death of Peter became his
less, there is a point which would perhaps successor in the teacher's chair. But it is
seem inconsistent with facts were I to place time that we should pay attention to the be-
the translation of it in this work, but which I ginning of Clement's own narrative, which
do not consider to involve an impossibility. he addresses to James the Lord's brother.
It is this. Linus and Cletus were Bishops of I CatAedram docendi.
PREFACE TO THE TRANSLATION OF THE SAYINGS OF XYSTUS.

Composed at Aquileia about the year JO'J A.D.
(For the questions relating to Xystus see the Prolegomena, p. 412.)
RUFINUS TO APRONIANUS, HIS OWN FRIEND.
I know that, just as the sheep come gladly weak in intellect. And the whole work is
when their own shepherd calls them, so in so concise that it would be possible for her
matters of religion men atteiid most gladly never to let go of it. The entire book would
to the admonitions of a teacher who speaks hardly be bigger than the finger ring of one
their language and therefore, my very of oiu" ancestors. And indeed it seems but
own :
dear Apronianus, when that pious lady who right that one who has learnt throusrh the
is my daughter but now your sister in Christ, word of God to count as dross the ornaments
had laid her commands on me to compose of the world should now receive at my hands
for her a treatise of such a nature that its by way of ornament a necklace of the word
understanding should not require any great and of wisdom. For the jDresent let this little
effort, I translated into Latin in a very book sei^ve for a ring and be kept constantly
open and plain style the work of Xystus, in the hands: but it will not be long before
who is said to be the same man who at it will penetrate into the treasure house and
Rome is called Sixtus, and who gained be wholly laid up in the heart, and bring
the glory of being both bishop and martyr. fcMth from its innermost chamber the germs of
I think that, when she reads this, she will instruction and of a participation in all good
find it expressed with such brevity that a vast works. I have added further a few choice
meaning is unfolded in each several line, sayings addressed by a pious father to his
with such power that a sentence only a line son, but all so succinct that the whole of this
long would suflice for a whole life's training, little work may rightly be called in Greek
and yet with such simplicity that one who the Enchiridion^ or in Latin the Annulus.*
looked over tlie shoulder of a girl as she read
it might cûestion whether I Avcre not quite 1 A thing- held in the hand. » A ring.
PREFACE TO BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 565
PREFACE TO THE TWO BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, ADDED

BY RUFINUS TO HIS TRANSLATION OF EUSEBIUS.
Addressed to Chromatms, Bishop of Aquileia^ A.D. 401.
(For the occasion of writing, and the date, see Prolegomena, p. 412.)
It is the custom, they say, of skilful phy- you were a scion of the Apostolic order, you
sicians, when they perceive that some epi- had possibly acted in i-emembrance of Philip's
demic disease is near at hand in one of our example, and that, when you saw that the
cities, to provide some kind of medicine, time was come for the multitudes to be fed,
whether solid or liquid, which men may use you had engaged the sei'vices of a little lad
as a preventative to defend themselves from who might be able to contribute, twice told,
the destruction which is hanging over them. the five loaves^ which he had received, but
You have imitated this method of the doctors, who further, to fulfil the Gospel type, might
my venerable Father, Chromatins, at the add two small fishes * which he had captured
moment when the gates of Italy were broken by his own efforts. I have therefoi-e made the
through by Alaric the commander of the attempt to execute what you had ordered, hav-
Goths, and thus a disease and plague poured ing the assurance that the deficiency of my
in upon us, which made havoc of the fields inexperience would be excused on account of
and cattle and men throughout the land. the authority of him who gave the command.
You then sought a remedy against the cruelty I must point out the course I have taken
and destruction, so that the minds of men in reference to the tenth book of this work.
which were languishing might be drawn As it stands in the Greek, it has little to do
away from the contagion of the prevailing with the process of events. All but a small
malady, and might preserve their balance part of it is taken up with discussions tend-
through an interest in better pursuits. This ing to the praise of particular Bishops, and
you have done by enjoining on me the task adds nothing to our knowledge of facts. I
of translating into Latin the ecclesiastical have therefore left out all this superfluous
history which was written in the Greek lan- matter; and, whatever in it belonged to gen-
guage by that most learned man, Eusebius of uine history I have added to the ninth book,
Ctesarea. You thought that the mind of with which I have made his history close.
those who heard it read to them might be so The tenth and eleventh books I have myself
held fast by it that, in its eager desire for the compiled, partly from the traditions of the
knowledge of past events, it might to some former generation, partly from facts within
extent become oblivious of their actual suf- my own memory and these I have added to
;
ferings. I tried to excuse myself from the the previous books, like the two fishes to the
task, as being, through my weakness unequal loaves. If you bestow your approval and
to it, and as having in the
lapse of years lost benediction upon them, I shall have a sure
the use of the Latin tongue. But I reflected confidence that they will suffice for the mul-
that your commands were not to be divari- titude. The work as now completed con-
cated from your position in the Apostolic tains the events from the Ascension of the
order. For, at the time when the multitude Saviour to the present time my own two ;
in the desert were hungering, and the Lord books those from the days of Constantine
said to his Apostles, " Give ye them to eat," when the persecution came to an end on to
Philip who was one of them instead of the death of the Emperor Theodosius.
bringing out the loaves which were hid in
the wallet of the Apostles, said that there The following note occurs at the end of the ninth
was a little lad there who had five loaves and book of Rufinus' Latin Version of Eusebius.
two fishes. He knew that the exhibition of Thus far Eusebius has given us the record
the divine virtue would be none the less
of the history. As to the subsequent events,
brilliant if the ministry of some of the little
as they have followed on up to the present
ones were used in its fulfilment. He mod-
" What time, as I have found them recorded in the
estly excused his action by adding, of the last generation, or so far as
are these among so many?" So that the writings
are covered by my own knowledge, I
divine power might be more conspicuous they
will add them, obeying, as best I may, in
through tne difficult and desperate circum- this
stances in which it acted. point also the commands of our father
I felt that, since
in God.^*
1
That the ten books of Eusebius' History. s That the two books hy Rufinus.
is, is, -^^^Â » Chromatius,
566 RUFINUS.
RUFINUS' PREFACE TO THE TRANSLATION OF ORIGEN'S

COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 36, 37. AND 38.
Addressed to Apronianus^ either at Rome or at Aguileia, between A.Z). jgS and
A.D. 407.
The whole exposition of the thirty-sixth, sion of the meaning of the author, which is
thirty-seventh and thirty-eighth Psahns is here fully laid open, and to bring home to
ethical in its character, being designed to him the simplicity of life which he enjoins
enforce more correct methods of life and ;
with clearness of thought and in simple
teaches at one time tlie way of conversion words and thus the voice of prophecy may
;
and repentance, at another that of purifica- reach not men alone but also god-fearinsf
tion and of progress. I have therefore women, and lend subtlety to the minds of the
thought it well to translate it into Latin for simple. Yet I fear that that pious lady, who
you, my dearest son Apronianus, having is my daughter but your sister in Christ, may
first arranged it in nine of the short sermons think that she owes me no thanks for my
which are called in Greek Homilies, and in- work brings her nothing but puzzling
if it
corporated it into one whole and thus this ;

thoughts and thorny questions for the
:
discourse which in all its parts aims at the human body could hardly hold together if
correction and the advancement of the moral divine providence had formed it of bones and
X\'iQ.^ is collected into a single volume. My muscles alone without blending with them
translation will at all events be of use so far the ease and grace of the softer tissues.
as to put the reader without effort in posses-
1 A Roman noble converted by Rufinus and Melania, with the latter of whom he was connected.
RUFINUS' PREFACE TO THE TRANSLATION OF ORIGEN'S COM-

MENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.
Addressed to HeracUus at Aquileia about A.D. 407.
My intention was to press the shore of the such depth that one who follows him into it
quiet land in the little bark in which I was may well be afraid of being drowned in the
sailing, and to draw out a few little fishes greatness of his thoughts as in the vastness
from the pools of Greece : but you have of the waves. Then also you do not con-
compelled me, brother Heraclius, to give sider this, that my breath is but scanty for
my sails to the wind and go forth into the filling a grand trumpet of eloquence like his.
deep sea you persuade me to leave the work And beyond all these difficulties is this, that
;
which lay before me in the translation of the the books themselves have been interpolated.
homilies written by the Man of Adamant '
In almost all the libraries (I grant that no
in his old age, and to open to you the fifteen one can tell how it happened) some of the
volumes in which he discussed the Epistle volumes are absent from the body of the
of Paul to the Romans. In these books, work and to supply these, and to restore
;
while he aims at representing the Apostle's the continuity of the work in the Latin
thoughts, he is carried away into a sea of version is beyond my talent, but would be,
as you must know when you make your
* Or man of steel
(it might also be translated, Tho in-
:
domitable); a name jîven to Origcn, :in account of the fjreat- demand,

a special gift of God. You add,
ness of liis labours. It is said by Wcstcott (Diet, of Xtn. Biog.
however, so that nothing may be w^nnting
"Ori2:en ") to have been adopted by Origcn himself, and to form
part of liis real name. to the labour I am undertaking, that I had
PERORATION OF RUFINUS. 567
better abbreviate this whole body of fifteen work must be. I will, however, attempt it,
vokimes, which in the Greek reaches to the hoping that through your prayers, and the
length of forty thousand lines or more, and favour of the Lord, what seems impossible to
bring it within moderate compass. Your in- man may become possible. But we will now,
junctions are hard indeed, and might be if you please, listen to the Preface whicli
thought to be imposed by one who did not Origen himself prefixes to the work on which
care to consider what the burden of such a he was entering.
THE PERORATION OF RUFINUS APPENDED TO HIS TRANSLATION OF

ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.
Addressed to Hei'acUus at Aqtiilcia^ probably about 40Y.
A satisfactory conclusion has now, I trust, there will have been notliing but pleasure in
been reached of the Commentary on the these labours, provided only that my experi-
Epistle to the Romans, the writing of which ence in other cases, of ill-disposed minds
has been a work of very great labour and time. requiting my toils and vigils with contumely,
I confess, my most loving brother Pleraclius, be not repeated and that I do not
gain for
that in the attempt to respond to your request my studies the reward of detraction and for
I have almost forgotten the precept; "Do
my labour a conspiracy to ruin me. For
not lift a burden above your strength." Even in dealing with these men I have to un-
in the other translations of Origen's works dergo a new form of accusation. They say
into Latin, which were made because you to me When
you write these things, in which
;
earnestly requested it, or rather exacted it as are found many pieces the composition 01
a journeyman's task, the labour was very which is due to yourself, you should place your
great for I made it my object to supplement own name in the title, and let it run thus:
;
what Origen spoke extempore in the lecture ' The books of Rufinus' commentary on(for
room of the church; for his aim there was instance) the Epistle to the Romans ' for so, ;
the application of the subject for the sake of they sa}', in the case of profane writers, the
edification rather than the exposition of the name in the title is not that of the Greek
text. This I have done in the case of the author who is translated but of the Latin
Homilies, and the short lectures on Genesis author who translates him. But all this
and Exodus, and especially in those on the complaisance, by which the works are as-
book of Leviticus, where he spoke in a cribed to me, is caused not by love to me
hortatory manner, whereas my translation but by hatred to the author. I am much
takes the form of an exposition. This duty more observant of my conscience than of my
of supplying what was wanted I took up be- reputation ; it may be apparent that I have
cause I thought that the jDractice of agitating added some things to supply what was want-
questions and then leaving them unsolved, ing; and that I have abbreviated what was
which he frequently adopts in his homiletic too lengthy ;
but to steal the title from the
mode of speaking, might prove distasteful to man who laid the foundations on which the
the Latin reader. The works upon Jesus buildinsT has been reared is what I cannot
Nave ^ and the book of Judges and the thirty- think right. It must be, I grant, in the
sixth, thirty-seventh and thirty-eighth Psalms, discretion of the reader, when he has ex-
I translated simply as I found them, with amined the work, to ascribe the work to any
no gfreat labour. While then in the other one he thinks I'lght but my intention has
;
cases have mentioned above, I em-

which I been not to seek the applause of students but
ployed much labour in supplying what the good of those who wish to be edified.
Origen had omitted, in this work on the I shall turn next to the work which was
Epistle to the Romans the labour that fell on long ago imposed upon me but now is de-
me for the causes described in the Preface manded with still greater vehemence by the
was immense and full of complexity. But Bishop Gaudentius, namely to turn into
Latin the books called the Recognition of
1
Joshua. Clement the Bishop of Rome, the successor
568 RUFINUS.
and companion of the Apostles. In this shall afterwards return to that which you
work I well know that, to judge by the ordi- desire, and say something, God willing, on
nary rule, I shall have labour upon labour. the books of Numbers or of Deuteronomy
In this case I will do what my friends desire, (for this alone is wanting to my whole work
I will put my own name in tlie title of the on the Heptateuch) or else I shall write :
work, though I shall have that of the author what I can, the Lord being my guide, on the
also. It shall be called Rufmus's Clement. remaining epistles of the Apostle Paul.
If the Lord enable me to fulfil this task, I
PREFACE TO ORIGEN'S HOMILIES ON NUMBERS.

Addressed to Ursacius.^ Written in 410.^
My dear brother, I might rightly address ings such as are called Excerpts,' and to trans-
you in the words of the blessed master, "You late them into the Roman tongue. You
do well, dearest Donatus, in reminding me urged me to do this, Ursacius, and aided me
of this;" for I well remember my promise with all your might, indeed, so eager were
that I would collect all that Adamantius you, that you thought the youth who acted
wrote in his old age on the Law of Moses, as secretary too slow in the execution of his
and translate it into Latin for the use of our ofiice. I wish, however, to point out to
people. But, as he says, the season was not you, my brother, that the object of this
seasonable for the fulfilment of my promise, method of studying scripture is not to deal
but was full of storm and confusion. How with each clause separately, as you find done
can the pen move freely when a man is in in commentaries, but to open up a path for
fear of the missiles of the enemy, when he the understanding, so that the reader mav
not be made negligent, but as it is written
'*
has before his eyes the devastation of cities
" "
and country, when he has to fly from dangers may stir up his own spirit and draw out
of the sea, and there is no safety even in exile ? the meaning, and, when he has heard the
As you yourself saw, the Barbarian was good word, may add to it
by his own wisdom.
within sight of us he had set fire to the
;
In this wav I have tried to give all the ex-
city of Rhegium, and our only protection positions which you desired; and now of all
against him was the very narrow sea which the writings that I have found upon the Law
separates the soil of Italy from Sicily. the short comments upon Deuteronomy alone
In
such a position, what leisure could there be are wanting these, if God so will, and if he
;
for writing, and especially for translating, restores my eye-sight, I hope to add to the
a work in which one's duty is not to develop body of the work. Indeed, my very loving
one's own opinions but to express those of son Pinianus, whose truly Christian com-
another? However, when there was a quiet pany I have joined in their flight because of
night, and our minds were relieved from the my delight in their chaste conversation,
fear of an attack by the enemy, and we got requires yet other tasks from me. But do
at least some little leisure for thought, I set you and he join your prayers that the Lord
to work, as a solace from our troubles, and may be present with us, and may give peace
to relieve the burden of our pilgrimage, to in our time, and shew mercy to those who
gether into one and arrange all that Origen are in trouble, and make our work fruitful for
had written on the book of Numbers, tlie edification of the reader.
whether in the way of homilies or in writ-
1
Nothing more is known of Ursacius than is to be jjathered from the mention of hiin here.
2 The date is fixed
liy
the burning- of Rhegium by Alaric, who intended to invade Sicily, but his transports were scattered
'oy a storm a.ul he liimscit died soon after. See Gibbon cli. xxxi.
Possibly from Ps. Ixxvii, 7.
*
3
Apparently a longer style of note.
INDICES.
THEODORET.
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
Abbott, Dr. E. A., 103 n., 104 n. Amathus, 1 28 n. Apringius, 337.

Abcavius, 94 n. Ambrosius, bp. of Milan, 41 n., 52 n., Aquilinus, 248, 260, 347.
Abdas, bp., 157. 81 n., 85 n., no, III, 129, 137, Arbogastes, 149 n.
Abraames, 128. 141, 143, 144, 14s, 146, 174, Arcadia, 155 n.
Abraham, robber of church prop- 205, 238, 315, 332, 340, 343. Arcadius, 142, 126 n., 145 n., 151,
erty, 252. Amegetius, 102. 152.
Abraham the CEconomus, 288. Ammianus Marcellinus, 78 n., 91 n., Archibius, 268.
Abramius, 294, 296. 93 ^-f 99 n., 102 n., 104 n., 106 Areobindas, 259.
Abundius, bp. of Como, 347. n., 128 n., 130 n. Ares, 106.
Acacius, bp. of Csesarea, 70, 87, 89, Ammonius, 41, 75. Ariminum, 83, 87.
92. Amphilochius, bishop of Tconium, Arintheus, 1 30.
Acacius, bp. of Beroea, 128, 134, 136, 114, 129, 136, 142, 181, 208, Aristolaus, 346.
I49» 151. 15311-. 290, 292. 239, 315. 332. Aristophanes, 97 n.
Acacius, presbyter, 289. Amphion, 56. Aristotle, 41 n., 194 n., 255 n., 329 n.
Acacius, bp. of Melitene, 336. Anagamphus, 75. Arius, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 42 n., 50 n.,
Acepsemas, 128. Anastasia, Church of, 136. 51, 52, 54, 56, 65, 75, 84, 92,
Achillas, archbishop of Alexandria, Anastasius, bp. of Rome, 148, 149. 108, 122, 123, 135, 138, 139,
34. Anatolius, bp. of Constantinople, 9 n. 159, 258, 278, 287, 291, 295,
Achillas, Arian deacon, 35, 38, 40, Anatolius, the patrician, 8, 275, 284, 313, 314, 325, 326, 327, 339,
41. 290, 296, 297, 307. 340, 342, 343. 346-
Accemetre, 309 n. Ancilla;, or ministrse, in Pliny's letter, Arius the deacon, 41.
Adelphius, 75, 114, 115. 100 n. Arsacius, 332 n.
Adrianople, Battle of, 131. Ancyra, 86 n. Arsenius, 62, 63, 69.
.^desius, 58, 154 n. Andiberis, 295. Artemas, 38.
^lia, 63, 87 n. Andreas, bp. of Samosata, 259, 300 Artemius, 102.
^mona, 142, 149. n-. 336, 346. Ascholius, 137.
/Emilianus, martyr, 60 n., 97. Andreas, monk of Constantinople, Asclepas, lip. of Gaza, 62, 67, 68, 69,
Aerius, 260, 269. 310, 345 n. 70. 77-
yEschylus, 97, 114 n., 260. Andronicus, presbyter of Antioch, Asclepiades, 113.
Aetius, bp. of Lydda, 41, 57, 135. 13- Aspar, 308.
Aetius, conqueror of Attila, 293 n. Anemius, 137, Asterius, bp. of Petra in Arabia, 70.
Aetius the Anomcean, 41 n., 82 n, 85, Anthropomorphism, 1 14 n. Athanasius, bp. of Anazarbus, 41.
88, 89, 90. Antinoupolis, 1 18. Athanasuis, archbp. of Alexandria,
Agapetus, bp. of Apamea, 128, 151, Antioch, succession of bishops at, 57. 41 n., 42 44, 45 n., 56 n.,
n.,
Agapius, bp., 75. Antioch, riots at, 145. 57 n., 58, 62 n., 65, 66,
60, 61,
Agapius, presbyter, 266. Antioch ia Mygdonia, 91. 67, 68, 69, 72-78, 83, 84, 86 n.,
Agathias, 60 n. Antiochus, bp. of Ptolemais, 21 1. 94. 95. 97. 98, 108, 120, 128,
Aithales, 41. Artiochus, prsefect, 285. 135, 174, 178, 237, 257, 280,
Alaric, 149 n. Antiochus, presbyter, 117. 315. 331 n-. 332, 343-
Alcinous, 260. Anthony, Saint, 5in., 91 n., 121, 128. .\thanasius, bp. of Perrha, 264, 301
Alexander, officer of imperial house- Antiphonal singing, 85. n-.323. 336 n-
hold, 309 n. Anytus, 258. Athanasius, orator, 259.
Alexander, archbishop of Alexandria, Apamea ad Orontem, 133. Athenius, 323.
34, 35,41. 47, 51, 52, 60, 280, Apella, 295. Athenodorus, 75.
315. 332- Apellion, 260. Atticus, bp. of Constantinople, 154,
Alexander, bishop of Byzantium, 34, Aphthonms, 299. 213. 315.332-
35.55- Apion, 40, 52. Attila, 156 n.
.Vloxander, bishop of Antioch, 96, Aphraates, monk, 127, 128.
i, Audeeus, 114.
154. '55. ?290. Apollinarius, 132, 133, 138, 139, Augustus, 96 n.
Alexander, bp. of Hierapolis, 6, 341, 159, 160, 182, 214, 242, 288, Aurelia Eusebia, 79.
345. 346. 294. 313. 314. 324> 327. 334. Aurelianus, 60 n., 153 n.
Alexander, King of Epirus, 106 n, 339. 340. 344. 346. Auxentius of Milan, 79, 81, 83, 84,
Alexander the coppersmith, 160. Apollo, Shrine of, 98. no.
Alexnndra, 254, 2S6. Apollo, 104 n. Avitus, 128.
Alexandria, 34, 35, 89. ApoUonia, 89 n. .\xum, 58 n.
Alford, dean, 17, 37 n., 32 J n. ApoUonius of Tyana, 106 n, Al/d, 169.
y\lypius, 294, 296. Apollonius comes Sacrarum Largiti-
Amantius, 1 13. onium, 271, 287. Babylas, martyr, 94 n., 98.
572 THEODORET.
Bacarius, 149 n. Cheetham, archd., 109 n., Ii2n. Cyzicus, 88, 90.
Bacurius King, 58 n. Chilon of Sparta, 329. Cyrus, bp. of Berrea, 77.
Banicia, 86 n. Chosroes Nushirvan, 1 14 n. Cyrus, presbyter, 291 n.
Bardesanes, 288, 299, 312, 313, 314, Chrestus, bp. of Nicrea, 56. Cyrus Magistrianus, 253, 306.
327- Christian, name of, 320 n. Cyrus, the younger, 97 n.
Barca, 44 n. Chromatius, bp. of Aquileia, 9 n. Cyrus, town and diocese, 3.
Baronius, 18, 45 n., 56 n., 81 n., 108 Chrysaphius, the Eunuch, 7, 9, 156 n., Xecf>orovia,125.
n., 277 n., 342 n., 346 n. 304- Xpn/âriCo, 37 n.
Barses, 117, 134. Chrysostom, 9 n., 33 n., 85 n., 98, Xpia-e/iTTopia, 35 n,
Barsumas, 7, 323. loi n., 102 n., 107 n., 130 n.,
Basil, advocate, 129 n. 145 n., 151, 1 52, 153, 154, 209, Dadastane, 1 10.
Basil, of Ancyra, 82 n., 86. 241, 283, 331, 332, 343. Dadoes, 1 14.
Basilides, 288, 313. Cicero, 53 n., 104 n. Daemon, 201 n.
Basiliscus, martyr, 154. Cilicia, 44 n. Dalmatius, 94 n.
Basiliscus, usurper, 12. Claudian, 150 n. Damasus, 82, 83, 85 n., 87 n., 112,
Basilius, bp. of Coesarea, 33 n., 70, Claudianus, 263, 267, 286. 124, 129, 132, 137, 139, 238,
86 n., 88, 90, 116 n., 119, 129, Claudius, 60 n. 312,315,332,343,344.
136, 137, 177, 238, 280, 283, Clavijo, Battle of, 150 n. Damianus, bp. of Sidon, 266.
287,315.332,343- Clement of Alexandria, 1 12 n, 109 n. Damian, SS. Cosmo and, 295 n.
Basilius, presbyter, 257. Clement of Rome, ordained by Peter Daniel, bp. of Carrae, 8.
Bayle, Diet., 52 n., for Jewish brethren, 293 n. Dante, 91 n.
Bel and the dragon, 315 n. Cleobulus, 329 n. Daphne, 98, 99, 100.
Belisarius, 12. Cleopater, 113, David, 64.
Benjamin, deacon, 158. Cletus, 293 n. Deaconesses, 100.
Beyrout, 122. Clotho, 347 n. Death of Christ, physical cause of,
Bezaleel, 59. Clovis, 12. .235-
Binchester, 148 n. Codex Alexandrinus, 1G6 n. Decius, 609.
Body, identification of self with, 223. Codex Sinaiticus, 53 n, .
Demeter, 126.
Bonifacius, 157. CoUuthus, 35. Demophilus, 84.
Boyle, 103 n. Colophon, 262 n., 293. Demosthenes, 120, 258.
Brentiscus, 112. Colosseum, 147 n. Deogratias, 273 n.
Bretanis, bp., 130. Comana, 154. Dialogues :
Bright, canon, 7 n., 54 n., 120 n., Comes fisci, 53 n. Prologue, 160.
292 n., 307 n., 346 n. Commodus, 60 n. Dialogue I., 161.
Britain, Church in, 109. Constans, 63, 66, 72, 74, 74 n., 135. II., 182.
Britten, 137. Constantia, 65, 79 n. III., 216.
Browne, bp., Harold, 206 n. Constantine I, 33, 47, 51, 52, 53, Diana, 148 n.
Browning, Robert, 183 n. 53 n., 54, 55 n-. 56, 59, 60, 61, Dichotomy, 194 n.
"
Byzantium, 55. 63, 64, 65, 66, 96, 97. Didache," 35 n.
îfSXia, 53 n. Constantine II, 63,65, 65 n., 66, 135. Didymus, 129.
Constantinople, 53 n., 55, 86 n., 87. Diocletianus, 34 n., 60 n., 83 n., 158,
Cselestinus, 155 n., 157. Constantinople, Patriarchate of, 303 n-
Csesar, Julius, 97 n., 106 n. 152 n, Diocaesarea, 125.
Csesarea ad Argaeum, 119. Constantius I, 54 n., 265 n. Dioecesis, 53 n.
Caesarea, 87. Constantius II, 58 n., 59 n., 63, 65, Diodorus, 85, 88, 126, 127, 128, 136,
Caesarius, prefect, 146. 66, 68 n., 70 n., 72, 73, 74, 77, 148, 159, 256.
Caius, 60 n., 75, 81. 78, 79 n., 80, 82 n., 84, 86, 87, Diogenes, 290.
290 n.
Callistus, 88, 89, 90, 91. 92, 93. 94, 95, 9^, Dionysius, martyr, 311.
Cambyses, 106 n. 104, 108, 135, 146. Dionysius, bp. of Rome, 45 n., 76.
Candidianus, 292 n., 323, 3:^3, 339. Constantius, the prefect, 263. Dionysius, bp. of Alexandria, 45 n.
Candidas, 300. Corybantes, 96 n. Dionysius, count, representative of
Caracalla, 60 n. Coryphe Mt., 128. Constantine at Tyre, 62.
Carus, 60 n. Cosmo, S.S. and Damian, 295 n., 311. Dionysus, 97, 126, 146.
Cartcrius, 77. Criipus, 54 n., 94 n. Dioscorus, bp. of Alexandria, 6, 7, 8,
Casiana, 256, Critias, 104. 266 n., 268 n., 276 n., 27S, 281,
Casaubon, 103 n. Cross, Discovery of; Exaltation of, 55. 282, 292, 293, 295 n., 304 n.,
Casca, 97 n. Cross, sign of, 102. 307 n., 323 n.
Castabala, 89 n. Cucusus, 67. Doliche, 134.
Castricia, 153 n. Cunaxa, 97 n. DoUinger, 332 n.
Cauca, 134 n. Cymatius, 77. Domitian, 60 n., 79 n., 106 n.
Ceillier, R., 19. Cyniscus, 347 n. Domninus, 290.
Celarina, 286. Cynegius, 147 n. Domnus, bp. of Antioch, 7, 8, 38 n.,
Celestiniaiius, 4, 260, 26 1, 304 n. Cyprian, 267, 273 n., 315,332. 260, 264, 277, 278, 282, 284,
Celestius, 343. Cyriacus, 137. 290,291,323,346.
Cerdo, 313. Cyril, deacon, 97. Donatus, 77.
Ceronius, 112. Cyril, bishop of Antioch, 38 n. Dracilianus, 54.
Chalcedon, council of, 9, 10, 11, Cyril, bp. of Jerusalem, 87 n., 100, 136, Dracontius, 75.
316 n. 138, 211, 273 n. Du Pin, 53 n.
Chapters of Cyril, 25, 334, 335, 336, Cyril, bp. of Alexandria, 2, 5, 6, 154, 155.
f?/7rri';t;ov,
337, 339, 341, 342, 343. 345- 213, 259 n., 268, 292 n., 323 n.,
Chapters, the Three, 12. 324. 333. 334. 335. 336, 337, East, turning to, 112.
Charles the Bold, 282 n. 339, 340. 341. 343. 343, 346, Ebion, 38, 139.
Charrae, 119. 348 n. Edward, the Confessor, 156 n.
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 573
Elebichus, 146.
574 THEODORET.
Isaac, sacrifice of, 225.

Letter of Leo, uf Rome, cxiil I) is.

576 THEODORET.
Perinthus, 6i n. Remus, 295. Simeon, Syrian ascetic, 128.

Perrha, 264 n. Rcnatus, 7 n., 293 n., 295. Simeones, leader of Euchit;\;, 114.
Pessinus, Coryl)antic worship at. RhoKlas, 156. Simon Mat,'us, 2S8, 313.
Pertinax, 60 n. Ridley, bp., 168 n. Sin, original, 164, 1S3.
Peter, St., chair of, 282. Robertson, F. \V., 17. Siricius, bp.of Rome, 148.
Peter, presbyter, 295. Roman, i.e., civilized rites, 58. .Sisura,a goat skin garment, 127.
Petrus I., bishop of Alexandria, 3.', Romanus, martyr, 102, 303. Socrates, 50 n., 55 n., 58 n., 77 n.,
46. Romanus Severus, 129. 85 87n., 92 n ,93 n., 104, 126

n.,
Petrus Mongus, Monophysite bishop Romulus, bp. of Chalcis, 305. n., 127 n., 141 n., 25S.
of Alexandria, 12. Rubens, 143 n. Sophocles, 97, 260.
Petrus, the Galatian, i, 2, 128. Kulinus, 58 n., S7 n., 98 n., 143, .Sophronius, bishop of Constantina.
Petrus, bishop of Sebaste, 129 n. 144, 151 n., 283 n. 267.
" the
Petrus, learned," 265. Rufus, Count, 275. .Southey, 156 n ,
Phaethon, 329 n. Rufus, bp., 7, 342. Sozomen, 57 n., 58 n., 83 n.,87 n.,
Philagrius, 77. 92 n., 106 n., 126 n., 142 n.,
Philip, emperor, 98 n. Sabbas, 105, 114. 150 n.

288 n., 327. Sozysa, 89 n.
Philip, Prefect, 263, 265. Sabellius, 39, 138, 139,
Philippus, Flavius, 67 n. Sabinianus, bp., 300, 323. Sporacius, count, 11, 285.
Philo, 75. Salianus, Roman General, 72. .Stanley, dean, 7 n., 12, 42 n., 43 n.,
Philogonius, bishop of Antioch, 34, Salmon, Dr., 2 n., 8 n., 66 n., 73 n., 54 n., 63 n.
41. 42,43- 155 n., 177 n. -Stasimus, 261.
.
Philostorgius, 65 n., 99 n , 154 n. .Salustianus,263 n. Stephanus, bp. of Antioch, 68, 70,

Philotheus, 43. Salustius, Governor of the Euphra- 72, 73, 84, 85.
Philumenus, 61 n. tensis, 262. .Stephanus, Libyan bp., 89.
Phoebus, 329 n. Samaria, 96 n. .Ucphanus, muri'.crer of Domitian,
Photinus, 138, 139, 288, 327. Samosata, 116. 106 n.
Phrjgia Pacatiana, III. Samuel, presbyter, 291 n. Stephanus, a presljyter, 274.
Pistus, 66 n. Sapor IL, King of Persia, 59 n., 60 n., Stephen, St., 134, 226.
Pius VI., 13, 55 n. 91- Stilus, 97.
Placidus, 84, 85. Sapor, Roman General, 132, 133. Stokes, Dr., 156 n.
Placilla, 145. Sardica, 67, 86 n., 87. Storms, effect of, on history, 103 n.
Placillus, 57 n. Sarmates, Arian deacon, 41. Strabo, 117 n.
Platina, 85 n. Sasima, 129. Stroud, Dr., physical cause of the
Plato, 38 n., 194 n., 199 n. Saturninus, 153 n. de.-ith of Christ, 235.
Platonic psychology, 132. Saul,Teuton chieftan, 147 n. Sucnes, 158.
Plenius, 75. SauromatK, 162. Sulpicius Severus, 55 n.
Pliny, 77 n., 100 n. Scapegoat, the, 226. Symeon, 291.
Plumptre, dean, 273 n. Schaff, doctor, 12. Syrianus, 74 n.
Plutarch, 97 n. Schleiermacher, 155 n. aiM(i)€vaig, 97 n.
Polycarp, 106 n., 315, 332. Schrockh, professor, 2, 19, 24. GTiyfiaTa, 43 n.
Polychronius, 113, 159. Schulze, III n., 285.n., 323 n., 344n. arixapia, 61 n,
Polydorus, tomb of, 77 n. Scotumis, 145. ai'vaî^, 52 n.
Pompeii, 148 n. Scylacius, 299. acjfia Kar/jpTtccj, 169 n.
Pompey, 58 n. Scythopolis, 44 n.
Pompeianus, bp. of Emesa, 262. Sebaste, 96. Tacitus, 320 n.
Pontius Pilate, 53 n., 112. Sebasteia, 86 n. Tarsus, 40 n., 87.
Pontus, 87. Sebastianus, 74, 75. Taurus the patrician, 283.
Pope, the name, 41 n. Secundus, bishop of Ptolemais, 44, Taylor, Jeremy, bp., 329 n.
Porphyrius, 155. 46, 89 n. Telemachus, 113, 151.
Posidonius, 324. Seleucus Nicator, 145 n. Temple, attempt of Julian to rebuild,
Praylius, 157, 290. Seleuceia in Cilicia, 44 n., 86, 87, 89. 103.
Principius, 290. Senator, 284. Terentius, count, 130.
Priscillian, 141 n. Seneca, 41 n. Tertullian, 38 n., 94 n., 109 n., 1:2
Priscianus, 137. Sepulchre, Holy, 54 n. n., 158 n., 331 n.
Frobus, 60 n., 1 10 n. Serapeum, 97. Tertullus, 85 n.
Proclus, 265, 290. Serapion, bishop of Thmuis, 51 n., Tetrad, 177 n.
Protogenes, 117, u8, 1 19, 134, 284. 52 n., 128 n. Thales, 91 n.
Psinosiris, Libyan bishop, 75. Serapis, 148. Themistocles, 271 n.
Ptolemais in Upper Egypt, 44 n. Seras, 89. Theoctistus, 261, 271 n., 304,
Ptolemais on the Red Sea, 44 n. Serpent, brazen, 226. Theodolinda, (jueen, 55 n.
Publia, 102. Severianus, bishop of Gabala, Theodora, 12.
175,
Publius, 128. 213, 241. Theodoretus, presbyter and martyr,
Pulcheria, 4, 155 n., 264, 304, 307 n., .Severus, Alexander, 60 n. 99 n.
333- Shakespeare, 105 n. Theodoretus, bp. of Cyrus. Paren-
" and education,
Pythagorean oath, 302 n. Shepherd," the, of Ilermas, 45. tage, birth, i, 2,
Tvpoedfua, 54 n. Shimei, 160. 3. Ordination, consecration,
Tcp(')E(^pnr, 54 n. Siever, E. R., 105 n. and episcopate at Cyrus, 3, 4.
TvpoKdirru, 38 n. Silvester, bishop of Rome, 34, 43 n., Relations with Nestorius and
77- Nestorianism, 4, 5, 6, 7. Con-
Quintianus, 70. Silvanus, riv.nl of Constnntine, 78. demned at the Latrocinium, 7,
Quirinus, 53 n. Silvanus, the primate, 255. 8, 9. Restored at Chalcedon,
Silvanus, bishop of Tarsus, 87, 88, 9. Condemns Nestorius, 10,
Regillus, Battle of Lake, 1
50 n. 89. II. Retirement and death,
II, 12. Condemnation of the Timasus, 38 n. Valerius, bp. of Aquileia, 83 n.

"Three Chapters," 12, 13. Tillemont, i n., 55 56 n., 81 n.,
n., Valesius, 50 n., 71 n., 78 n., 89 n.,
Works, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 88 n., 99 n., 275 n., 290 n., 108 n., 112 n., 126 n., 139 n.,
20, 21, 22, 23, 276 n., 278, 310 294 n., 295 n., 325 n.,346n. 140 n., 144 n., 145 n., 146 n.,
n., 324. 33(> n., 337, 342, 346 n. Timotheus, heretic, 344. 147 n., 157 n.
Theodoric, 12. Timotheus, bishop of Doliche, 301 n. Vandyke, 143 n.
Theodoritus, 299. Timotheus, presbyter, 62. Vararanes, 156, 157.
Theodorus, bishop of Mopsuestia, 2, Timotheus, martyr, 303. Venables, canon, 87 n., 296 n.,
85 n., 151, 159. Timotheus, bishop of Alexandria, 323 n-. 324 n-. 346 n.
Theodorus, bishop of Perinthus, 61, 136, 139, 147. Vena Cava, 217.
63,66,68, 70,78, 135. Timotheus "thecal," 12. Venerius, bp. of Milan, 9 n.
Theodorus the confessor, 98, 99. Timothy, St., 274. Venus, Temple of, at Jerusalem, 55
Theodorus the vicar, 263. Titus, 261. n.
Theodorus, lector, 11. Toledo, council at, 279 n. Victor, Magister equitum, 130.
Theodosius I., 52 n., 87 n., 96 n., Tozer, Rev. H. F., 96 n. Vienne, 149.
134. 137. 138,
135. 142, 143. Trajan, 60 n., 130. Vigilius, bp. of Rome, 12,
Tralles, 94 n. Viminacium, 65 n.
144, 145, 146, 149, 150, 151,
155, 256. Transubstantiation, 206. Vincentius, Roman presbyter at
Theodosius IL, 9, 155 n., 156, 263 n., Trench, archbishop, 85 n., 254 n. Nicaia, probably same as V.,
275, 276 n., 285 n., 295 n., 304, Treves, 63, 65. bishop of Capua, 43 n.
306, 307 n., 3S3 n., 339, 347 n. Trichotomy, 1 74 n. Vincentius, bishop of Capua, 72, 73,
Theodotus, bp. of Hierapolis, 134. Trinity, the word, 109 n. 83.
Theodotus, bishop of Ancyra, 292. Tripolis, 41 n. Vincomalus, 308.
Theodotus, bishop of Antioch, 156, Tyrannus, bishop of Antioch, 34. Vinovium, 148.
159, 279, 294. Tyre, council of, 6i n., 62. Virgil, 77 n., 199 n.
Theodotus, bishop of Laodicea, 38 n., Tpdizeâ, 99. Vitalis, bishop of Antioch, 34.
41, 57. 135- VitaHus, 133, 344.
Theodotus, presbyter, 288. Ulphilas, bishop,]i3i. Vitellius, 60 n.
Theodulus, bishop of Trajanapolis, Ulpianus, 259. Vitus, Roman presbyter at Nicaea,

68,77. Union and incarnation, 192. 43 n-
Theognis, bishop of Nicâ, 44, 56, TJranius, 272, 282, 298.

61, 63, 65, 66, 68, 77, 135. Urbanus, 271. Walch, Hist, of Heresies, 22.
Theognis of Megara, 329 n. Ursacius, bp. of Singidunum, 68, 70, Warburton, bp., 103 n.
Theonas, archbishop of Alexandria, 71, 77, 80, 81, 84. Watkins, archdeacon, 136 n.
34 n- Ursinus, antipope, 82 n. William of Malmesbury, 54 n.
Theonas, bishop of Marmarica, 44, William I. and III., Kings of Eng-
46, 266. vTzovTioq, 90. land, 9 n.
Theonilla, 252. vTzoaraac^,36 n., 112. Wordsworth, 309 n.
Valla, George, of Piacenza, 52 n. Wordsworth, bishop, 103 108
Theophilus, bishop of Alexandria, n., n.,
Valens, 68. 70, 71, 77, 80, 81, 82,

288 n.,
147, 149, 153 n., 154, 209, 240,
332 n. 84, 87 n., no, III, 115, 118,
Theophilus, an Arian, 58 n. 123, 125, 129, 130, 131, 132, Zeno, the ascetic, 2, 129.
Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, 109 134 n., 135, 146. Zeno, a general, 269, 270.
n. Valentinian I., 87 n., loi, no, in, Zeno, the Isaurian, 12.
Theophilus, bishop of Castabala, 89. 141. Zenobia, 97 n.
Therapeutes, Egyptian, 85 n. Valentinian II., 135, 141, 149, 150. Zephyrinus, 38 n.
Valentinian 333 n. Zeugma, II 6.
Theophrastus, 253 n. III., 293,
Thmuis, 51 n. Valentinus, 39, 169, 177, 277,288, Ziba, 64.
Thucydides, 258 n. 299, 312, 313, 314, 325, 327. Zosimus, 142 n., 157.
Tiberius, 60 n. Valerianus, 60 n., 82, 137.
VOL. III.
THEODORET.
INDEX OF TEXTS.
INDEX OF TEXTS. 579
PAGE
580 THEODORET.
PAGE
INDEX OF TEXTS. 581
PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE

Heb. xi. 37, 38 . .
273 Jas. i.
17 . ,
45 I Pet. iv. II . Rev. i.

5 140
xii. 2 ... 284 iv. 16 60 V. 8 . i. 9 179
xii. 12, 13 . . 221 xvii. 14 180
xii. 16 • . .
164 I Tet. i. I .
249 I
John iv. 2,
3 xix. 16 180
xiii.8. 201,233, 279 iii.
15 190 V. I 39, 201
xiii. 12 . . . 226 iv. I 228 V. 20 . •
45
JEROME AND GENNADIUS,
ILLUSTRIOUS MEN.
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
Abila, church at, 383. Ananias, the high priest, 361. ApoUonius, chapter on, 371 ;
Ter-
Abraxas, 363. Ananus, 361. tullian against, 371, 373.
Acacius, chapter on, 380; Gelasius Anastasius, reign of mentioned, 401. ApoUonius, the Senator, 372.
against, 401. Anatolius of Alexander, chapter on,
Apology of Aristides, 368.
Accusation and trial of our Lord 377- Apology of Eugenius, 402.
before Pontius Pilate, Maximus Ancyra, church at, 379, 395. Apology of Justin Martyr, 368.
on the, 393. Andrew the apostle, 361, 367; re- Apology of Miltiades, 371.
Acilius Severus, chapter on, 3S2. mains of transferred to Con- Apology of Tiberianus, 383.
Acts of the Apostles, written by stantinople, 364. Apostles the, and John the Baptist,
Luke, 364, 368; quoted, 362; Anicetus, 367, 368. in praise of, by Maximus, 393.
Heraclitus on the, 372. Annianus, 364. Apostles' creed, exposition of by
Acts of the council, Cornelius on Anomians, 388. Rufmus, 389.
the, 376. Anthemius, reign of mentioned, 399. Apostolical preaching, Irenaeus on,
Acts of Paul and Thecla, not by Anthony the monk, chapter on, 379; 370.
Luke, 363. life of by Athanasius, 379; Apotheosis, by Prudentius, 388.
.\cts of Peter, apocryphal, 361. friend of Serapion, 380; life of Appion, chapter on, 373.
Aetius, 391. by Evagrius, 383. Appion, Josephus against, 366.
Affection towards our neighbor, James Anthropomorphites, The- Aquila, translation of O. T., 374.
of Nisibis on, 386. ophilus against the, 392. Aquileia, church at, 380, 389.
Agen, church at, 381. Antichrist, 378, 386; Hippolytus on Arabianus, chapter on, 373.
Agriculture, Philo on, 365. .the, 375. Arcadius, 389, 390, 394, 401.
Agrippa Castor, chapter on, 368. Antigonus Carystius, 359. Archelaus, chapter on, 377.
Albinus, 361. Antinoites, 375. Arians, 379, 380, 382, 383, 386, 401,
Alexander, Philo on, 365. Antinous, 368. 402; persecutions of the, Atha-
Alexander, the Emperor, reign of Antioch, 367, 368, 378, 379; church nasius on the, 379; Marcellus,
mentioned, 373, 375, 376. at, 361, 366, 369, 374, 376, 377, against the, 379; Hilary against
Alexander of Jerusalem, cha]iter on, 378, 379, 382, 383, 388, 391, the, 380 ; Didymus against the,
375; Clemens A. to, 371 to ; 394. 396. 381 ; Phoebadius against the,
the Antiochians, 371; ordains Antiocheans, Alexander to the, 375. 381 ; Faustinus against the,
Origen, 373; imprisoned, 374. Antiochus, chapter on, 390. 389; Asclepius against the, 398;
Alexandria, 383 church at, 364,
; Antiquities by Josephus, 366. Victor against the, 398; Faustus
365. 370, 371. 373. 375. 376, Anticiuities against Appion, by Jose- against the, 400.
377. 379, 381. 382, 395, 400, phus, 366. Ariminian council, 380, 389.
401; theological school at, 371, Antoninus Caracalla, reign of men- Aristides, chapter on, 368; Julius
376. tioned, 370, 371, 373, 374. Africanus to, 375.
AUruling wisdom, Josephus on, 366. Antoninus Pius, reign of mentioned, Aristion, 367.
Almsgiving, Maximus on, 393. 365 Justin to, 368.
;
Aristobulus the Jew, 371.
Amastrina, church at, Dionysius to Apelles, discussion with Rhodo, 371. Aristoxenus the Musician, 359.
the, 369. Apocalypse of John, 364; Dionys- Arius, 389; Victorinus against, 381.
Ambrose of Alexandria, chapter on, ius of A. on the, 376; Melito Aries, church at, 397.
383. on the, 369; Hippolytus on the, Armenians, Dionysius to the, 377.
Ambrose of Milan, chapter on, 383; 375; Victorinus on the, 377; Arnobius, chapter on, 378; teacher
mentioned, 401. Gennadius on the, 492. of Lactantius, 378.
Ambrosius, the deacon, chapter on, Apocryphal writings, 363. Arsenoites, Anthony to the, 379.
374; converted by Origen, 376. Apollinarians, 388. Artemon, doctrine of, 377.
Ambrosius, A New =
Simplicianus, ApoUinaris, chapter on, 369; doc- Asceticism, Basil on, 382.
392. trine of the millennium, 367; Asclepiades, ordination of, 37I;
Ammon, Bishop of Bernice, Dionys- letters of, 372; Ambrose of A. Firmianus to, 378.
ius of A. to, 376. against, 383. Asclepius, chapter on, 398.
Ammonius, chaj)ter on, 374. ApoUinarius, chapter on, 381; Asterius, chapter on, 380; against
i\inphilochius, chapter on, 384. against Eunomius, 383; against Marcellus, 379.
Anaoletus, third bishop of Rome, 366. Marcellus, 379. Athanasius, 380; chapter on, 379;
JEROME AND GENNADIUS. 5S3
communes with Marcellus, 379; Bonosiacians, 388. Chronicle,of James of Nisibis, 386.
of 3^3 Bostra, church at, 381. Chronicle,of Jerome, 386.
life Anthony, 379, <
of Arian party, 382; Brutus, the, of Cicero, 359. Chronicle,of Prosper, 399.
bishop
in praise of, 382. Chronicle,of Severus, 390.
Gregory
Athenians, Dionysius to the, 369. CreciHus and Cyprian, 370. Chronography, of Cassianus, 371.
Athenodorus, brother of Theodorus, Cselestinus, chapter on, 395. Chronography, of Judas, 373.
376. Caslestius, chapter on, 393. Chronological tables, of Hyppolytus,
Athens, church at, 367. Cajsarea in Palestine, 375, 376, 377, 375-
Attains, Noviatianus on, 377. 382; church at, 372, 373, 377, Chronology, Julius Africanus on, 375.
Atticus, chapter on, 394. 378. 380, 3^3 > Library at, 362, Chrysophora, Dionysius to, 369.
Audentius, chapter on, 388. 377.382. , .
, ,
Chrysostom (bishop John), 390;
Augustine, 393, 395. chapter on, Ccesarea in Cappadocia, church at, (John of Antioch), chapter on,
392; JuUanus aganist, 394. 382. 383; (John of Constantinople),
Aurelianus, reign of mentioned, 377. Csesarius, Gregory on the death of, chapter on, 391.
Autolycus, Theophilus to, 369. 382. Church, Melito on the, 368.
Autun, church at, 378. Cagliari, church at, 380. Church history, of Eusebius, 378;
Auxentius, Hilary against, 380; Calamity, by Acilius Severus, 382. translated by Rufinus, 3S9.
teacher of Heliodius, 391. Caligula, reign of mentioned, 365. Cicero, Brutus of, 359.
Avarice, Antiochus against, 390; Callistion, Rhodo to, 371. Circumcision, Novatianus on, 377;
Maximus on, 393, Salvianus Calumny, Clemens of Alexandria on, James of Nisibis on, 386.
against, 397. 371- Claudianus, chapter on, 399.
Avitus, the emperor, reign of men- Candidus, chapter on, 372. Claudius, the Emperor, reign of men-
tioned, 396. Cannatse, 399. tioned, 361; Philo and, 365.
Avitus, the presbyter, chapter on, Canon of prayer, Cassianus on, 396. Claudius of Vienne, Salvianus to,
394- Captive monk, Jerome on the, 384. 397-
Caricus, Serapion to, 371. Clemens of Alexandria, 375; chapter
Babylas, imprisoned, 374; put
to Carinus or Caricus, 371 (note). on, 371; Hypotyposes (out-
death, 375. Carnal foes, Maximus on having no lines) of, 361, 364; succeeded
Babylon, a figure of Rome, 364. fear of, 393. by Demetrius, 373.
Bacchylus, chapter on, 372 Cartenna, church at, 398. Clement of Rome, 366; chapter on,
Bachiarius, chapter on, 390. Carthage, 373; church at, 376, 401. 366; author of the Epistle to the
Baetica, 381, 383. Carus, reign of mentioned, 377. Hebrews, 363; church of, at
Bagais, 398. Cassianus, chapter on, 395 chronog- Rome, 366.
;
Banquet, of Firmianus, 378. raphy mentioned, 371; works Cochebas, 368.

Banquet of the ten Virgins, by epitomized by Eucherius, 396; Colossians, Paul to the, 363.
Methodius, 378. mentioned, 399. Commodianus, chapter on, 388.
Baptism, Melito on, 369. Castellanum, church at, 398. Commodus, Lucius Aurelius, Justin
Baptism and the feast of Epiphany, Cataphrygians (or Phrygians), 371 to, 368; reign of mentioned,
Severianus on, 390. (and note;) ApoUinaris against, 367. 369. 370. 371. 372-
Baptism, grace of, MaAmius on the, 369. Compunction of soul, Chrysostom on,
393- <fatechetes of Alexandria, 371, 373. 391-
Barcabbas, 368. '.Catechetical lectures, by Cyril, 382. Condition and substance of the soul,
Barcelona, church at, 381 ^Catechetical school at Alexandria,
Claudianus on the, 399.
Barchob, 368. 376. Conferences of Cassianus, 396.
Bardesanes, chapter on, 370. Cathari, 377. Confessors and virgins, Macrobius to,
Bardesanes, The New == Paulonas, Catholic epistles, two by Peter, 361 ; 387-
epistle of James, 361 ; Jude, 362. Confusion
386- of tongues, Philo con-
Barnabas, chapter on, 363, joins Celsus the heretic, 359; Paulinus to, cerning the, 365.
Paul, 362; author of the epistle 394- Consolatory letters by Eutropius,
to the Hebrews, 363 Cenobites, 388. 394-
Bartholomew in India, 370 Cenobites and hermits, Cassianus on Constans, Emperor, 379 ; reign of
Basil of Ancyra, chapter on, 379 the object of, 396. mentioned, 386.
Basil of Csesarea, chapter on, 382; Cerealis, chapter on, 401. Constantia, 398.
against Eunomius, 383. Cerinthus the heretic, 364. Constantina, church at, 401.
Basilides, 383, refuted by Agrippa Chalcedon, Council of, 397, 399. Constantine the Great, reign of men-
Castor, 368, Dionysius of to, A Charity, Gregory on, 382. tioned, 378, 379, 380, 400; puts
377; death of, 368 Charity toward all, James of Nisibis Crispus to death, 378; vicen-
Basilius, 398. on, 386. naliaof, 379; mentioned, 386.
ISau, a monastery, 387 Chastity, Cassianus on, 396, James Constantinople, 364, 380, 383, 390,
Hernice, 377. of Nisibis on, 386. 395. 399i church at. 391, 394,
Beroea, church at (362), 379 Christ, the son of God and consub- 397. 400.
Beryllus, bishop of Bostra, chapter stantial with the Father, by Constantius, 380, 394; reign of men-
on, 375. James of Nisibis, 386; account tioned, 364, 378, 379, 380, 381,
Berytus, 376. of by Josephus, 366, appears to 386 j Hilary to, 380; Lucifer
Bethlehem, Sophronius in praise of, Peter, 366; miracles of, 368; against, 380.
384. generation of, Melito on the, Contempt of the world and of transi-
Bethsaida, 361. 369, prophecy of, Melito on tory things, Pomerius on, 402.
Beziers, Synod of, 380, the, 369; incarnation of, Pros- Contempt for the world and worldly
Bible, commentaries on, by Pantae- per on, 399. philosophy, Eucherius on, 396.
nus, 370 by Justus of Tiberias,
,
Christian life, Fastidius on the, 395. Contempt of the world, Paulinus on,
366. Christians, named after Christ, 366. 394-
Blastus, Irenseus to, 370. Christians, persecution of, James of Controversy of Luciferianus and Or-
Bologna, church at, 393 Nisibis on, 3S6. thodoxus, by Jerome, 384.
584 INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
Conversation of the nations, James Diocletian, reign of mentioned, 377, Eight principal sins, suggestions
of Nisibis on the, 386. 378. against, by Evagrius, 387.
Cordova, 365. Diodorus, 383; chapter on, 382. Eleusinian mysteries, 367.
Corinth, church at, 369, 372. Dionysius of Alexandria, chapter on, Elutherius, Bisnop of Rome, 368,
Corinthians, Paul to the, 363; 376. 370.
Clement to the, 366. Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, 369; Elvira, church at, 381.
Cornelius of Rome, 377
; chapter on, chapter on, 369; Pinytus to, Emesa, church at, 379.
376; put to death, 376. 369; Dionysius of A. to, 376, Emmaus restored, 375.
Cornelius, Abbot, by Pachomius, 387. 377- Encratites, Musanus to the, 369.
Corporeality of God, Melito on the, Dionysius and Didymus, Dionysms Enemies of the church, Jews,
369- of A. to, 376. Arians, etc., Voconius against,
Corsica, 401. Dionysius and Maximus, epistle of 398,
Councils, Hilary on, 3S0. Klalchion to, 377. Enoch, book of, 362.
Covenants, Philo on, 365. Dioscurus, Hilary against, 380; The- Ephesians, Ignatius to the, 366.
Creation of man, Firmianus on the, odoretus against, 400. Ephesians, Paul to the, 363 Jerome ;
378. Discipline, Irenaeus on, 370. on, 384.

Creed by Pastor, 398. Discrepancies between the Gospels, Ephesus, 364, 372, 395.
Creed of Gennadius, 492. Eusebius on, 378. Ephraim Syrus, 382, 3S6, 398; chap-
Creed, Niceas on the, 390. Discretion, Cassianus on, 396. ter on, 382.
Crescens the cynic, 368. Discussion between virginity and Epiphanius, chapter on, 382.
Cretans, Dionysius to the, 369. marriage, Gregory on a, 382. Epiphany, Maximus on, 393.
Crisp us Caesar, tutored by Lactan- Discussions of Eugenius, 402. Epistle of Barnabas, 363.
tius, 378; put to death, 378. Dispersion, the, 361. Epistle of John, 364.
Croesus, 377. Disputation between Peter and Ap- Epistles, Diodorus on the, 382; Her-
Cross of our Lord, Maximus on the, pion, ascribed to Clement of aclitus on the, 372 Theodorus
;
393- Rome,
366. on the, 379; Victorinus on, 381.
Cross of our Lord, mystery of, Euse- Divine graces, Cassianus on the, Epistles of Acilius Severus, 382.
bius of Milan on the, 392. Epistles of Lucianus, 378.
. .396.
Cyprian, 377, 393; chapter on, 376; Divine institutes against the nations, Epistles of Hilary, 380.
opinion of Tertullian, 373; by Firmianus, 378. Epistles of Paul. See Paul.
letters to Cornelius, 376; life Divine life, Philo, on those who Epistles of Paul to Seneca and of
of, by Pontius, 376; work practise the, 365. Seneca to Paul, 365,
wrongly ascribed to, 377; Divinity, Prudentius on, 388. Epistles of Salvianus, 397.
Gregory in praise of, 382; Divisions of equals and contraries, Epistles of Serapion, 380.
Maximus on, 393. Philo on the, 365. Epistles of Theodorus, 387.
Cyprus, 362, 3S2. Doctrine, Christian, works of Ara- Epitome, by Eusebius, 378.
Cyril of Alexandria, 401 ; chapter on, bianus on, 373. Epitome, by Firmianus, 378.
395- Doctrines, Ambrose on, 383; Didy- Etherius, son of Victorinus, 395.
Cyril of Jerusalem, chapter on, 382. mus on, 381. Eucherius, chapter on, 396.
Cyrus king of the Persians, 400. Domitian, persecution of, 364; put Enchrotia, 3S3.
Cyrus, chapter on, 399. to death, 364. Eugenius, chapter on, 401.
Cyrus, church at, 400. Domnus, Serapion to, 372. Eumenia, 372.
Cyzicus, church at, 383. Donatian party, 381 ; Optatus against Eunomius, 391; chapter on, 383;
the, 381. Basil against, 382; Gregory of
Daniel, Hippolytus on, 375; exposi- Donatians=Donatists, 380, 386,387. Nazianzin against, 382; Greg-
tion of, by Vigilantius, 392; ex- Donatists, Asclepius against the, 398; ory of Nyssa against, 383.
position of, by Gennadius, 400. see also Donatians. Euphranor, Dionysius of A. to, 377.
Damascus, 362. Donatist schism, 386. Eupolemus the Jew, 371.
Damusus, bishop of Rome, 389; Donatus, chapter on, 380. Eusebius of Cccsarea, chapter on,
chapter on, 381. Dreams are sent by God, That, work 378; apology for Origen, 377;
Daphnitic gate, at Antioch, 367. by Philo, 365. church history, 359, 366, 374,
Death of a Christian and baptized Dress, Cassianus on, 396. 400; Paschal cycle of, 375, 400;
child, Paulinus on the, 394. Drunkenness, Philo on, 365. follows Ammonian canons, 374.
Death of a daughter, Jerome on the, Dumb beasts have right reason, That, Eusebius and Pamphilus, 377.
384- work by Philo, 365. Eusebius of Emesa, 382, 383; chap-
Death of a son, Victor of Cartenna ter on, 379.
on the, 398. Ebionite heresy, 381. Eusebius father of Eusebius, 384.
Decius, reign of mentioned, 379; Ebionites, doctrine of, 364. Eusebius of Milan, chapter on, 392.
persecution of, 374, 375; ])erse- Ecclesiastes, Hippolytus on, 375; Eusebius of Vercelli, chapter on,
cution of, Dionysius of A. on Theodorus on, 376; Victorinus 380; life of, by Maximus, 393.
the, 376. on, 377; Acaciuson,3So; Jerome Eustathius of Antioch, chapter on,
Deer, the, l)y Pacianus, 381. on, 384; Salvianus on, 397. 379- , .
Demetrius of Alexandria, 371; sends Ecclesiastical canons. On, and against Eustathius of Sebaste, associated
Panta;nus to India, 370; suc- those who follow the error of the with Basil, 379; Mus;«us to,
cessor of Clement, 373; testifies Jews, work by Clemens of Alex- 398- „ ,
against Alexander, 375; epistles andria, 371. Eustochius, Jerome to, 384; Sophro-
to, by Firmianus, 378. Ecclesiastical procedure, Vitellius on, nius to, 384.
Devil, Melito on the, 369, 386. Eutropius, chapter on, 394.
Dexter, 359; chapter on, 384. Eclipse of the moon, Maximus on Eutyches, 397; Gennadius against,
Didymus, 383; chapter on, 381; the, 393. 402; Leo against, 399; Mochi-
Dionysius of A. to, 376; against Eclogues of Melito, 369. mus against, 397.
Eunomius, 383; work on the Ecstasy, Tertullian on, 371, 373. Eutyches and Dioscorus, Theodore-
Holy Spirit, by Jerome, 384. Edessa, 398 ; church at, 382, 399. tus against, 400.
JEROME AND GENNADIUS. 585
Eutyches and Nestorius, Gelasius Florinus, Irenoeus to, 370. Gregory of Elvira, chapter on, 381.
Food of the Jews, Novatianus on the, Gregory, bishop of Nazianzan, 382,
against, 401.
377- 383; against Eunomius, 383.
Eutychian heresy, 386.
Eutychians, 396; Samuel against, Fortunatianus, chapter on, 380. Gregory of Neocoesarea =
Theodorus,
399- Fool, that every fool should be a 376.
Euzoius, 383; chapter on, 382. slave, by Philo, 365. Gregory of Nyssa, chapter on, 383;
Evagrius of Antioch, chapter on,
Free will, Methodius on, 378. against Eunomius, 383.
3^3- Friendship, Cassianus on, 396. Gymnasium, Dionysius of A. on the,
Evagrius the Monk, chapter on, Fronto the orator, 368. 376; chapter on, 382.
387- , ^
Gabala, church at, 390. Habakkuk, Jerome on, 384; Victo-
Evagrius (another), chapter on, 394.
Gaius, chapter on, 374. rinus on, 377.
Evangelists, the four, 364.
Excesses and ill reputation, Chrysos- Galatians, Paul to the, 362, 363; Hadrian, Apologies of Aristides and
tom on, 391. Jerome on, 384; Severianus on, Quadratus to, 368; passes win-
ter at Athens, 367; initiated into
Exile, Dionysius of A. on, 376. 390.
Gallienus, reign of mentioned, 376, the mysteries, 367; reign of
Exodus, questions and answers on,
by Philo, 365 Hippolytus on,
; 377- mentioned, 362, 368.
Gallogrsecia, church at, 38 1.
Hadrian and Antinous, 368.
375; Victorinus on, 377.
positions of various causes, by Gallus, reign of mentioned, 374, 376. Haggai, Jerome on, 384.
Tichonius, 389. Gamaliel, teacher of Paul, 362. Halves, Trypho on the, 374.
Ezekiel, Victorinus on, 377. Garadius, 390. Hamartigenia by Prudentius, 388.
Gelasius of Caesarea, chapter on, Harmony of divine Scripture, Theod-
ulus on the, 400.
Fabianus, bishop of Rome, put to 383.
death, 374. Gelasius of Rome, 402; chapter on, Harmony of Moses and Jesus, Am-
Fabius, Cornelius to, 376; Dionys- 401.
monius on the, 374.
ius to, 376. Geminus, chapter on, 376. Healing of the blind man, Antiochus
Faith, Bachiarius on, 390; Gregory Genealogy, Niceas against, 390, on the, 390.
on, 381; James of Nisibis on, Generation of Christ, MeUto on the, Hebrew names, by Jerome, 384.
386; Lucianus on, 378; Maxi- 369. Hebrews, epistle to the, not by Paul,
mus on, 383; Melito on, 369; Genesis, Hippolytus on, 375; Me- 3^3> 36S, 375 ;
written by Clem-
Olympius on, 390; Sabbatius thodius on, 378; Victorinus on, ent, 366.
on, 390; Syagrius on, 396; 377> 395; Hebrew questions Hebrews, Gospel of, 362.
Theophilus on, 392. on, by Jerome, 384. Hegesippus, 361 ; chapter on, 368.
Faith against heretics, Audentius on, Gennadius of Constantinople, chap- Heir of divine things, Philo on the,
388; Cyril on, 395. ter on, 400. 365-

Faith and the rules of Faith, Sya- Gennadius of Marseilles, chapter on, Helenopolis, 378.
grius on, 396. 402. Heliodorus of Antioch, chapter on,
Faith and virginity, Atticus on, 394. Genseric, king, 398, 401; taking of 387-
Faith in one sovereign, Niceas on, Rome by, 399. Heliodorus, the presbyter, chapter
390- Giants, Philo concerning, 365. on, 391; exhortation of Jerome
Fallen virgin, Niceas to the, 390. Giscalis in Judea, 362. to, 384.
Familiar letters, of Philip, 396. Gnosians, Dionysius to the, 369. Helvidius, chapter on, 391; Jerome
Fastday, That there should be no Gnosticism, 383. against, 384.
jesting on, by Maximus, 393. Gnostics, arose from Basilides, 368. Heraclas, 376; assistant to Origen,
Fastidius, chapter on, 395. Gnosus, church at, 369. 378; ordained Pontiff, 376.
Fasting,Clemens of Alexandria on, God not the author of evil, Irenceus Heraclea, church at, 379.
371; James of Nisibis on, 386; on, 370. Heraclitus, chapter on, 372.
Maximus on, 393 TertulHan; Gordianus, reign of mentioned, 375. Heresies, Epiphanius against, 382;
on. 373- Gortina, a city of Crete, 369. Gennadius against, 402; Hip-
Fate, Bardesanes on, 370; Minucius Gospel, demonstrations of the, by polytus against, 375; Irenanis
Felix on, 374. Eusebius, 378. against, 370; James of Nisibis
Fathers, lives of, by Petronius, 393. Gospel, preparations for, by Euse- against, 386; Justin M. against,
Faustinus, chapter on, 389. bius, 378. 368; Victorinus against, 377.
Faustus, of Riez, chapter on, 399. Gospel according to the Hebrews, Hermammon, Dionysius of A. to,
Felicissimus, 383. 362, 366. 376.
Felix of Rome, 380 succeeded by
; Gospel of Mark, 361. Hermas, 365; chapter on, 365.
Festus, 362. Gospel of Luke, 363. Hermes, 365.
Felix, the Praetorian Prefect, 400. Gospel of John, 364. Hermippus the peripatetic, 359.
Festal epistles, of Athanasius, 379,
Gospel of Peter, apocryphal, 361; Hermogenes, heresy of, Theophilus
Festal epistles on the passover, by
Serapion on the, 372. against, 369.
Dionysius of A., 376. Gospel canons, of Ammonius, 374. Herod, 364.
Festus of Judea, 361; succeeds Gospels, Asterius on the, 380; Euse- Herona, pseudonym for Gregory
FeHx, 362. bius on the, 379; Fortunatianus Naz., 382.
Fickleness of mind, Cassianus on, on the, 380; Juvencus on the, Hexaemeron, of Salvianus, 397.
396. 379; Theophilus on the, 369. Hierapolis, 372; church at, 367,
Firmianus Lactantius, chapter on, Grace of God, through which we are 369-
378. saved, Faustus on the, 399. Hierax, Dionysius of A. to, 376.
Firmilianus, Bishop of Cresarea, en- Grjecus, the deacon, 400. Hieronymus = Jerome, 386,
tertains Origen, 373. Grammarian, the, by Firmianus, 378. Hilarion, life of, by Jerome, 384;
Flacilla, Queen, 389. Grapes blessed, James of Nisibis on life of, by Sophionius tr., 384.
P"lavianus, letter of Leo to, 397. the, 386. Hilary of Aries, chapter on, 397.
Flavius the Grammarian, poem on Gratianus, reign of mentioned, 382, Hilary of Poitiers, 389 ; against the
medicine, 378. 383- Arians, 379; chapter on, 380.
"
Hilary of Rome," 380, 400. Isaiah's saying Your wine-dealers Kalends of January, Maximus on
Hippolytus, chapter on, 375; com- mix wine with water, Maximus the, 393-
mentaries of, 375; paschal cycle on, 393. Key, work by Melito, 369.
of, 400. Ithacius, 383. Knowledge '^f spiritual things, Cassi-
Hipporegensis, church at, Itinerary of Firmianus, 378. anus on the, 396.
Histor)', chronicle of, by Eusebius,
378. Lacedremonians, Dionysius to the,
History, chronicle of, by Jerome, James the apostle, 364, 367; chap- 369-
384- ter on, 361 ;
ordains Paul, 362; Lactanlius, 388; chapter
(see on
History of the church, by Hegesip- murder of, 366. Firmianus); follows
Papias,
pus, 368, James the Wise, of Nisibis, chapter 367; mentions Minucius, 374.
History, Universal, by Dexter, 384. on, 386. Laodicea, 372; church at, 377, 381.
Holy Spirit, Amphilochius on the, Jerome, 383, 392, 393; chapter on, Laodiceans, Dionysius to, 377.
384; Basil on the, 382; Didymus 384; translates Origen, 389. Laodiceans, Epistle of Paul to the.
on the, 381; Donatus on the, Jerome and Philip, 396. Apocryphal, 363.
380; Ephraim on the, 382; Jerusalem, 362, 375 church at, 361,
; Latronianus, chapter on, 383.
Faustus on the, 399; Gregory 362, 364, 374,382,391- Learning, Philo on, 365.
on the, 382. Jesus, 364. Ledra or Leucotheon = Luteon,
Homilies of Origen on Jeremiah and Jewish affairs, History of, by Justus church at, 379.
Ezekiel, by Jerome, 384. of Tiberias, 366. Leo, the Emperor, reign of men-
HomiHes of Salvianus, 397. Jews, dialogue against, by Justin M., tioned, 396, 397, 398, 400, 401 ;
Homilies of Victor of Cartenna, 398. 368; Miltiades against, 371; Timotheus 397; Leo, Bishop
to,
Hoini'iousia, 386. Philo on the, 365. of Rome, 396; chapter on, 397;
Homoousian, 401. Jews, captivity of the, Josephus on, Epistles of, against Eutyches,
Ilonoratus, chapter on, 401 life of, ; 366. 399-
by Hilary, 397. Jews, Gentiles, and Novatians, Euse- Leonidas, father of Origen, 373.
Honorius, reign of mentioned, 393, bius against, 379. Leporius, chapter on, 395.
394. 398- Job, Ambrose on, 383; Didymus on, Lerins, Monastery of, 396, 399.
Hopes of the faithful, Tertullian on 381 ; Hilary on, 380; Philip on, Letter of Macarius, 387.
the, 367. 396. Letters of Eustathius, 379.
Hosea, Didymus on, 381; Pierius John the apostle, 367, 372 chapter ;
Letters of Jerome, 384.
on, 378. on, 364; Gospel of, 361 ; or- Letters of Severus, 390.
Hospitality, Maximus on, 393; Melito dains Paul, 362; ordains Poly- Letters of Sidonius, 401.
on, 369. carp, 367. Letters to Severus, by Paulinus, 394.
Humility, James of Nisibis on, 386. John of Antioch, 401 ; ( Chrysos- = Leucotheon =
Ledra, 379.
Iluneric, 401, 402. tom) chapter on, 383.
, Levi, surname of Matthew, 362.
I
lydatius, 383. John (Chrysostom) of Constanti- Leviticus, Victorinus on, 377.
Hyginus, 359. nople, chapter on, 391. Liberius of Rome, 380.
Ilymnal, by Paulinus, 394. John of Jerusalem, chapter on, 391. Library at CfEsarea, 362, 377, 382.
Hymns and mvsteries, by John or Mark, a disciple, 363. Life after death, James of Nisibis on
Hilary,
380. John the Baptist, 366. the, 386.
Hymns, of Gelasius, 401. John the Presbyter, 364, 367. Life of a wise man, Philo on the,
Hymns, of Peter of Edessa, 398. Joseph, the husband of Mary, 361. 365-
Hymns, of Prudentius, 388. Joseph the Levite, another name for Linus, second bishop of Rome (?).
Hyppolytus. See Hippolytus. Barnabas, 363. Lives of the Christians, Philo on the,
Josephus, chapter on, 366; quoted, 365-
Iconium, church at, 384. 362, 371; antiquities of, 361; Lives of the fathers, by Evagrius, 387.
Ignatius, chapter on, 366. convicts Justus of falsehood, Lord's day, Melito on the, 368.
Incarnation of our Lord, Augustine 366. Lucan, the poet, 365.
.
on the, 392 Cassianus on the,

; Jovian, 386; reign of mentioned, Lucianus of Antioch, chapter on,
396; Isaac on the, 391; Julius 379- 378; put to death, 378.
on the, 386; Nestorius on the, Jovinian the heretic, 393; chapter Lucianus, the presbyter, chapter on,
395; Prosper on, 399; Theo- on, 381. 394-
dorctus on the, 400; Theodorus Judas, chapter on, 373; Maximus on, Lucifer, chapter on, 380.
on the, 388. 393- Luciferian schism, 389.
Innocentius, chapter on, 393. Jude, brother of James, chapter on, Lucius, the Arian, chapter on, 382.
Internal war, Tichonius on, 389. 362. Lucius of Rome succeeds Cornelius,
Institutes of arithmetic, Anatolius on Judea, places in, Jerome on, 384. 376.
the, 377. Judgment of Peter, Apocryphal, 361. Luke, chapter on, 363; author of
Institutes of Cassianus, 396. Julian, 359, 3S1, 386; reign of men- Epistle to the Hebrews, 363;
Instruction for neophytes by Niceas, tioned, 380. Gospel of, 392, 364; homilies
390. Julian, the Emperor, Gregory against, on by Jerome, 384.
Irenacus, 383; on,
chapter 370; 382. Lyons, 370; church at, 396.
Commentary on the Apocalypse, Julianus, 383 ( ?) chapter on, 394.
;
364; doctrine of the millennium, Julius Africanus, chapter on, 375. Macarius the monk, chapter on, 387;
367; against heresies, 368. Julius of Rome, 379; chapter on, teacher of Evagrius, 387.
Isaac, chapter on, 391. 386. Macarius of Rome,, chapter on, 391.
Isaac of Antioch, chapter on, 396. Justin Martyr, chapter on, 368; Maccabeans, 366.
Isaiah, Didymus on, 38I; Eusebius commentary on the Apocalypse, Maccabees, Gregory in praise of the,
on, 378; Hippolytus on, 375; 364- 382.
Victorinus on, 377. Justin Martyr andTatian, 369. Macedonians, Faustus against the,
Isaiah, saying in, James of Nisibis on Justus, chapter on, 366. 389, 400-
the, 386. Juvencus, chapter on, 379, Macrinus, 375.
JEROME AND GENNADIUS. 587
Macrobius, chapter on, 386. 386; Persecution of, 377, 378; Nature, Dionysius of A. on, 377.
Magnesians, Ignatius to the, 366. puts Priscillianus to death, 3S3. Nature and invention, Philo on, 365.
Magnus the consul, 400. Maximus of Constantinople, chapter Nature of all sins, Cassianus on the,
Majorianus, reign of mentioned, 396, on, 383. 396.
397» 398. Maximus of Jerusalem, chapter on, Nature of things, introductory trea-
tise on the, by Heliodorus, 387.
Malchion, chapter on, 377. 372-
Mamertus, bishop of Vienne, 399. Maximus of Turin, chapter on, 398. Nazarenes, 362.
Mammoea, mother of the Emperor Maximus the Arian, 401. Neapolis, 368.
Alexander, 373, 375. Maximus the Philosopher, Gregory Neocsesarea, 376.
Manichjeus, discussion with Arche- in praise of, 382. Neophytes, Paulinus on, 397.
laus, 377. Mazaca^CffisareainCappndocia, 3S2. Nepos, 359.
Manicheans, 388; Titus against, 381 ; Medicine, Flavius on, 378. Nepos the bishop, Dionysius of A.
Serapion against the, 380. Melito, 372 chapter on, 368.
; against, 376.
Manner of one's life, Philo on the, Melodius, 390. Nero, reign of mentioned, 361, 362,
365. Mesopotamia, 370, 377. 363. 364, 367; and Paul, 363;
Marcella, epistles to by Jerome, 304. Methodius, chapter on, 378. appoints Albinus, 361 ; cruelty
Marcellinus the presbyter, 389. Micah, explanations on, by Jerome, of, 363 puts Peter and Paul to
;
Marcellus of Ancyra, 381; chapter 384. death, 365; tutored by Seneca,

on, 379; Basil against, and on Milan, 383; church at, 383. 365-
virginity, 379. Milevis, church at, 381. Nerva (?) reign of mentioned, 365.
Marcellus, the presbyter, Salvianus Millennium, the, by Papias, 367; Nestorian doctrine, 394.
to, 397- Gennadius on the, 402. Nestorian impiety, 400.
Marcianus, Irenseus to, 370. Miltiades, chapter on, 371. Nestorians, 397, 398; Samuel against
Marcion, 367, 390; heresy of, 375; Minucius Felix, chapter on, 374. the, 399.
Hippolytus against, 375; Justin Miscellaneous propositions by Lu- Nestorius, 395; chapter on, 394;
against, 368, Modestus against, cius, 382. Cassianus against, 396 Cyril of ;
370; Philip against, 369; Rhodo Miscellaneous questions by Acacius, A. against, 395, 401 Cyrus ;
against, 370 Theophilus of An-

; 380. against, 399; Gelasius against,
tioch against, 369. Mochimus, chapter on, 397. 401 Gennadius against, 402.
;
Marcionites, differ from one another, Modestus, chapter on, 370. New Testament, translated by Jerome,
370- Modesty, TertuUian on, 378. 384.
Marcus Antoninus. See Marctis Monarchy, Irenceus on, 370. Nicean council, 386.
Aurelius A. Monasteries, Egyptian, 387. Niceas, chapter on, 390.
Marcus Antoninus Verus. See Mar- Monasteries, heads of, Pachomius to Nicomedia, 378, 396.
cus Aurelius A. the, 387. Nicomedians, Dionysius to the, 369.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus, Monastic life, Cselestius on, 394. Nicopolis, formerly Emmaus, 375.
reign of mentioned, 369, 370, Monk, aim and creed of a, Cassia- Ninevites, repentance of, Maximus
37'> 375; Bardesanes to, 370. nus on the, 396. on, 393.
Mark, chapter on, 364; at Alexan- Monks, three ancient kinds of, etc., Nisibis, 386; church at, 386.
dria, 365, 370; Gospel of, 361, Cassianus on, 396. Nocturnal illusions, Cassianus on,
364- Monogamy, TertuUian on, 378. 396-
=
Mark Basilides, 383. Montanists or Donatians, 387. Nola, church at, 394.
Mark or John Mark, 363. Montanus, 369, 371; Appollonius Novatian heresy, 376.
Marseilles, 395, 396 church at, 395,
; against, 371; heresy of, Sera- Novatians, 377, 389.
397. 402. pion on, 371; Rhodo against, Novatians, Pacianus agamst the,
Martianus, reign of mentioned, 396, 371; teacher of Proculus, 374; 381.
397- TertuUian and, 373. Novatianus, chapter on, 377 Diony- ;
Martin bishop of Tours, 390; life Montanus, Prisca and Maximilla, sius of A. to, 376; Reticius
of, by Severus, 390. Appollonius against, 371. against, 378.
Martyrdom, Ambrosius on, 374; Mortality, Dionysius of A. on, 376. Novatianus and those who had
Dionysius of A. on, 377; Origen Mortification, Cassianus on, 396. fallen from the faith, Cornelius
on, 374. Moses, 371 ;
the five books of, Philo on, 376.
Martyrs, Eusebius on the, 378; Max- on, 365. Novatus, 377.
imus on the, 393; Phileas in Musreus, chapter on, 393. Nyssa, church at, 2,?>2-
praise of,378; Prudentius, in Musanus, chapter on, 369.
praise of, 388; VigiHus, in praise Obedience, Paulinus on, 397.
of, 392. Nahum, Jerome on, 384. Oceanus, 393.
Mary, sister of the mother of our Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem, 371, Octava or Ogdoad. 370 (note).
lord, 361. 372, 375- Octavms, of Minucuis, Felix, 374.
Mathematicians, Macarius against Nations, ApoUinaris against the, 369 ; Ogdoad, the, IreuKus on, 370.
the, 391; Minucius Felbc against Arnobius against the, 378; Old Testament, translated by Jerome,
the, 374;
Pamphilus against, Athanasius against the, 379; 384.
translated by Rutinus, 389. Clemens of Alexandria against Ohvet, Mount, 362.
Matter made by God (?), work by the, 371; Irenreus against the, Olympius, chapter on, 390.
Maximus, 372. 370; Photinus against the, 38 1; Olympus, church at, 378.
Matthew and John, Didymus on, James of Nisibis against the, Optatus, 386; chapter on, 381.
381 Theodorus on, 379.
;
386; Justin Martyr against the, Order of discipline, by Pachomius,
Matthias, 366. 368; Tatian against the, 369, 387-
Maximilla, 369, 371. 371 ; ViteUius against the, 386. Ordering of life, or the correction of
Matthew, 364, 367; chapter on, 362; Nations and the Jews, Miltiades morals, by Paul the presbyter,
Gospel of in Hebrew, 370; against the, 371. 398-
Hilary on, 380. Nativity of our Lord, Maximus on Ordination of bishops, Petronius on,
Maximus, reign of mentioned, 375, the, 393; Timotheus on the, 395. the, 393.
Oresiesis, chapter on, 367. Pastor, the bishop, chapter on, 398. Petronius of Bologna, chapter on,
Origen, surnamed Adamantius, chap- Pastor, work by Hermas, 365. 398.
ter on, 373; Alexander in be- Patmos, 364. Philadelphians, Ignatius to the, 366.
half of,375; and Ambrosius, Patrobas, 365. Phileas, chr^jter on, 378.
374; and Theodorus, 376; Paul the apostle, chapter on, 362. Philemon, Paul to, 363; Jerome on,
apology for, by Eusebius, 378 ; Paul, 368; author of Hebrews (?), 384; Paul to, 384.
apology for, by Pamiihilus, 377 ; 366; Chrysostom in praise of, Philemon and Dionysius, Dionysius
Alexander to, 375 Beryllus to,
; 391; epistles of, 375; "gospel of A. to, 376.
375; Eustathius against, 379; of" means Luke, 364; martyr- Philip, 367, 372, 374; slain by
collects library at Ca'sarea, 382; dom of, 365 ; mentions Hermas, Decius, 374; chapter on, 369.
corrects Beryllus, 375; letters 365- Philip the emperor, 378.
of, to Beryllus, 375 Dionysius
;
Paul to Seneca, 365. Philip the presbyter, chapter on, 396.
^^t 377; imitated by Hilary, Paul to the Phihppians, 366. Philippians, Paul to the, 363; Poly-
380; Julius Africanus to, 375; Paul of Concordia, secretary to Cy- carp to the, 367.
listens to Hippolytus, 375 made ; prian, 373. Philo, chapter on, 365; on the first
presbyter by Alexander, 375; Paul of Samosta, Dionysius against, church at Alexandria, 364.
Methodius against, 378; pupil 377; discussion with Malchion, Phlegon, 365.
of Clemens, 371; teacher of 377- Phoebadius, chapter on, 381.
.
Trypho, 374; teacher of Diony- Paul the bishop, chapter on, 391. Photinians, 388.
sius, 376; Theophilus against, Paul the monk, life of, by Jerome, Photinus, chapter on, 381.
392; translated by Rutinus, 389; 384- Phrygians or Cataphrygians, 371;
uses Gospel of the Hebrews, Paul the presbyter, chapter on, 398. Rhodo against the, 371.
362; works transcribed, 377. Paula, Jerome to, 374; and Eusto- Pierius, chapter on, 377.
Origen Junior, name for Pierius, 377. chius, Jerome to, 384. Pilate, 368.
Origin, nature, and remedies for the Paulinus of Nola, 390; chapter on, Pinytus of Crete, chapter on, 369;
eight principal sins, Cassianus 394- Dionysius to, 369.
on the, 396. Paulinus (not Nolanus), chapter on, Plato and Philo, 365.
Origin of evil, Maximus on, 372. 397- Poitiers, church at, 380.
Origin of sin, Prudentius on the, Paulonas, chapter on, 386. Polycarp of Smyrna, 366, 372; chap-
3S8. Peace of the church, Alexander on ter on, 367; Ignatius to, 366;
Orosius, 394; teacher of Irenreus, 370.

chapter on, 393. the, 375.
Osanna, Jerome on, 384. Pedagogy, Clemens of Alexandria Polycrates, chapter on, 372.
Ostian way, 363. on, 371, Pomerius, chapter on, 402.
Pelagian doctrine, 395. Ponticus the Proselyte, Translation
Pachomius, chapter on, 387 ;
col- Pelagians, 390, 398; decree against ofO.T., 374.
league of Oresiesis, 387. by Innocentius, 393. Pontius the deacon, chapter on, 376.
Pacianus, 384; chapter on, 381. Pelagius, chapter on, 394, 398; Pontius, Serapion to, 371.
Pagans, Commodianus against the, Gennadius against, 402. Pontus, churches of, Dionysius to the,
388. Penitence, Dionysius of A. on, 376, 369-
Pamphilus, chapter on, 377; and 377; James of Nisibis on, 386; Porphyry, 359; accuses Ammonius,
Eusebius, 378; collects library Paul the bishop on, 391; Paul- 374; Apollinarius against, 381 ;
at Ctesarea, 362, 3S2; life of, inus on, 397. Eusebius against, 378; Metho-
by Eusebius, 378. Pentecost, Maximus on, 393. dius against, 378.
Pancratius, 380. Peregrinus against heretics, by Vin- Postumianus and Gallus, conference
Panegyric, by Paulinus, 394. centius, 396. between, by Severus, 390.
Panegyric of all the martyrs, Ijy Perfection, Cassianus on, 396. Pothinus, 370.
Paulinus, 394. Perpetual virginity of Mary, Jerome Praise of our Lord and Saviour,
Pantcenus, chapter on, 370; teacher on the, 384. Hippolytus on the, 375.
of Clemens, 371. Persecution, Bardesanes on, 370; Prayer, James of Nisibis on, 386;
Papias, 364, 388; chapter on, 367; Firmianus on, 378; James of Novatianus on, 377.
disciple of John, 364. Nisibis on, 386; Tertullian on, Prayer, duration of, Cassianus on the,
Papyrus, 372. 378- ... 396.
,
Paschal controversy, Irenteus on the, Persian kingdom, James of Nisibis Prayer, nature of, Cassianus on the,
370; Victor on the, 370. on the, 386. 396.
Paschal cycle of Victorius, 400. Pertinax, reign of mentioned, 365. Preaching of Peter, Apocryphal, 361.
Paschal feast, 400; reckoning of the, Peter, Simon, 367; chapter on, 361 ;
Present judgment, Salvianus on the,
by Hyppolytus, 375. and Mark, 364; apocryphal 397-
Passion of our Lord, hymn on, by Acts, Gospel, Preaching, Revela- Priesthood, John on the, 383; Nova-
Claudianus, 399; Maximus on tion and Judgment, 361 ; ap- tianus on the, 377.
the, 393. pearance of Christ to, 366; Principalities, Cassianus on, 396.
Passover, Anatolius on the, 377; beheaded, 363; bishop of Rome, Principius, 402.
Bacchylus on the, 372; cele- 366; first bishop of Antioch, Prisca, 369, 371.
bration of, 372; Clemens of 366; friend of Philo, 365; Priscillians, 398.
Alexandria on the, 371; Diony- Gospel of Serapion on, 372; Priscillianus, 383 ; chapter on, 383.
sius of A. on the 376; Hip- martyrdom of, 365; ordains Priscus Bacchius, 368.
polytus on the, 375; Lucius Paul, 362. Proba, 389.
on the, 382; Maximus on the, Peter and Acacius, epistles against, Probus, reign of mentioned, 377.
393; Melito on the, 368; Nova- by Gelasius, 401. Prolans, epistles to, by Firmianus,
tianus on the, 377. Peter and Appion, disputation be- 378.
Passover, day of, questions concern- tween (apocryphal), by Clem- Proculus, Gains agamst, 374.
ing, 367. ent of R., 366. Prophets, lives of the, Melilo
on the,
Passover Sabbath, Paulinus on the, Peter of Edessa, chapter on, 398. 368 Jerome
: on the, 384 ; tr. of
397- Petronius, father of Petronius, 398. Jerome on, by Sophionius, 384.
JEROME AND GENNADIUS. 5S9
Propositions, of Marcellus, 379. Romans, Dionysius of A. to the, Seraphim, Jerome on the, 384.
Prosper, chapter on, 399; Paschal 376; Dionysius of Corinth to Serapion of Antioch, chapter on, 371.
cycle of, 4CXD. the, 369; Ignatius to the, 366. Serapion of Thmuis, chapter on,
Protection of God, Cassianus on the, Romans, Paul to the, 363, 365; As- 3.80.
396. terius on, 380. Serapis, overthrow of, Sophronius
Proterius, 397. Romatia, church 390.
at, on the, 384.
Protoctetus, Origen to, 374. Rome, 361, 365, 366, 370, 380, 381, Sergius Paulus, converted by Paul,
Proverbs, Hippolytus on the, 375; 386, 39 1 »
393; church at, 366, 362.
Theophilus on the, 369. 373, 374. 376, 377' 379. 380. Servants of God, why hated by the
Providence, Philo on, 365. 381, 386, 393, 397, 400,401. world (?), Vitellius on, 386.
Prudent and the prodigal sons, Je- Rufinus, chapter on, 389. Severians or Encratites, 369.
rome on the, 384. Rule for monks, by Vigilius, 394. Severianus, chapter on, 390.
Prudentius, chapter on, 388. Rules for investigating the Scrip- Severus, reign of mentioned, 370,
Psalms, Asterius on the, 380; Didy- tures, by Tichonius, 389. 371. 372, 373-
mus on the, 381; Eusebius on Severus, leader of the Severians,
the, 380; Eusebius on one Sabbath, Dionysius of A, on the, 369-
hundred and fifty, 378; Hilary 376; Novatianus on the, 377. Severus, Sulpitius, chapter on, 389.
on the,380; Hippolytus on Sabbatius, chapter on, 390. Severus, epistles to, by Firmianus,
the, 375; Jerome on Ps. 10- Sabellianism, 379. 378.
16, 3S4; MeHto on the, 369; Sabellians, 388. Servus Dei, chapter on, 400.
reading of, Cassianus on, 396; Sabellius, Dionysius of A. against, Sextus, chapter on, 373.
titles of, Athanasius on, 379; 376. Schism, Irenseus on, 370.
Serapion on, 380 Vincentius on
; Sacramentary, by Musseus, 398; by Scythopolis, 380.
the, 399. Paulinus, 394. Sicca, 378.
Psalter, by Sophronius, 384; Theo- Sacraments, juvencus on, 379; Vo- Sicily, 378.
dorus on the, 379. conius on the, 398; Salvianus Side, 379.
Psaltes,work by Justin M., 368. on the, 397. Sidonius, chapter on, 401.
Psychomachia by Prudentius, 388. Sacrifice of the Paschal lamb Ni- Simon the Jew and Theophilus the
Publius, Martyrdom of, 367. ceas on the, 390. Christian, discussion between,
Pulcheria, 394. Sagaris, 372. Evagrius (another) on, 394.
Punishment according to desert, Sal- Salamina, church at, 382. Simon Magus, 361.
vianus on, 397. Sallust the prefect, Hilary to, 380. Simplicianus, chapter on, 392.
Pyrenees, 381. Salonius, 396; Salvianus to, 397. Sirmium, church at, 381.
Pythonissa, Hippolytus on the, 375; Salvianus, chapter on, 397. Six days of creation, Appion on the,
Methodius on the, 378. Samuel, chapter on, 399. 373; Basil on the, 382; Candi-
Santra, 359. duson, 372; Hippolytus on the,
Quadragesimal fast, Maximus on the, Sardinia, 380, 401. 375; Prudentius on the, 388;
393; Paulinus on the, 397. Sardis, 368. Rhodo on the, 371.
Quadratus, chapter on, 367. Satisfaction, James of Nisibis on, Slaughter of the Saints, Cassianus
Questions of Cyril, 395. 386. on the, 396.
Questions of Nestorius, 395. Satisfaction in repentance, Cassia- Smyrna, 366, 367, 372.
Questions of Simplicianus, 392. nus on, 396. Smyrneans, Ignatius to the, 366.
Questions of the ancient law, Jerome Saturninus, bishop of Aries, 380. Solomon, Proverbs of, Theophilus
on, 384. Satyrus, 359. on, 369.
Quinquagesimal fast, remission of, Saul, name for Paul, 362. Song of Songs, Hilary on the, 380;
Cassianus on the, 396. Saul, Hippolytus on, 375. Hippolytus on the, 375 Metho- ;
" For the dius on the, 378; Reticius on
Saying of the apostles,
"
Rebaptism of heretics, 376, 391 ; good which I would do etc., the, 378; Triphylius on, 379;
Ursinus against, 391. Cassianus on the, 396. Victorinus on the, 377; Jerome
Recognitions of Clement, translated Scriptures, obscure passages in, Eu- on the, 384,
by Rufinus, 389. cherius on, 396. Sophronius, chapter on, 384.
Red heifer, Trypho on the, 374. Second coming of Our Lord, by Soter, bishop of Rome, 369.
Refutation, a work by Justin M., Papias, 367. Sotion, the Stoic, 365.
368. Secunda, 390. Soul, Eustathius on the, 379; Justin
Refutation, by Cyril, 395. Selections from Holy Scriptures M. on the, 368.
Repentance, Paulinus on, 394. bearing on the Christian life, Soul and body, Melito on the, 369.
Repentance of the publican, Victor by Pelagius, 393. Soul and its properties, Pomerius on
of Cartenna on the, 398. Selucian Council, 380. the, 402.
Resurrection, Hippolytus on the, Senate, ApoUonius to the, 372. Sovereignty of God, Justin M. on
375; James of Nisibis on the, Seneca, Lucius Annseus, chapter on, the, 368.
386; Maximus on the, 393; 365. Spiritual conflict, Prudentius on, 388
Methodius on the, 378; Pome- Seneca, epistles of, to Paul, 365. Stephen the Protomartyr, 362; re
rius on the, 402; Sextus on Senses, Melito on the, 369. mains of, 393, 394.
the, 378. Sentences of Evagrius, translated by Strido, 384.
FvCticius, chapter on, 378. Rufinus, 389. Stromata, of Clemens of Alexandria,
Retraction of Leporius, 395. Sentences of Xystus, translated by 371.
Revelation of Peter, Apocryphal, 361. Rufinus, 389. Susanna, question of, Julianus Africa
Rhodo, chapter on, 370; against Sentiments, fifty, of Evagrius, 388. nus on the, 375.
Montanus, 371. Sentiments, one hundred, of Evag- Syagrius, chapter on, 396.
Rhosenses, church of the, 372. rius, 388. Symmachus, 391 ; Prudentius against,
Riez, church at, 399. Septuagint, 362, 374. 386.
Roman, Italian, and African coun- Sepulchre of our Lord, Maximus on Symmachus, Translation of T. O
cils, Cornelius on, 376. the, 393. 374-
Synagogue, downfall of, Cyril on the, Timothean heresy, 386. Vespasian, 366,
395- Timotheans, 401 Samuel against the, Vicennalia of ("onstantine, 400.
;
Synodical letter of Theophilus of C, 399- Vices and virtues, Pomerius on, 402.
372; Polycrates against Victor, Timotheus of Alexandria, chapter on, Victim J and promises or curses, Philo
372- 397- on, 365.
Synodites, 388. Timotheus the bishop, chapter on, Victor of Cartenna, chapter on, 398.
Syrus, Abbot, Pachomius to the, 387. 395- Victor of Rome, 373; chapter on,
Timothy, Paul to, 363. 370; Irenceus to, 370; Poly-
Tabernacle and the Decalogue, Philo Timothy (?), Dionysius to, 377. crates to, 372.
on the, 365. Titus, Bishop of Bostra, chapter on, Victorinus the African, chapter on,
Tabernacle, construction of the, 381. 381.
James of Nisibis on the, 386. Titus (disciple), Paul to, 363; Jerome Victorinus of Marseilles, chapter on,
Tactius, reign of mentioned, 377. on Epistle to, 384. 395-
Tanais, 393. Titus, the Emperor, 366; Siege of, Victorinus of Pettau, chapter on, 377;
Tarsus, 362; church at, 382, 362. follows Papias, 367.
Tatian, chapter on, 369; teacher of Tomi, 383. Victorius, chapter on, 400.
Rhodo, 370, 371; work against Topics of Eusebius, 378. Victory over tyrants, Paulinus on,
the Nations, 371. Trajan, reign of mentioned, 365, 367; 394-
Teaching of the Twelve, 361 (note). persecution of, 366. Vienne, church at, 397, 399.
Telesphorus, Dionysius of A. to, 377. Trajanapolis, 379. Vigilantius, chapter on, 392.
Temptation, Dionysius of A., 377. Trallians, Ignatius to the, 366. Vigilius, chapter on, 392.
Tertullian, 388; chapter on, 373; Tranquillus, Sectonius, 359. Vigilius the deacon, chapter on, 394.
ascribes Hebrews to Barnabas, Transgression, order of, Dionysius of Vincentius the Gaul, chapter on, 396.
363; in behalf of Montanus, A. on the, 377. Vincentius the presbyter, chapter on,
369; on authorship of Acts of Treatises of Gelasius. 398.
Paul and Thecla, 363; on the Treatises of Peter of Edessa, 398. Virginity, Basilon, 379; Athanasius
hope of the faithful, 367 on the Treatises of Irenceus, 370.
; o"> 379; excellence of, Salvia-
Trinity, 377. Treves, 383. nus on the, 397; Fastidius on,
Thanks after meat, Maximus on, 393. Trial, by Acilius Severus, 382. 395 Heliodorus on, 391 James
; ;
That no one is injured except by Trinity, Augustine on the, 392; of Nisibis on, 386; maintaining
himself, by Chrysostom, 391. Isaac on the, 391 ; Noviatianus of, by Jerome, 3S4; Sophronius
Theoctistus of Cxsarea ordains Ori- on the, 377; Pelagius on belief on, 384.
gen, 373. in the, 393. Virginity and contempt for the world,
Theodoretus, chapter on, 400. Triphylius, chapter on, 379. Paul the presbyter on, 398.
Theodorus of Antioch, chapter on, Trocheum, by Prudentius, 388- Virtues, the three, Philo on, 365.
388; colleague of Oresiesis, 3S7. Truth, Apollinaris on, 369; Melito ViteUius, chapter on, 386.
Theodorus of Ileraclea, cliapter on, on, 369. Vocations to the service of God,
379- Trypho, 368; chapter on, 374. Cassianus on, 396.
Theodorus or Gregory of Neo Cae- Turin, church at, 393. Voconius, chapter on, 398.
sarea, chapter on, 376. Turris Stratonis or Caesarea, 372, Volusianus, reign of mentioned, 374,
Theodorus successor to Pachomius, Twelve prophets, Origen on the, 377. 376.
chapter on, 387. Tyre, 374; church at, 378.
Theodosian, reign of mentioned, 381, Warfare of the against the
flesh
382. Ursacius, Athanasius against, 379; spirit and the against the
spirit
Theodosius, reign of mentioned, 359, Hilary against, 380. flesh, Cassianus on the, 396.
381, 3S2, 384,389,394; Pauli- Ursinus, chapter on, 391. What rich man is saved ?, by Clemens
nus to, 394. of Alexandria, 371.
Theodosius the younger, reign of Valens, reign of mentioned, 379, 380, Whether to define or not to define,
mentioned, 390, 393, 395, 396. 381, 382. Cassianus on, 396.
Theodotian the Ebonite, Translation Valens and Ursacius, Hilary against, Why in Scripture the names of many
of O. T.,374. 380; Athanasius against, 379. persons are changed, Philo on,
Theodotus, chajiter on, 395. Valentinianus I., reign of mentioned, 365-
Theodulus, chapter on, 400. 380, 381, 382; expels Photinus, Words of our Lord, Papias' exposi-
Theonas, 377. 381; Photinus to, 381. tion of the, 367,
Thcopliany, \)y Kusebius, 378. Valentinianus II., 389. Work of God or the creation of
Theophilus of Alexandria, chapter Valentinianus III., reign of men- man, Firmianus on the, 378.
on, 392. tioned, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, Worth of the soul, James of Nisibis
Theo])hilus of Antioch, chapter on, 399- on the, 386.
369- Valentinus, 367, 390, 391; teacher Wrath of God, Firmianus on the,
Theophilus of Cacsarea, chapter on, and opponent of Bardesanes, 378-
" 372; Paschal cycle of (?),40o. 370-
hespesius the rhetorician, 382. Valerianus, 396; reign of mentioned, Xystus, 395; Dionysius of A. to,
Thessalonians, Paul to the, 363. 376, 379- 376.
Theotimus, chapter on, 383. Vandals, 399, 401.
Things which our senses desire and Varro, 359; Jerome against, 374. Zeal, Novatianus on, 377.
we detest, I'hilo on the, 365. Venerius, 398. Zebedee, 364.
Thmuis, 378; church at, 380. Ventriloquism, Eustathius on, 379. Zebennus, Bishop, 376.
Thomas, 367. Veranius, 396. Zechariah, Didymus on, 381; Hip-
Thraseas of Eumenia, 372. Vercelli, church at, 380. polytus on, 375.
Tiberianus, chapter on, 383. Verus, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Zeno, reign of mentioned, 401 .
Tiberias, 366. reign of mentioned, 369, 370 ;

Zephaniah, Jerome on, 384.
Tichonius, chapter on, 389. Melito 368; Justin to, 368.
to, Zephyrinus, 373, 374.
Timothean doctrine, 399. See, also, Aurelit(s Antoninus. Zosimus, Pope, 393.
LIFH AND WORKS OF RUFINUS.
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
.^sculapius, 458. Creation, 546. Huillus, 490.

Alaric, 409, 410. Creed, The, 556. Hylas, 405.
Albina, 407. Cross, The, a triumph, 549.
Alexandria, 430, 502. Cyprian, 425, 512. Incarnation, its
consequences, 555.
Ambrose, 484. Cyril, 406.
Defamed by Jerome, 470, James, the Lord's brother, 564.
480. Damasus, 426. Jerome, 405, 406.
Anastasius, 407 n., 409, 487, 513. Daniel, Jerome's views of, 516-7. Anti-Ciceronian Dream, 462,
Letter to John of Jeru- Demetrias, 413. 498.
salem, 432,509,529. Devil, Question of salvability of, Apology against Rufinus,
.537- 431, 442, 454, 503. 408, 410, 411,412, 4S2-
Opinions on Origen, Snared by Christ's death, 541.
433- 550. Commentary on Ephesians,
Rufinus' Apology to, Didymus, 458, 466, 471, 486, 510, 446-458, 493-8-
410, 430, 501. 03- Defamation of Christians,
Rufinus on, 433. Dionysius, 423, 510. 462-498.
Anthropomorphism, 443, 531, Donatus, 568. Departure from Rome for
Apocrypha, 558. the East, 530.
ApoUinarius, 426. Ebion, 558. Friendly letter to Rufinus,
Apostles' Creed, 541-63. Ecclesiastical History by Rufinus, 489.
Apronianus, 407, 480, 564, 566. 410, 465. Prefaces to the Vulgate, 515.
Aquila, 467, 517. Edena, 406. Reading profane literature,,
———
Aquileia, 405, 409, 431, 432, 502.
Creed of, 437, 541.
Epiphanius, 406, 407, 426
442, 514, 522, 534, 535.
n., 434, 464-5, 489, 498.
Relations with Origen, 434,
Ariminum, Council of, 410, 512. Eugenia, 413. 445. 450, 467-470, 533-
Aristotle, 452. Eusebius of Aquileia, 436. Story of, 426, 513.
Arius, 558. Eusebius of Cresarea, 409, 411, 412, Supposed letter to African
Aterbius, 407, 435. 488, 565. Bishops, 515, 532.
Augustin, 409. Eusebius of Cremona, 407, 444, 445, Translation of Old Test.,
487, 515. 521,532. 475-
Bacurius, 406. Eustochium, Jerome's letter to, 462, Translator of Origen, 427,
Barabbas, or Baranina, Jerome's 465- 428, 525, 536.
Jewish teacher, 466, 476, 489. Evagrius Ponticus, 412. Jesus, Meaning of, 545.
Barcochebas, 535. John of Jerusalem, 406, 407, 421,
Basil, 412. Fabiola, 407. 431. 432-
Belief, Nature of,543, 557. Fall of men, 448. Jovinian, 464, 47S.
Bibliography of Rufinus' Works, the world, 448. fovinus, 436.
413- Fontanini on Life and Works of Josephus, 413.
Body, The, a prison, 456. Rufinus, 412. Judas, Prophecies of, 551,
Bonosus, 405. Forgiveness, ridiculed by Pagans,
Bribing of Rufinus' Secretary, 520. 559-
Lactantius, 431.
Frumentius, 406.
Laurentius, 542.
Canon of Scripture, 557-8. and carriage
Letters, composition of,
Cerealis, 418. Gaudenlius, 409.
515, 520, 524, 532, 537.
Christ, Meaning of, 545; Birth of, Gelasius, 410.
Lightfoot on Eusebius, 41 1.
54^8. Gennadius, 410, 412, 413.
Logical puzzles, 498-9.
Chromatins, 407, 409, 411, 430, 514. God, as Father, 543-4; Unity of,
Chronicle of Jerome, 407. 544; Invisible and Impassible,
Chrysogonus, 500. 545- Macarius, 407, 411, 420, 421, 427,
Church, opposed to heretical assem- Greek, Knowledge of, 417, 522, 532, 434, 439. 444-
blies, 558. 537- Manich;-eus, 558.
Clement of Alexandria, 423, 510. Gregory Nazianzen, 412, 458. Marcella, 409, 430, 444.
Clement of Rome, 409, 412, 417, Marcion, 424, 425, 485, 558.
422-3. Hebrew Scriptures quoted by Christ, Melanin, 405, 406, 407, 471.
Recognitions of, 409, 412, 517-
Middle Ages, 412.
422, 510, 563. Heraclius, 566-7. Migne's Patrologia, 413,
Commentator, Duty of, 490, 567-8. Hexapla of Origen, 477. Milan, Rufinus at, 444.
Concordia, 405, 406. Hilary, 405,425,475, 512.
Minerva's Birth, 547.
Controversy may be friendly, 520, Homilies of Origen, 411, 412. Monks, Rufinus' History of, 411,
523-4, 539-40- Homoousion, 422. Morbus rejîus, 466,
592 RUFINUS.
Origen, 405, 407, 408, 418, 433, 500. Peroration on Ep. to Romans, 411. Sabellius, 423.
Condemned by the Emperurs, Petronius, 409, 411. Schoenemann, 413.
433- .
Phoenix, The, 547. Septuagint, Jerome's relation to, 475,
Corruption of his works, Pinetum, 407, 411, 419, 421, 427. 5 '7, 532.
410, 421, 510. Pinianus, 409, 568. Story of, 475.
His opinions summarized, Porphyry, 452, 464, 467, 517. Seraphim, Vision of, 472, 48 1, 545.
508. Pre-Arian opinions, 511. Simplicianus, 407.
Letter to his friends, 423. Prefaces by Rulinus, 411, 563-8. Siricius, 407, 529.
Number of his works, 427, Proba, 413. Socrates, 405.
514. Proverbs, quotations from, 540-1. Souls, origin of, 431, 450, 503-506,
Praised by Jerome, 460-9. Publication of Rufinus' Works, 521- 533-
Story of, 468. 2, 529, 536. Fall of, 449, 494.
Translated by Jerome, 427, Publicola, 407, 409. Sozomen, 405.
428. Pythagoras, 537-9. Symbol um, used for Creed, 542.
Translated by Rutinus, 405, Symmachus, 493, 517,
409, 411, 412, 427, 429, Reconciliation of Jerome and Ru-
434- finus, 434, 483-4, 535- Tertullian, 425, 431, 534.
Restoration, Universal, 452-458, 496. Theodotion, 517.
Palladius, 406, 409, 411. Resurrection of the body, 421, 431, Theophilus, 406, 407, 487, 513, 527.
Pammachius, 407, 430, 434, 476, 437-439, 440, 442, 447. 503, Tomes of Origen, 428.
480, 485. 527, 559-62. Translation, Method of, 408, 428,
Pamphilus, 407, 410, 411, 420, 421, of Christ, 554. 486, 506, 534.
434, 439, 473. 4^7, 509, SH- Rufinus, Birth and personal history,
525- 405-10, 500, 502, 532. Ursacius, 568.
Patriarchs, Benedictions on, 410, Confession of his faith, 421, Urseius, 407.
417-420. 430, 436. 502.
Paula, 465. Connexion with the Her- Valentinus, 443, 512, 558.
Paul, Bishop, 527-28. mits, 466. Valerian of Aquileia, 436.
Paulinus of Nola, 407, 409, 410, 417. Controversy with Jerome, Vallarsi, 413.
Paulinian, 493, 532. 408, 410, 420, 434. Venerius, 409,433, 514.
Paulinus of Antioch, 426 n. His letters, 413. Victorinus, 475, 484.
ilEfu 'A/J,V'^'', Translated by Rufinus, His parents, 502. Vigilantius, 407, 445, 446, 528.
407, 41 1, 420, 427, 429, 441, 474, His works described, 410- Vincentius, 532.
484, 489, 506, 509, 524, 525-6, 413- Vision and knowledge, 443.
Threatens to destroy Je-
^536, 537.
nepl 'A/3;i'(Jr, translated by Jerome, rome, 519, 539. Water and blood, Meaning of, 552.
486. Translated parts of the
Perjury said to be sanctioned l)y LXX, 536. Xenium, 552.
Origenism, 460, 492. Rufinus the Syrian, 532. Xystus, Sentences of, 412, 564.
LIFE AND WORKS OF RUFINUS.
INDEX OF TEXTS.
594 RUFINUS.
I'AOli TAGE PAGE

Jahn xii. 3c .
554 1 Cor. i. 18, 23, 24 .
550 Cal. /bid., 15 499 Col.
• i.
15 . . ,
îii 1/ 4 491 vi. 477

.
504 ii. . . . . I .
xiv. 6 .
464 Ibid., 6 . . .
461 /bid., 16 421,440
Ji'id , o 544 //'/(/, 9 . . .
516 //'/(/., 17 •
502
XV. ij .
480 Jbid., 10 . .
436 Kph. i.
4 •
494
x\i. 2i 544 vi. 9 .
.499,512 /bid., 12 •
451
xvii. C .
506 //'/(/., 10 . .
455423 /bid., 17 •
//'/'</., 21 457 viii. 2 ... 457

54^ /bid., 18 .
xviii. 23 Ibid.,
5«9 6 /bid., 19, .20 . .
556
546 •
//>id., 40 ix.
466 16 /bid., 20, .21 454. 495
. .
426
xix. 34 xi. 3
552 /bid.,
. 22 .
454. 455
. .
506
//'/v., 37 Ibid., 16
5'6 ii.
3 . .
455427 . •
XX. 13 xii. 13
555 /bid., 6 ,
554. 562
. .
425
.Vets X. 38 . Jbid^,
545 2^ /bid., 7 453. 495
. .
516
xix. 9 . xiii. 12
4«3 /bid., 17 . . .
457
455 •
xxvi. 24 xiv. 32
491 iii. I ... 496, 502423 .
Koin. i. 8 . XV. 13, 14; 20-

454 /bid., 18 548 .
ii. I . 446 24 561 ....

iv. 3 457 . •
//>it/., 15, 16 Ibid,

557 20, 23 437 /bid., 1 1 .
516 .
y/'/'c/., 17-24 464

/bid., 25 455 /bid., 13 . .
457 •
IlnJ.,2V .
Jbid., 32
471 502 /bid., 16 457.
. .
496
vi. 9 .
56>
. .
/bid., 36-38 560 /bid., 25 461, 492
.
vii. 14 /bid., 42-44 437 V. 28, 29 447. 497

54J
. . .
/bid., 44 vi. 20 457

Jbid., 24 449 .455. .
562 . . . •
494, 496 /bid, cô .438,440 Phil. i. 18 . 453 •
viii. 9 457 /bid., 51, 52, /bi'd., 23 449. 494

Jbid., 22 456 53 561 ii.
•
3 . • • •
471 .
ix. 21 450 2 Cur. V. 10 557 /bid., 5 . . .

549 •
]bid 28 , 542 xi. 2 466 ./bid, 6, 7 . . .

508 •
x. 10 . 4.''.o /bid., 6 470 //^/^., 8 549. 550

. . .
xii. 19, 20 5'9 '.a\. ii. 2 (

520 ....
/bid., 10, 1 1 452, •
xiv. 4 439 iii. 27, 28 498 455. 549 555

. . .
iv. 23 iii. 21
/^/c/., 23 4^^3 554 . .
437. 455.
. .
XV. 21 551 V. 10 445 ... 562 .

WELLESLEY COLLEGE LIBRARY
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A Select library of Nicene

and poet -Nicene fathers of
JîL

Schaff, Wace. A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church. Second Series. 1892. Volume 3.

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;:;

i.';;^^*.' •''t'N<i^l?*?<v^' I:?.;

NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS

THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

TRANSLATED INTO ENCHJSH WITH PROLEGOMENA AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF

HENRY WAGE, D.D., and PHILIP SCHAFF, D.D., LL.D.,

IN CONNECTION WITH A NUMBER OF PATRISTIC SCHOLARS OF EUROPE

THEODORET, JEROME, GENNADIUS, RUFINUS;

The Letters 250

Translated with Introduction and Notes by Ernest Gushing Richardson, Ph.D. —

Jerome's Apology in answer to Rufinus B. II 501

Jerome's Apology in answer to Rufinus B. Ill 513

RuFiNus' Preface to his Translation ok the Chlrcii History ok

This volume contains the following works :

Bartholomew's, Cripplegate, London.

and notes, by Ernest Gushing Richardson, Ph.D., Librarian of Princeton College.

Hon. and Rev. Wini. Henry Fremantle, M.A., Ganon of Canterbury.

acknowledged. Several of them have never before appeared in English.

and be amply compensated by the

by Bishop Lightfoot in his Apostolic Fathers, and that one of

THE REV. BLOMFIELD JACKSON, M.A.,

LONDOX, July, 189.1.

"Twelve Chapters" Anathemas, with Theodoret's

The Ecclesiastical History ...... ^ o .. 33

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES TO ACCOMPANY THE HISTORY AND

323- Defeat and relegation of Licinius. Theod. 1. I; Soc. i.

Possibly 330 or 331. Theod. i. 20 ; Soc. i.

stantinople. Theod. i. ig.

342. Constantius orders expulsion of Paul from Con-

347. Birth of John Chrvsostoin.

350. Revolt of Mai^ncntius. Theod. ii. 12 ; Soc. ii. 25.

3^1. Conslantius, sole emperor, defeats Magnentius at

353. Suicide of Magnentius.

356. Intrusion of George at Alexandria. Theod. ii. la ; Soc. ii.

3rd Council of Sirmium.

359. Synod of the Isaurian Seleucia. Theod. ii. 22 ; Soc. ii.

362. Murder of George of Alexandria.

367. Gratianus, son of Valentinian, declared Augustus.

Gregory of Nazianzus at Constantinople. Theod. V. S : Soc. v. 6; Soz. vii. 7.

386. Birth of Theodoret, according to the less probable

400. Revolt of Gainas. cf. Theod. V. 33 ; Soc. vi. 6; Soz. viii. 4.

430 Letters of Celestine of Rome and Cyril of Alex-

THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF THE BLESSED THEODORETUS,

I. — Parentage, Birth, and Education.

lEp. LXXXI. = Ecc.Hist. V. 19. p. 146. a

'cf. Epp. yil. VIII. XIV. XV. XVII.XVIII. LXV. I.XIX. »

Til. — Relations with Nestorius and to Nestorianism.

As to the part played by Theodoret throughout the whole controversy we may

IV. — Under the Ban of Theodosius and of the Latrocinium.

V. — Theodoret and Chalcedon.

'Why is Cyril being cast anathematized by Theodoret ?

a bishop Cast out the fighter against God

the most religious

Cast out tlie insulter of Christ Long years to the Empress !

We shout out in the cause of Religion. We

Nestorius and his doctrine —

VL — Retirement after Chalcedon, and Death.

leisure. Sporacius he styles his

VII. — The Condemnation of "the Three Chapters."

had made the Eutychian VigiHus bishop of Rome. Justinian aspiredWhen

hypostasis of God the Word in the flesh and does

by Andronicus a presbyter and George a deacon.

i.';;^^.' •''t'N<i^l??<v^' I:?.;