Webpage John-1 Page 26 TO INDEX
Chapter
1
1. For the
long period of more than forty years the congregations of the orthodox church
had enjoyed a time of peace and tranquility both in the capital and its suburbs;
in full liberty, freely and without fear assembling wherever they chose, and
performed all the mysteries and ordinances of the church.
2.
But
suddenly in the holy days of the Lenten fast, on the Saturday before Palm
Sunday, from the urgency and wicked violence of him who governed the church of
the capital, namely john
of sirmin,
a village in Syria,
3. And from
his numerous slanders against the whole party of the orthodox, the victorious
Justin was stirred up unto great wrath, and in an angry decree commanded that
all the places where the believers assembled should be shut up, the altars
razed, their priests and bishops seized and cast into prison, and all who met
there for worship be driven away and dispersed, and never to enter them again.
4. And other
similar decrees and injunctions were issued in great wrath, whereas up to that
time they had been permitted in peace and quietness to celebrate the rites of
their religion.
5. (Manuscript partly missing) (Apparently the prefect sitting in
judgment of an old man, the old man saying:)
6. Why do thou
sit as a Christian, and judges the servants of God after the fashion of a
heathen? Thou art not a living man, if thou dost not quickly burn me, a weak old
man, and roast and eat me." The
prefect on hearing himself thus addressed was alarmed, and moved by the
prisoner's great age, commanded him to be conducted to the bishop:
7. But the
bishop in great anger sent and imprisoned him at Heracles in Thrace, where for
two years he was so closely confined that none of his friends were permitted to
see him; and with no change of raiment provided for him, he was soon covered
with vermin:
8. And when
one of his former disciples who had heard of his state procured for him a supply
of clothing, he was not allowed to give it him even by the hands of others. And
at the end of two years he fell ill and died:
9. In his last
words he pronounced a solemn curse, in case he should be buried by the
Synodites, or if any one of them should dare to minister at his funeral, or
offer over him a prayer.
10. A crowd of
orthodox Romans therefore of the neighborhood undertook the charge of his
burial, and wrapping his body as that of an illustrious martyr in cloths and
spices, they conducted him in solemn procession towards the capital.
11.
And as they
went cries of indignation and shame went up at the persecution of such a holy
men: and finally a party of believers from the capital went out to receive the
corpse, as being that of a saint.
·
12.
The
patriarch's chief attack however was directed against the monasteries, of which
many existed both in Constantinople, and its neighborhood, and several of these had
a very large number of inmates, especially the convents, in which the late queen
Theodora had placed the nuns who in a previous persecution had been driven out
of Antioch, Cilicia, Cappadocia, and the Roman provinces in the east.
13. So powerful
in fact were some of these establishments that they numbered more than three
hundred members. Upon these then also descended the storm and tempest of
persecution, and a murky cloud and terrifying darkness covered them;
14. For with
the prison-keepers came clergy and laics, and sergeants, and along with them the
bodyguard of the prefect of the city, who being let loose upon them with
barbarous violence surrounded the convents.
15. And like a
troop of wolves breaking into and falling upon a fold of sheep, so they rushed
in, and laid their destructive hands upon the inmates, who were Christ's own
lambs.
16. And the
(foul)
clergy that they had brought with them, took consecrated bread, and dragged and
pulled them by force to make them receive the communion at their hands. And they
all fled like birds before the hawk, and cowered down in corners, wailing and
saying.
17.
We cannot
communicate with the synod of Chalcedon, which divides Christ our God into two
natures after the union, and teaches a quaternary instead of the Holy Trinity.'
But with angry words and main force they were dragged up to communicate.
18.
And when
they held their hands above their heads, in spite of their screams their hands
were seized, and they were dragged along, uttering shrieks of lamentation, and
sobs, and loud cries, and struggling to escape.
19. And so the
sacrament was thrust by force into the mouths of some, in spite of their
screams, while others threw themselves on their faces upon the ground, and
cursed every one who required them to communicate by force.
20.
Some of
them then they thus reduced to obedience; but others who still resisted, and
would not yield, they separated from the rest, and expelled them from their
convents, and delivered them into the hands of the Roman sergeants.
21. By whom
they were hurriedly torn away, and taken to the city, and dispersed there among
various houses and prisons; and as it was said, there they met at the hands of
some with a treatment that is too wanton and abominable for us to mention.
22.
But there
is One, Who saw their cause, even the righteous Judge, Who shall judge their
cause and avenge their quarrel. And thus, in this savage and barbarous manner
were the convents treated, both of men and of women.
·
23.
The person
who stirred up, occasioned, and executed all these evils, was the john
mentioned above as head of the church in the city.
For he by his slanders inflamed the king against the whole party of the
believers, and so worked upon him that at length he obtained permission to treat
them as he liked: whereupon, by means of his satellites, he poured upon their
ranks everywhere the blight of his wicked nature.
24. For his
measures were not confined to the city, nor to his own diocese, but he wrote
letters also to other countries, that he might stir up the like troubles and
persecutions and miseries there also.
25. He even
went in person to the convents both of men and of women, and to houses, and
forced and compelled the inmates to communicate with him, and whoever persisted
in refusing, both men and women,
26. Whether
monk or clergy or nun, in cruel wrath and without mercy he commanded that they
should be imprisoned separately in various monasteries, and finally pronounced
the harsh sentences of death against them.
27. He managed
also to so deceive and stir up their victorious majesties, that they did
whatever he wished, and visited the convents one after another, the patriarch
going to each one - first in person accompanied by his clergy to celebrate a (so
called) divine
service there and re-consecrate them.
28.
After which
he proclaimed in them the 'divided
synod,' and put up
his own pictures, and put (his own) clergy in them to celebrate the communion
every first day of the week, and on the festivals, and days kept in memory of
the saints.
29. The
following day the king visited the monasteries in person; and the next day the
queen in like manner, offering each of them gifts, and restoring such monks as
either had, or were ready to make their submission.
30.
But such as
resisted were exiled, or sent into close confinement, or made over without mercy
to the praetorian guards to torture, or given up to whatever bitter and cruel
scourgings and ill treatment the fierce and vindictive malice of their
persecutors suggested to them.
31. The measure
however which the orthodox most deeply resented was the annulling of the orders
of their clergy.
·
{Constantinople was not merely then "a second Rome," as they
delighted to call it; but from the disastrous state of Italy, it was raised in
importance far above its western rival, and the residence of the emperor there,
gave to its patriarch the opportunity of gaining for his plans the support of
the secular power.}
·
32. The man
therefore being full of the spirit of fierce opposition, and led by violence,
and as one blinded in the vision of his eyes, so he being blinded by the passion
of hatred in his soul, drove by savage tyranny and violence many priests of the
orthodox party into communion with him:
33.
And after
they had communicated with him, and been received according to their rank in the
priesthood, the presbyters as presbyters, and administering the sacrament on an
equal footing with his own presbyters, and sitting in a row with them inside the
chancel.
34.
And the
deacons in like manner performing with his own deacons their appointed part in
the services; and that not once merely or thrice, but on as many as thirty-six
several occasions in all the offices of the church:
35.
And after
they had thus officiated with him in right of their previous ordination, and
fulfilled all the order of their priesthood, - then, - after all this, the cruel
thought entered his mind, as though he were but a child, elated with pride, and
drunken with power and haughtiness, he gave orders, saying;
36. We command
all those who have given their submission to us after being our opponents, that
they be deposed from their former priesthood, and be made priests anew by us.'
37.
And thus he
now deposed them all, after they had acted as priests with him - and were in his
presence thirty-six times by right of their former ordination in the orthodox,
and ordained afresh all who had submitted to communion with him.
38.
Great
therefore was their dismay at these proceedings, and they cursed and reviled
both him and his lawless ordination.
And several of those that were thus re-ordained he placed among the
clergy of his own church: Yet many
of his own party even blamed the steps he had taken, as being wicked and
violent, in violation of church law and canonical order.
39. Nor did it
suffice him to act thus in his own person, but he even wrote letters to other
countries, urging upon the bishops to follow his example, and do as he had done:
his object being, not to bear the odium and blame alone of these illegal and
disorderly doings, but hoping that others also would make themselves liable to
similar complaints.
·
40.
Unexpected
as the outbreak was of the persecution at the hands of the patriarch, still it
had not been entirely unforeseen by the more thoughtful members of the orthodox
party. For it was revealed to a worthy monk, in a vision of the night as to what
without delay was about to happen in the church of God.
41. For he saw
a lofty and broad mountain, on the southern side of which was a vast plantation
of numerous churches, built row upon row, until they covered a vast extent,
standing close together, and being beautiful and comely and many in number.
42. And he saw,
and lo! Suddenly john
bishop of the
royal city came, with clergy and many people with him, and ran upon them with
violence, and began to root up and level to the ground all those churches: and
he rooted up and also leveled the altars, until he had made an end of them.'
43. And right
after this vision, after the interval of a few days, this very thing came to
pass; for he came forth, and rooted up and overthrew the numerous meeting-houses
of the churches of the believers that were in the city and in all its suburbs,
according to the revelation, and according to the vision that had been
foreshown, and which manifested itself in a short time.
44. The
patriarch's main difficulty, however, lay with the monophysite bishops; and he
selected Paul of Asia, bishop of Aphrodisiac, and metropolitan of Caria, as the
first object of his attack: and his proceedings show how vast and despotic the
power was to which the patriarchs of Constantinople had attained.
45. For Paul,
as John tells us, was an honest and simple-minded old man, and was dwelling
quietly in his monastery, when the patriarch sent his emissaries and arrested
him, and threw him into chains, and imprisoned him in his palace: and by the
severity of his treatment compelled him at length to submit to communion with
him.
46. He then
sent him back home, but wrote at the same time orders to the synod-ite
bishop there to
depose him from his episcopal office, and consecrate him afresh bishop of
Antioch, a city of Caria. Which also was actually done, and they deposed him;
47. And as
though they imagined that they had really stripped him of the priesthood, they
now ordained him afresh, as if he had been a layman. And this became a mockery
and derision to the actors themselves, and to his own people; and his clergy
called him "the double-dyed."
·
{Whether Paul had been previously deprived of his bishopric does not
appear, as John refers to the missing portion of his history for the reason why
he was dwelling "in his monastery;" but probably he was under
restraint there, and evidently had been previously removed from the discharge of
his episcopal functions at Aphrodisiac.
·
In a subsequent part of his history John relates the adventures of Paul
at greater length, and even gives the very words of the recantation which the
patriarch wrung from him. For apparently forgetting that he had already narrated
to us his history, he writes as follows.}
48.
"The
great sorrow of Paul
also deserves
to be related, who was a honest and peaceable man, and humble and guileless, and
dwelt like Jacob in the tabernacle of his monastery, in the land of Caria, for a
long time.
49. And when john
of sirmin heard of
him, he sent at once and brought him bound and in chains to Constantinople, and
imprisoned him in his palace in sore misery:
and by bonds and many tortures he forced him to submit to receive the
communion at his hands.
50. And because
he felt shame at the gray hair and venerable character of the man, he did not
reveal the fraud of his heart, and what he purposed concerning him.
51. But after
he had brought him to submission, and made him obedient to his will, he sent him
to the bishop of Aphrodisiac, with a letter in these words: 'Depose this man
from his bishopric, and consecrate him afresh, and set him over Antioch, a city
under thy dominion.'
52.
And when he
had received Paul and the letters, he at once laid hands on him, —for he had
no idea of their artifice, —and said to him, 'The patriarch has commanded me
to depose thee from thy bishopric, and consecrate thee afresh.'
53.
And he, on
hearing this, began lamenting and saying, 'O
heathens that ye are! Lo, these many years have I been consecrated, and am a
bishop, and according to canonical order, three bishops took part thereat; and
now, for what reason am I deposed contrary to the canon, and wickedly ordained
anew? And if ye annul my
priesthood, and ordain me afresh, then also first annul my baptism, and baptize
me afresh.'
54. And when
they would not give way, but were full of wrath at him, they took him
tyrannically and violently and deposed him, and consecrated him afresh, while he
smote upon his face, and his eyes became dim, and he grew blind.
55.
And so
finally, in tears and lamentation over his state, and anxious only to hasten for
refuge unto repentance, death overtook him, and his old age descended in
affliction and misery to the grave, reserving his cause for that Judge who
judges righteously.
Chapter 2
John further
adds a copy of the recantation, which the counsellors of john
wrote in the name of Paul,
which they forced him to sign without reading it, which is as follows,
1.
“I Paul,
who was a lost and erring man, having come to the knowledge of the true faith,
and repented, and returned to the Church of God of my own accord, and by my own
free act, without violence or compulsion, acknowledge unto thee, my lord
john.
2.
By this
writing, that I consent, unto my last breath, unto the Synod of the six hundred
and thirty holy fathers assembled in the city of Chalcedon, and to the letter of
the holy and blessed pope of Rome, as the confession and faith of Peter, head of
the Apostles.
3.
Nor will I
again turn away or change from it forever. And these things I have confessed and
signed in my own handwriting; I, Paul, bishop, confess that I consent, and
receive all that is written in this paper."
·
4.
This
therefore they brought for him to sign, but would not let him read it, or know
what they had written in his name, falsely and treacherously professing that it
was all his own doing, and testifying of him a testimony of lies without fear of
God.
5.
The
patriarch's (scoundrel’s)
next victim was Elisha,
who already was in confinement in a monastery called Bethdios, from whence the
patriarch took him, and imprisoned him in his palace, and by the most rigorous
measures compelled him to submit to his communion.
6.
Elisha
hoping, says John,
even so to find an opportunity of escaping from his hands. But on the
patriarch's wishing to send him to Sardis, the metropolis of Lydia, that he
might be deposed from his episcopal office, and consecrated afresh, Elisha
resisted, saying;
7.
'All
unworthy though I be, yet was I made bishop by the orthodox, and thou never
shalt consecrate me afresh. If
however thou think that it is according to order to depose me, and consecrate me
afresh, depose me first of all from the baptism wherewith I was baptized, and
then baptize me a second time.'
8.
To this the
patriarch craftily replied, that, after all, it was but the vestments, which he
took away. But Elisha would not for one moment consent, or submit himself to
him, or listen to his words: and upon this he grew angry.
9. And
imprisoned him in another monastery called Beth Abraham, and passed a harsh
sentence upon him: and there he was detained for a long time, and underwent
great affliction, until he fell seriously ill, and upon petition he was
permitted to go to the warm baths attended by keepers.
10.
Far more
severe and extraordinary was the treatment experienced by Stephan,
bishop of Cyprus. He had aroused the wrath of the patriarch by warmly reproving
him for seeking to annul the orthodox ordinations, and in return had been
banished to the island of Plateaus.
11. There he
sent a body of clergy to fetch him, and along with them a number of lifeguards
with orders to beat him with clubs, until he vomited blood, or consented to
their communion.
12.
Twelve
of them accordingly beat him until he fell down speechless in the midst, and lay
apparently dead. But on seeing him lie motionless, and dying, as it seemed, they
ran, and brought four pails of water, which they dashed over him.
And so after a long time his soul returned and he returned to life as
from the dead.
13. And thus by
force he was compelled to submit to communion with them; but even so he was less
influenced by his own sufferings, than by the knowledge that several of the
believers who had been sent to supply his wants, had been arrested and thrown
into prison on his account.
14.
And that in
case of further resistance on his part, they intended to attack them, and
plunder their property. They therefore took him, and brought him to the capital,
where much discussion took place between him and the patriarch, but finally he
was compelled to submit to their communion.
15. When
however john
required him to consent to the annulling of his orders, and his re-consecration
to the bishopric of the island of Cyprus, he contended with him and resisted
him, and finally made an outcry, and began to exclaim.
16. Woe is me!
If thou purpose to depose me from the priesthood of the orthodox, and ordain me
afresh, depose me first also from my baptism, and baptize me also afresh, and
then thou shalt depose me from my priesthood and ordain me again.
For by the life of the Lord God, if thou dost not baptize me afresh, I
will never suffer thee to ordain me afresh.'
17. And as this
took place in the church, a great tumult arose, and multitudes flocked together,
until Stephan rushed suddenly away, and entered the king's presence, terrifying
him also, and exclaiming,
18. Woe! woe!
Christianity is ruined: the regulations of the Christian church are overthrown:
all the constitutions and canons of the church of God are confounded and
trampled under foot, and are undone!
19. What means
this wickedness, that contrary to law the priesthood of the orthodox Christians
is annulled by those who are now in power, and another new one substituted in
its place?
20. For lo!
These twenty years have I, unworthy though I be, been a bishop canonically
consecrated by the orthodox at the command of Theodosius, patriarch of
Alexandria.
21. And now
that I have yielded myself, and submitted to you, this man, acting in the same
wicked way to me as he has done to many others, wishes to depose me also from
the priesthood of the orthodox, and to ordain me afresh in his own.
22. Let him
show the canons where he learnt this; or say whether it is from ignorance and
not understanding the canons of the church, that he thus acts; or whether,
knowing them, he insults them and tramples them under foot, in his pride and
haughtiness and wrong-headedness.
23. If this
commandment proceeds from you too, and he acts thus with your consent, let every
one know it: but be well assured, that his purpose is, that after your reign is
over, the blame and fault of breaking the canons shall rest upon you.
24. And he
intends that you should be included with him in the violation of the laws of the
church. If moreover it is with your consent, and by your command, that he annuls
our priesthood, and ordains afresh, command him also to annul our baptism and
confer it afresh, and so let him proceed to re-ordain us as priests.
25. For so the
nineteenth canon of the three hundred and eighteen fathers commands, with
reference to the pernicious heresy of Paul of Samosata, and the like, that they
are first to be baptized again, and then such of them as are worthy are to be
made priests.
26. And this
regulation was made because of the wickedness of their heresy. Now then let this
man show first of all what his pretext is for thus acting, and for being so
puffed up with pride as to depose and ordain us afresh.'
27. When the
king heard these things, and perceived that Stephan had good reason for finding
fault, and was supported by the canons in his arguments, he was in a maze, and
like one just roused from a deep sleep; and himself also blamed and reprobated
the proceeding, saying;
28. In truth
this is done wrongly and without law, and is contrary to the whole constitution
of the church, for the priesthood to be annulled and conferred afresh; and it is
monstrous and entirely foreign to all the constitutions of the church.'
29.
And then he
commanded that such a thing should never again be done in the church of God: and
published immediately a royal edict forbidding every one from ever again
venturing to annul the priesthood, except in case of the heresies in which the
canons so ordain.
30. And if it
proceeds, any bishop proven guilty of such act, they are immediately to be
deprived of their sees and sent into exile.
31. When
however the edict was drawn up, and John knew that a decisive order was about to
be published, he and his partisans contrived by bribery to put the obnoxious
decree out of the way; and it was never again seen!
32. And there
was great enmity between john
and Stephan on this account all their days.
·
33.
In a
subsequent part of the history, mention is again made of Stephan, where, after
an outline of the previous narrative, our historian tells us, that this event
led to much confidential intercourse between him and the king, who appointed him
bishop of the island of Cyprus, and honored him greatly, and also granted for
his sake a considerable alleviation of the taxes there.
34.
It appears
further that Stephan continued in union with the council of Chalcedon, the
arguments employed being possibly too powerful for him to wish to experience
them a second time, but used his influence on more than one occasion in
mitigation of the treatment to which other Monophysite bishops were exposed.
35.
The pretext
however as the event proved, was but a false and deceitful one, on which john
and his counsellors (bloodsuckers)
summoned the bishops together, who had previously been exiled by him from their
sees, and imprisoned in various monasteries, that he wished to confer with them
as to the best mode of reconciling all parties, and establishing unity in the
Church.
36.
On this
pretence he first took Paul
the patriarch from the monastery of the Acoemetae, and imprisoned him in his
palace, and then the rest, one after another, until all four were confined in
the same prison, that is Paul,
and John
(our author), and Stephan, and Elisha.
37.
No
discussion, however, was permitted, but they sent them in the prison a paper
containing words to this effect; 'You must unite yourselves to us after the
manner of the union between Cyril of Alexandria and John of Antioch.'
38.
Upon
receiving this message, they both understood and despised the wickedness
practiced towards them, and sent in answer,
39.
'Ye have
counseled well: and provided we have leave to do so, and practice that which
Cyril did, and may excommunicate and eject and drive out of the Church of God
the Synod of Chalcedon just as Cyril did the wicked Nestorius; —upon these
terms we will not oppose you upon other matters, but will unite ourselves to you
without hindrance.
40.
If, however, it is not your
pleasure to permit us to do that which Cyril did, how or in what manner craftily
do you plan to require of us the union which finally took place between Cyril
and John, when the very first step which Cyril took - is forbidden us?'
41. Nor was this retort the sole
rebuff which the (demon john)
had to endure from the Monophysite bishops: for on a subsequent day, when they
were brought into his presence to dispute concerning the faith, and the
corruption of it by the council of Chalcedon.
And concerning also his own proceedings, they took the initiative, and
reproached him strongly, and argued with him, and rebuked him manfully, urging
him with questions, and saying,
42. O master, and chief ruler of
the church, show us by what canon or ecclesiastical constitution you have been
taught, and received the practice of annulling the ordination of the orthodox
bishops, and the rest of the clergy, many of whom have been more years in orders
than your father has lived:
43. And yet you nevertheless
depose and ordain them afresh in the priesthood of the two natures, the
followers of which proclaim and teach a quaternary instead of the mysterious and
holy Trinity? In what ecclesiastical constitution have you discovered, and lit
upon this right of annulling the priesthood of the true orthodox, and creating
afresh in its place another priesthood of the synod-ites?
44.
What is your pretext, or what
fault find you in us, or what heresy, such as the canons enjoin, that you take
and depose those, who themselves find fault with you, and flee from your
communion because of the heresy of the two natures, and because of the
blasphemies of the synod, and of the letter of Leo, which proclaim and teach a
quaternary instead of the holy Trinity.
45. You least of all men have the
right, under pretext of heresy, to find fault with, and condemn them, and
pronounce their ordination invalid. If, however, you think you have the right
thus illegally to depose them, tell us wherein your right consists, and we will
henceforward cease to blame you.
46. For if you have persuaded
yourself, that this practice of yours to depose true priests, and ordain them
again, in violation of all the constitutions and canons of the church, is a
right one, you should also have annulled their baptism, and baptized them again,
according to the purport of the canons.
47. For the sixteenth (really the
nineteenth) canon of the 318 fathers, which treats of the pernicious heresy of
Paul of Samosata, ordered them to be baptized afresh: and that then such as
appeared worthy should be ordained priests again.
48.
If therefore you now consider
in yourself, that you have received back from heresy those whom you have treated
with as much cruelty as if they had been captives taken in battle, and ordained
afresh, why have you observed one part of the canon, but set at nothing its
previous requirement?'
49.
The (devils
servant) listened in silence to these
arguments, and knew that his acts were worthy of blame, nor had he any defense
to offer for them: finally however he answered as follows, 'as I perceive that
you are troubled and offended at this annulling of your orders.
50.
For so I conclude from what
you have said, and to which I have given a patient audience, —if this matter
is set right, and the annulling of your ordinations discontinued, will you be
contented, and enter into union with me?'
51.
But they replied, 'what
setting of right is possible, after all this corruption and disorder which you
have wrought contrary to law? Nor have your proceedings even been confined to
your own diocese, nor limits put by you to your violence and hatred.
52. But you have extended even
into other countries this your violation of law, and your opposition to all the
constitutions and canons of the church: as regards which, one of two things must
be the case, that either in ignorance of their injunctions, you have broken and
transgressed them, and trampled them under foot.
53. Or, if acquainted with them,
that you have despised and contemned them, and purposely set them at nothing.
But of this be well assured, that whenever the time shall come, whether
in your lifetime, or after your death, there will be a strict investigation, and
canonical inquiry into all these transactions.
54. Moreover your last proceeding
is a thing worthy of wonder, and a proverb, and the clapping of hands; whether
it be the result of hasty passion, or of hatred, or of the pride of power; or
whatever the object was for which you did it;
55. Do you decide in your own mind
whether it was a fitting act, and after careful examination that you had fallen
upon your captives as if they had been the spoil of war, and forced them to
submit to communion with you; -
that then, - after they had taken part with you in thirty-six consecrations of
the Eucharist.
56.
And you had received them in
their former ordination, and had made the presbyters sit with your presbyters in
the chancel all those days called the love feasts, and similarly had admitted
the deacons to perform the office of the diaconate with the rest of your
deacons, and had placed them according to their degree.
That finally, after all this, you ventured upon the annulling of their
former ordination by some strange act of senseless audacity.
57.
But a point which we would now
leave to your consideration and judgment is this, that in case you were
determined, contrary to order and the canons of the church to act thus, you
should have done so before you had admitted them to officiate with you at the
consecration of the Eucharist.
58. And not after all these
communions, at which they had been present and taken part with you by right of
their former priesthood, then to turn round, and depose them and ordain them
afresh.'
59. Much more now was said on both
sides, which for its length we must omit; but it was obvious to him that his
conduct was open to censure, and that if he examined what he had done, he could
not acquit himself of fault.
60. Especially in his last and
most extraordinary act of annulling the orders of those whom he had himself
admitted to officiate with him. Upon these points his silence plainly showed
that he felt he was wrong, as he had nothing to answer but arguments of a most
trifling and unmeaning character.
Chapter 3
1. As the followers of the synod
perceived that their plans had so far failed, the victorious king Justin next
undertook to frame an edict by which he hoped to bring about a union. And when
he had carefully copied it out, he sent it direct to the bishops imprisoned in
the patriarch's palace by the hand of Zachariah, a learned man and chief
physician of the palace.
2. Him the king sent with a copy
of the edict, and a message to the following effect:
'The merciful king has sent you this edict, which he has had copied for
your sakes, that ye by its means, together with the rest of your party, may be
brought into union with us. And he permits, and even commands you, when ye have
read it, to correct in it whatever ye see to be deficient and in need of
correction:
3. And whatsoever is deficient in
it for a correct confession of faith, such as ye wish should prevail, add to it
without fear.'
4. The bishops accordingly having
received this command took and read it, and saw that it was incomplete: for
though there were expressions in it at variance with the council of Chalcedon,
yet there were others borrowed from it, and in defense of its views.
5.
In accordance therefore with
the command they had received, they drew up heads, under which they arranged the
corrections, which if their opponents would consent to admit into the edict;
they were ready, they said, to unite themselves in the fullest manner with them.
6. The same messenger then who
had brought the edict took the amendments, but showed them first to his private counselor and adviser
john, and the rest of their confederacy, who
upon hearing them were in fright and alarm, and great fear fell upon them.
7.
For should the bishops succeed
in obtaining the insertion of their corrections, they would tear up by its very
roots the whole heresy of the two natures. And the strict Nestorians were even
in greater alarm than those only half so;
8. And being agitated, they made
an uproar throughout the church, running to and fro, and stirring up both clergy
and people, and saying, 'If we accept these conditions, the whole church is
thrown into confusion and overturned.'
9. And finally their whole troop
assembled together, and went to the king, and endeavored to persuade him not to
admit the corrections into the edict; and at the same time stirred up the
members of the court to use their influence in their behalf, many of whom were
not sound in their faith, and especially the inquisitor, whose name was anastasius, of Palestine, and who
was not only an heathen, but a Samaritan.
10. When then they had entered the
king's presence, and the corrections had been read to him, they pleased him
greatly, and he gave orders for their admission into the edict, and that a fair
copy should be written out.
11.
Upon which all that were
present, clergy and laity, and the members of the senate, strove with him,
saying, 'Depend upon it, my lord, that if you admit these corrections into your
edict, and these men enter the church, it will be forthwith overturned and
ruined:
12.
And in seeking to recover and
get back a few, you will make men leave the church in tens of thousands.' And
when some of them grew vehement in their opposition, he became angry, and turned
his face upon them, and said,
13. 'These chapters are right: but
as for all of you, I know that you are Nestorians, and diseased in conscience,
and rejoice not in a sound faith: and if you are not quiet, I will loose and
bring out those bishops, and set them upon you, and make them fall upon you like
wolves, nor will you be able to stand before them.'
14. Then he commanded the
inquisitor to bring him twenty copies of the edict before sunset, with the
corrections inserted; or, said he, 'I will take off your head!'
15. And at this the agitation of
the whole gang of Nestorians and semi-Nestorians grew extreme, and they buzzed
about like a swarm of bees, and at length succeeded, partly by supplications and
partly by terrifying him with the picture of the confusion it would introduce
into the church.
16. They prevailed upon him, after
much importunity, to consent to leave the matter to their will; nor did they
permit him to insert more than one or two trifling amendments: while, on their
part, they introduced heretically into the body of the edict a rule to the
effect, that the customs of the church were to be observed.
17. Which was a device, and crafty
addition in favor of the synod, enjoining its proclamation in accordance with
their custom. And, by this they intended to render an impossible union, and
trusted to make the wheel revolve in their favor as Nestorians.
·
18. Immediately after the thus
amended edict was written and brought unto him, he signed one of the copies, and
sent it to the bishops that were in prison, with a message, saying, 'See! Now we
have made a union upon the terms you require, and have sent you the edict, and
you therefore cannot refuse to unite yourselves unto us; for it is for your
sakes that I have composed this edict.'
19. But the bishops, on reading
it, saw that some fragments merely of the corrections which they had proposed
were there, selected at the will of the other party, and therefore they rejected
it, because their opponents had confused and mutilated it, according to their
own fancy:
20. And though they had not
ventured, through fear of the king, to expunge those expressions of his which
were opposed to the two natures, yet they had managed to insert in it so much of
their own, that while some parts were against the synod, others were strongly in
its favor, and plainly were borrowed from it and on its side.
21.
The answer, therefore, which
the bishops gave to those who brought it was, that "if the stumbling-block
and source of the confusion of the whole church, the synod namely of Chalcedon,
were entirely taken away, the church would stand in no need of the edict:
22. But if it were to be
proclaimed in the church, not a thousand such edicts, though fixed up in all
parts and in every quarter, would bring about a unity, but produce rather
schisms. For it is both opposed to the synod, and also contends in its behalf:
and both sides of the argument are to be found in it.'
23. As they had thus rejected the
proposed terms, the (snake)
threw upon them the odium of the continuance of the schism, and every day in
company with those sent to them to represent the king's person, he protested,
saying,
24. See, it is you who prevent and
hinder the unity of the church of God. For, after all our efforts for fifty
years, you are still driving it away, and resisting and grieving it, and not
willing to come to any terms of peace.'
25. But they in answer said, 'How
do we prevent unity? A thing which you will not touch with one of your fingers,
except so far as outside words go and trickery, that you may be supposed and
imagined by men to be in earnest after unity; and throw, if your devices
succeed, all the blame upon us.
26. And what is the unity you
would make? Or how can you expect us to come to terms with you, while you still
retain the synod, which has uprooted and troubled the whole church of God, and
proclaim it, and love it?
27. If however, you are really
anxious to bring about a unity according to your words, remove the snare and
offence out of the level pathway of the faith, and eject it from God's church:
and so, not we only, but all the believers, with joy, and free from all cause of
stumbling, will unite ourselves to you.'
28. And much more of the same sort
was said, which we cannot detail because of the great thickness of paper which
it would require; which passed between them every day in mutual discussion, but
which, from the abundance of the words and the mass of writing, we have passed
over and neglected, lest it should prove an annoyance to those who fall in with
our history.
·
29. But this was not all the
bishops had to suffer, for they were also in disgrace with the chief laymen of
their own party. For even before the persecution broke out, and the trials and
distresses and imprisonments which it brought upon them, they were sharply
reproached by other members of the orthodox party, who argued with them, saying,
30. Why do ye thus persist in
dispute and obstinacy, and not make some compromise and give way a little, that
there may be unity in the church of God? Why stand ye thus with stiff neck, and
resist those who are in power, without having any care for us, whom ye are
ruining with our sons and daughters and our substance?
31. But what do you care that we
lose our property and become beggars?' And as these reproaches had even before
been addressed to them by the orthodox, annoyed at the loss of their wealth, and
as now moreover the synod-ites protested against them every day, saying, '
32. Ye are the persons who stand
in the way of unity,' they fell into great grief, and spent both day and night
in sorrow and bitter weeping, sitting over against one another in tears and
wailing and sobs, and saying with sad words.
33. 'What then shall we do? For
lo! We are blamed by both sides, and testified against, and found fault with:
and while we are imprisoned here in misery, and no leave granted to any friend
to see us, our opponents say and proclaim to the chiefs and nobles of our party,
that they earnestly desire unity; and so we have to bear the whole blame of
preventing unity, for every body will suppose that what they say is true.
34. And thus we are exposed to the
attacks of both sides, and shall be compelled to yield, and trust ourselves to
the treacherous promises and false oaths of our opponents; though we know that
they have no truth in them, and that they are unworthy of being the means of
restoring unity.
35.
Should we however still resist
them, we shall be held accursed of both sides even unto the end of the world, as
the impeders and hinderers of the unity of the church of God, while they will
have their false professions believed, and will gain the credit of being ready
to effect a union, had not we repelled their efforts.'
·
36. These, and such as these, says
John, were the words they spake one to another during many days, with tears and
groans; and he adds his protest, as in the presence of God, that his report of
them is true, and himself present and an eyewitness of it all.
37. The discussion lasted
thirty-three days, during which they rang against one another in sharp dispute:
those on the side of the synod being clad in all the pride of power, while those
who dissented from it were shut up in prison, and bitterly oppressed.
38. And whenever their presence
was required, they were loosed and taken out of their prison, and brought into
the patriarch's court, where they were allowed to sit down, and the disputation
began, and lasted as long as those in power permitted.
39.
For when either they were
beaten in argument, or otherwise chose, the bishops were sent away, accompanied
by their keepers, and were imprisoned within three sets of guards, the innermost
being the bishop's own, the second consisting of men belonging to the emperor's
body-guard, while the third was the foreign guard, who kept the outer watch.
40. Nor were they the only
sufferers, for their confinement was shared by their dependents, and not merely
by the clergy and monks and other freemen, but even by their slaves, all of whom
without distinction were imprisoned in dark and bitter dungeons in the palace,
and closely watched.
41. Nor was this all, for they
were stripped as bare as thieves could do it by the patriarch's body-guard who
not only took from them their coats, but even trifles of no use to them,
together with their shoes and girdles and belts; and in fact whatever was found
upon them they took away, and left them upon the bare ground, with scarcely
clothing to cover them, or food sufficient for their maintenance.
·
42. Nor was any one allowed to
visit them, or supply them with anything whatsoever either for their own wants,
or for the use of the bishops. And instead of the promised unity, they and their
friends had to bear all these evils and grief and temptations; and the more so
because they had plainly beaten in argument those who were thus torturing them.
43. Finally the bishops gave way:
for on one occasion being summoned as usual into the patriarch's presence, they
found not only john
there sitting as president, but also some high officers sent to represent the
king's person, who sharply reproached them in his name for their obstinacy,
saying,
44. How long will ye thus resist
and prevent the unity of the church of God, which our lord the king, and we
also, are anxious to bring about, but which blessing you day by day prevent, and
drive away? When will you cease thus to show plainly to all men that you are the
disturbers of the church, and you alone?
45. Now therefore, in short, either unite yourselves to us, or
make it evident that it is you who trouble and disturb and hinder the unity of
the church.' But the bishops in grief and deep sorrow said,
46. Were matters justly tried,
and by upright rules, it is not we who hinder union, but you, who, while the
very centre of your heart is full of the corruption of opposition and division
introduced at Chalcedon, wish to make it appear that we are the hinderers, while
ye neither have proposed to yourselves, nor shown that you possess even the
shadow of unity.
47. What you fraudulently require
is, that we should unite ourselves to all the falseness of Chalcedon, without
seeking in the least to bring about in a just and upright manner a real union of
the church.
48. And now, as we have said from
the beginning, if you really wish for unity, and your purpose is not rather to
bring about a fraudulent deception and wicked artifice, put away first of all
the cause of this division from between us, and at once unity is established in
its place. Do not then falsely throw the blame upon us.
49. And besides, supposing that
this simple plan has never entered your minds, why, we ask, do you every day
thus oppress and wrong us? Why do you add to our anxieties pain and the misery
of imprisonment, and the other wrongs which without fear of God you inflict upon
us, while every day you further torture us with your words, and pierce thorns
into our sores?
50. Have you no fear of God, when
you see that, lo! Already our lives are consumed and spent and gone from the
troubles, which surround us on all sides?
51. If therefore you really
propose to make union, as your words declare, put away the council of Chalcedon,
which has troubled and divided, and caused schism in the church, as you
yourselves cannot deny, and so will a unity, free from all division, be
established throughout the whole church of God.'
52. And to this john and his assessors
replied, 'it is you who prevent the ejection of the synod from the church: for
if you united yourselves unto us, forthwith the synod also would be ejected, and
the unity becomes complete.'
53. To this the bishops answered,
that they can conceive no other explanation of his conduct than the wish to make
them accept the council of Chalcedon, 'of which be thou well assured, said they,
and all besides, that until the last breath cease from the nostrils of each one
of us, the curse of the synod and of Leo's letter, which conspire in dividing
our Lord and God and Savior into two natures after the union, shall never cease
from our mouths.'
54. But john and
those with him answered, 'As we have often said
before, so now, both we and our lords, their majesties, give you our word, and
our oath as in the presence of God, that upon your union with us the synod shall
immediately be put away: and whatever comes out of our mouths shall not be
changed.'
55. But still the bishops doubted,
and said, 'If you really intend to do as you say, why do you not reject the
synod at once, that not we alone, but all men without hindrance may join you?
Plainly your object is rather to take us by subtlety, and make us accept the
heresy of the two natures, and then afterwards you will turn round and laugh at
us.
56. If this however be really your
purpose, be assured that you delude and deceive your own selves: for we know
full well that your purposes and thoughts are not for unity, inasmuch as it is
quite evident that what you say is not the truth, and that you pretend to be
ready in words only, that we may be thought by every body to be the sole
obstacles to union, and be cursed both by you and all the world as the
disturbers of the peace.
57. Nevertheless, we will
sacrifice ourselves for the sake of unity, for confiding in your words and
promises, and acting as though already the synod were condemned and ejected, we, with its curse nevertheless
incessantly in our mouths, will communicate with you, once, or if so be, twice;
58. But as for a third time, until
the condemnation and ejection of the synod has taken place, we will have neither
part nor communion with you forever and ever. For we know that you will not
establish the truth of your words.
59. But to make it plain and
evident to all men that you are not prepared to make unity, but purpose to
deceive us and all men, lo! We yield ourselves up to communion with you, as
often as two times.'
60. And much more was similarly
said and protested on both sides, and so at length the bishops gave way, saying,
'Because of the slanders brought against us by the synod-ites, see, we yield
ourselves up that it may be known that we are not those who prevent union.'
61. For every body blamed them on
both sides, saying, 'See, their majesties, and the patriarch are anxious, and in
earnest and ready to make union, but those in prison prevent and hinder it.' And
therefore they yielded themselves up with great sorrow, and with a loud voice
condemned the council of Chalcedon.
62. Thus they submitted themselves
to communion twice, as they had promised and agreed, after having strenuously
demanded of the king and patriarch, with many adjurations during all those three
and thirty days its condemnation and expulsion from the church.
·
63. The bishops then apparently
communicated twice with their opponents, and were let out of their prison: but
upon pressing for the ejection of the synod, the patriarch and his council
began, as our historian proceeds, to alter their words, and make excuses,
saying;
64. We will write to the pope of
Rome: and if he assents, we will eject the council: for we cannot for your sakes
separate ourselves from Rome.' To
which the bishops sadly replied: 'now may we also repeat the word of the prophet
Jonah, “Was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country?"
65. But now at least it is known
and made plain to all men that not we in our prison, and in bitter misery, are
the obstacles to unity, for which we have yielded ourselves up, but that those
who are clad in power, and oppress us, have been false to their promises and
oaths.
66. And seek nevertheless to throw
all the blame, not of this generation only, but of all future times, upon us, as
though we hindered and prevented the unity of the whole church of God: but now
men will say, "See, they have sacrificed themselves for it, though
treachery has been used towards them."
Chapter 4
1. But who can suffice to write
or to detail the misery and grief and lamentation and breaking of heart, which
came upon them after they had thus fallen into communion with their deceivers,
and submitted to a union with them, when union was never intended? For now their strength was
spent and gone, and their eyes swollen and blinded with weeping and lamentation
night and day; and scarcely might the grief of a woman for the husband of her
youth be compared with theirs.
3. For they could no longer eat
their usual food, but remained fasting and without consolation, while their
tears flowed unceasingly and unremittingly, and they sat with their faces
covered, and bewailed with bitter cries and groans one unto another.
4. And especially that now, after
so many conflicts and imprisonments, and afflictions, they had thus been taken
by false craft, and submitted themselves, and fallen, while all hope of unity
was far away, and the promise made them unfulfilled.
·
(Leonard:
But why my dear friends are you so sad?
You accomplished what you set out to do, showing the scoundrels for the
scoundrels they were, of which you knew before hand that they would thus
show themselves. You therefore took victory, exposing their falsehood to the
eyes of all.)
·
5. So sad was their state, that
those who had deceived them how tried to comfort them, when they saw them thus
consumed, and surviving only for grief, and said, 'Why do ye thus kill both body
and soul, as if ye had sacrificed to idols?
6. What have ye decreed against
yourselves, that ye continue thus weeping and lamenting, and choking yourselves
with grief? Take food, and be comforted, and live, and not die.' But though this
and much more was said by their opponents, they refused to be comforted, and sat
the rather in mourning and weeping.
7. And after spending many days
in indignation after they had been released from prison, they finally returned,
and stood up manfully, and reproached them even more boldly than before, chiding
and reviling them for their false and treacherous conduct.
8. And so they were again
delivered up to prison and to tortures even more severe than what they had
previously endured: and at length were sent in bitter wrath each into separate
exile.
9. Before their banishment
however their anguish of mind had moved the pity of justin
and sophia, who sent for them to the
palace, and comforted them, saying;
10. Why do you give way to
violent lamentation, till you are thus dejected, and more like dead men than
alive? Cheer up, and be comforted: for we purpose in God to have you content,
and unite you to us in perfect unity. Do not despond.'
11. But they argued with him at
great length upon the promises made to them, which had been violated, not to be
put into execution: And finally he said to them, 'As we are preparing to go to
the hot-baths, wait for us for twenty or thirty days.
12. And be assured, that we will
return at once for your sakes, and talk the matter over with you, and content
you: and the whole church shall be one, and all of us united.' And so they were
dismissed from his presence, after having detailed to him their complaints at
great length.
·
13. The king then continued at the
baths a full month, and according to his promise, set out upon his return. But
before he had reached the city, while still on the other side of the straits at
Chalcedon, the (devil)
john, accompanied by his
partisans (bloodsuckers), went out to meet him.
14. And as it appeared, brought
fresh accusations against his prisoners, saying, 'These men have separated
themselves from us, and withdrawn from the church entirely.' They now formed a
plan for making trial of their determination, and deceiving them again:
15. And for this purpose drew up a
schedule of the chief cities, and sent it to them by the inquisitioner, with
this message; 'Inasmuch as we have a care for your peace, and are anxious for
your honor, and wish to give you a share of authority.
16. See, we have sent you a
schedule of the most noted cities, not ourselves venturing to name that over
which you are to preside, but leaving it to your own will, that you may choose
each one of you the city that best pleases himself.'
17. And when the illustrious
questioner had received the schedule, and arrived at the city, he summoned the
bishops, to place the schedule in their hands, and delivered them the message as
above, with much beside as coming from the king.
18. But they would not look at the
schedule, nor receive it from him, saying, "Tell the victorious king, that
we did not sacrifice ourselves for the sake of being made bishops of cities, but
in expectation that the promised unity would be fulfilled.
19. For bishops we are, however
unworthy. If then the promises of unity, and the oaths so repeatedly made to us
during so long a space of time are fulfilled, we are content. For upon them we
rely, that our slanderers might not be confirmed in the assertion that we were
the hinderers of unity, for which we yielded ourselves to communion with those
that have acted falsely by us, whereas really they were deceiving themselves,
and not us.
20. And if now the synod is not
ejected, according to their promises and oaths, and unity made, Heaven forbid
that we should ever hold communion again with those who make mention of its name
for ever and ever.'
21. And upon their expressing this
as their firm determination, and refusing to receive the schedule, the
questioner grew angry, and went and told their words to the king; And he too was
angry, and rose up in great wrath, and gave utterance to many threats against
them, and stern denunciations; which also subsequently he executed.
22.
His first act was to summon the
patriarch (devil) of the city, whom he
accosted sternly, and with many contumelious expressions said, 'You are the man
who have made the bishops turn back, after they had been prevailed upon with
much labor and difficulty to promise to communicate with us: and you now have
turned them back from us.'
24. And in great excitement he
commanded the senate to proceed to the patriarch's (devil’s) palace, and sit in judgment upon the matters in dispute, the
patriarch also being on trial, and in case of their deciding that he was wrong,
he said, that he would condemn him also.
25.
On the morrow then, in
accordance with the king's command, the senate, accompanied by the questioner,
proceeded to the patriarch's (devil’s)
palace, and the bishops were summoned to trial, and required, as a matter of
command, to continue in communion with the partisans (bloodsuckers) of the synod (idolatry), keeping quiet, and
not requiring any further concession.
26. But they stood up, and strove
powerfully and manfully in contest with them, and without fear openly convicted
them of all their deceitful promises, and false oaths, and of the truth rejected
by them, and trodden under foot;
27. And after much besides they
proceeded with great boldness to publicly condemn to the senate the whole heresy
of the two natures. And this they did stoutly as a thing of primary, and of
secondary, and even of final importance:
28. And also, by a sentence of
entire separation, they withdrew and separated themselves forever from their
communion. And much besides was done and said in a manly contest, until the
wrath of the senators and of the patriarch blazed out upon the bishops.
29. And they commanded that they
should be dragged by the throat out of their presence, and separated from one
another, and sent into exile. And the sentence was quickly put into execution.
30. And they were taken away, and
separated, and never saw one another anymore, being sent into banishment, some
to monasteries, and some to islands in the sea, and some to oppressive and
bitter imprisonment in hospices.
31. It being part of their
sentence that they should be kept in confinement, and that neither friend nor
stranger should be permitted to see any one of them.
32. And much besides was decreed
against them, cruelly, and sternly, and without mercy, in bitter anger, and with
iniquitous violence, as though they had been murderers.
·
33. That now which has been
related here may perhaps seem to be but fiction - to those exercised in lofty
knowledge, and acute in mind, and who judge things with nicety, and that make a
rhetorical composition of the writer, in words drawn from his imagination: f
34. For if not, from where will
they say, did he have the knowledge enabling him to narrate in this orderly
manner, and to describe and set down in writing all that was said by both
parties; and as if he marshaled on bias, aiming his shafts against the other, in
combat for his own party?'
·
(Leonard:
Before reading the next paragraphs, let me state that I entered these
records into these annals of history for the eyes of the wise and the
discerning, and not for the fools that come to question it.
I know you very well the (whom the shoe fits) worthless writers and
translators of historic records, and that they are as incompetent as their work
shows them to be. Yet I make use of
them, but not to their benefit, as they will discover. They will indeed not
know how I was able to discern to slice bone from marrow in whatever
appeared before me. I know
you (whom the shoe fits) reading historic events not for the cause of educating
yourself, but to become seared to it. Only
you do not know it, nor therefore yourselves.)
·
35. Let then such as hold this
opinion now know, that the writer of all these details was no stranger to the
conflict, nor remote from the struggle, who, far away, upon report and by
hearsay of others set down and described these events;
36.
But that he was one of those
marshaled in the battle, and who, in earnest struggle equally with the rest, or even more so,
manfully endured these sufferings, and patiently bore the pain of persecution
and imprisonment:
37. And let them know too, that
not only the short summary contained in this book was spoken in argument with
the king and patriarch, but a hundred times more besides, which however he has
omitted, for fear of making the narrative too long, and crowding it with Words
without end.
38. And though ranged on one side,
that, namely, opposed to the two natures, as the narrative itself shows, he has
observed, a strict neutrality, avoiding all calumny and misrepresentation of
those opposed to him, and the temptation of establishing his own views;
39. And endeavored, in accordance
with his promise at the beginning of the book, to be the advocate of truth
alone, and has observed the seal of truth for both sides, in whatever was
discussed.
40. And brought forward and spoke,
confining himself to a summary of the facts, inasmuch as scarcely the hundredth
part of what actually was said and done could, on account of its length, be set
down in writing.
Chapter 5.
1. As the person whom our
historian mentions next, belonged to an obscure sect that left but few traces of
their existence in the pages of ecclesiastical history, it may be necessary to
give a slight sketch of Conon and the Condobaudites.
2. These were a fruitful source
of heresy in the fifth century which arose from the careless statements of
earlier writers, who, before theology grew up into a science, made use of a
language partially inconsistent with the technical exactness of later times:
3. And as an almost idolatrous
reverence was entertained for them, an attempt was often made to give to their
indefinite statements a precise and scientific meaning. For instance, the
Monophysites regarded Ignatius as a powerful witness in their favor, because he
says, 'Permit me to be a disciple
of the sufferings of my God”.
4. And similarly, from the
passages in which writers like Justin and Tertullian speak as if the Persons in
the Holy Trinity differ in degree, Conon and the Condobaudites argued that there
were as many natures, substances, and Godheads in the Trinity as there were
persons.
5. Timothy, a presbyter of
Constantinople, in his work 'On the Reception of Heretics, defines their
doctrines thus, 'The Condobaudites are those who say that God is one in number,
and not in an exactly similar equality: and they take their name from a building
in Constantinople, in which they used to assemble.'
6.
Their other name of Tritheites
was given them because of their doctrine leading to the confession of three
Gods. Not that they exactly said this, but rather that there was a quasi
subordination in the persons of the Trinity, as earlier fathers seemed to teach.
7.
But this name was fatal to
their progress, and injurious even to the Monophysites, out of whom they sprung:
for Bar-Hebraeus says that our author, John of Asia, complained of the disgrace
brought upon them by their founder professing to belong to their party:
8.
And many even deserted them,
and joined the Dyophysites, saying, that it was better to hold two natures, with
the council of Chalcedon, than four Gods, with John Philoponus, the great
exponent of their views.
9. This Philoponus, called also
John Grammaticus, a very learned Aristotelian of Alexandria, is generally looked
upon as their founder, but really he only defended their heresy, by an argument
deduced from an exposition of what 'substance' is, according to the doctrines of
his great master, Aristotle.
10. Their real founder was a
certain obscure John Ascunages, whose creed is preserved by Bar-Hebraeus: 'I
acknowledge one nature of Christ the Incarnate Word, but in the Trinity I reckon
the natures and substances and Godheads according to the number of the persons.'
11. But for the learning of
Philoponus the sect would probably have expired with its founder; but an
adventitious importance was further given to it by its being joined by
Athanasius, the son of Theodora's daughter, whose great wealth was freely
expended in obtaining converts.
12. And as this made it necessary
to expose its unsoundness, a public discussion was held under the presidency of
the Synod-ite patriarch of Constantinople, with the provision however, that none
but Monophysite authorities, such as Severus of Antioch, should be quoted.
13. The disputants against Conon
and his party were our author, John of Asia, and Paul, subsequently patriarch of
Antioch, one of the four bishops whose sufferings we have just read. The
discussion lasted four days, and ended in the complete defeat of the Tritheite
party.
14. Another leading Monophysite
who wrote against them was Theodosius, ex-patriarch of Alexandria.
·
15. We may now, however, return to
our author, whose narrative will be found to confirm the above statements of
Bar-Hebraeus, and which is as follows:
16. About this time Conon also was
seized, who was at the head of the heresy of those who ventured upon enumerating
the natures and substances and Godhead (s) and gods in the holy and
consubstantial Trinity:
17. And after his arrest, he was
imprisoned for a time with the rest in the patriarch's palace, and was required
to sign a recantation as a heretic; but he resisted this, and would not.
18. And when the victorious
king learnt of it, he
swore by the mother of God, saying; 'Though he consent, and go, and take the
communion, yet if he make not a recantation, and express in it his penitence, I
will not go and take the communion there.'
19. Because then he would be a
heretic and a blasphemer. And when
about that time Photius, the son of Belisarius' wife, came to the capital, Conon
was made over to him; and he took him with him to Palestine, and imprisoned him
in the so-called New Monastery: where he remained three years, but was then set
free, and went to Cilicia.
20. Their history is continued in
the fifth book, and as it stands it is quite unconnected with the rest,
wherefore we propose to proceed with it here.
·
21. The great difficulty which
they found in propagating their audacious and polluted heresy was for the want
of bishops. For at first there were
but two, namely, Conon himself, the head of the schism, and Eugenius, both
bishops of towns in Cilicia.
22. When, however, their views
became known there, they were greatly blamed and admonished by many of their
compeers, and upon their refusal to withdraw them, the sentence of deposition
was passed upon them:
23.
Upon which, they and
Athanasius, the son of queen Theodora's daughter, who increased and multiplied
the heresy by a liberal expenditure of gold, took measures in concert for
obtaining a third bishop according to the canon;
24. And for this purpose she began
honoring and flattering John of Ephesus, who was then resident at the capital,
and had the administration of the entire revenues of all the congregations of
believers there and elsewhere: Their
object being to prevail upon him by bribes and presents to submit to them, and
join them, that so, they might consecrate bishops.
25. But he refused, and blamed
them greatly, and proved to them by argument that 'they were heretics, and worse
even than Arians and Macedonians and Nestorians, and all heresies besides.'
26. And when they could not cajole
him, and lead him astray, there happened just then to arrive at the capital a
certain Theonas, who had been consecrated at the command of Theodosius the patriarch, but subsequently charged with some offence, and deposed.
27. And as having nothing to do,
he wandered about; and happening to arrive there, he was easily induced by their
gifts to adopt their error. Then having associated himself with them, Conon and
Eugenius consecrated numerous bishops, and sent them into all quarters to
propagate their heresy.
·
28. The episcopacy thus founded by
Conon and Eugenius, the heads of the heresy of a multitude of gods, was in fact
contrary to the canons and constitutions of the church, as being given by a man
who had been deposed from the episcopate;
29. Nevertheless, whoever came in
their way, whether young or old, unlearned or wise, and, so to speak, all their
disciples and followers, whoever joined them, they made them all bishops, and
sent them in all directions and to all countries, and so gathered congregations
in Rome, in Corinth, in Athens, and in Africa, leading simple-minded people
astray after them.
30. They even made a serious
attempt to lead the Patrician Narses at Rome astray, taking with them, with no
slight labor, two handpicked men, named Phocas and Theodosius, the sons of one
mother,
31.
But he turned his face away
from them, and would not receive them. They managed however to lead some of his
chamberlains and chiefs, and generals into their error.
32. Conon and Eugenius meanwhile,
had continued at the capital, even after they had been excommunicated, urging on
their views, and arguing and deceiving people, and importuning them, and even
going and complaining to the king that they were ill-used and slandered.
33. Thereupon the king issued a
command to the patriarch of the city to bid both sides to assemble in his
presence and that of his whole synod, that they might debate together upon the
doctrines about which they were at enmity, - of which an account is given us in
the preceding books.
34. And thus they acted until
Justin the king commenced a vigorous persecution, and sent them to Palestine
into exile by the hands of Photius, meaning Conon and Eugenius: while as for the
other members of the party, they were far away;
35.
Busy in traversing the regions
of Syria and Cilicia and Isauria and Cappadocia, leading men into error, and
ordaining priests and deacons in churches and monasteries, and cities and
villages, until they even brought over whole districts to their views, and
spread their heresy far and wide.
·
36. At Constantinople many still
held to Conon for old association sake: for his house had been at the foot of
the palace, and they used to go down in their court shoes and communicate in
secret, and return and stand before the king without being found out.
37. On this account, therefore,
and because he showed himself to be an humble and righteous man, several of them
joined in interceding for him, and he was set free, and departed from the
monastery, in which he had been confined.
38. The town to which he withdrew
was called Eulae, and there he abode in a nunnery. And as all the people there,
especially those of Cilicia and Isauria, were caught by his heresy, they ran
after him, as though he had been one of the apostles, and glorified him, and
adopted the error principally for his sake. Finally, however they severed into
two parties, and opposed one another.
39. An account of the error and
schism into which these preachers of gods fell, and the causes which led
thereto, has been already briefly given in the preceding books, together with an
enumeration of the pernicious and mistaken writings of John Grammaticus of
Alexandria, by which he first led them into error and imbued them with his
views.
40. For they all regarded them
unanimously, and proclaimed them on all sides as though they had been a very
gospel, and gloried in them. As then what took place in the intervening time
comprises a considerable number of events, only one here and there can be
recorded in our memorials
41. When however the second
treatise written by this John Grammaticus reached them, in which he teaches that
it is not these same bodies which arise from the dead, but that they are changed
into other bodies, which come in their stead to the resurrection, - it led them
into still greater error, and rent them into two heresies, each of which was, if
possible, more abominable than the other.
42. For some of them did not
receive this second treatise, but opposed and reviled and condemned it: while
others regarded it as more precious than the writings of the prophets and
apostles.
43. And thus they quarreled among
themselves, and stood in mutual opposition, and were divided and separated, and
excommunicated each other, and exposed one another's errors in written
treatises. And still these two heresies stand arrayed over against one another.
44.
In spite of this schism, Conon
and Eugenius continued their efforts, and paid a visit to Pamphylia, in the hope
of converting it to their views. This province had originally been occupied by
the orthodox, and there are many large and noble towns in it, with churches, and
numerous convents both of men and women.
45.
For long ago a portion of
those named Acephali, as having no head, separated themselves, and migrated in
great numbers to this country: but by the zeal and earnestness of the orthodox
there, they had all been converted, and with one accord were animated with the
spirit of the true faith.
46.
From that time, at frequent
intervals, orthodox bishops were sent to visit them, and set in order all
matters relating to the church, such as the consecration of altars, and new
churches, and monasteries erected there. They also ordained numerous clergy, and
attended to whatever else was necessary:
47. And twice, to our certain
knowledge, this miserable Eugenius, who had now fallen into heresy, was sent
there on these visitations; and again other bishops at other times.
48. Finally then the desire seized
Conon and Eugenius of going to this country, and leading it into error, and
winning it over to their heresy. But while thus busily occupied, the fated day
arrived for Eugenius, and he died there; and Conon returned to Constantinople.
·
49. The cause which induced him to
proceed there was as follows: Previous to the schism among the Tritheites, and
their separation into Cononites and Athanasians, the founder of the latter sect
had made his will, and after naming the king and queen as his chief heirs, he
directed that his slaves should be set free, and each one receive a legacy:
50. He further left bequests to
various friends, and to Conon a considerable sum of money to be expended on
charitable objects, besides ten liter’s of gold for himself, to be paid
immediately: and as we are told that a liter was equal to twelve ounces, the
legacy amounted to about £500:
51. Nor was this all; for he also
gave him two liters as long as he lived, or about £100 a year; and in
estimating the value of this, we must of course take into consideration the
greater quantity of commodities which could be purchased for the same weight of
gold.
52.
Having sealed this will,
Athanasius deposited it in safe keeping at a time anterior to the breaking out
of the schism: but when this took place, and they mutually excommunicated one
another, and finally published books against one another full of bitter
railing’s, Athanasius purposed to change his will, and exclude Conon from it,
but died suddenly:
53. And when his will was opened,
Conon took what was written in it, while still excommunicating him who had left
him the money. And this then was the reason why he came to the capital. But on
his arrival there, John of Asia, that is, John of Ephesus, sent him the
following protestation:
54. How long, O wise man, dost
thou not take it into thy thought that thou art a mortal, and that thou must
stand revealed before the dread tribunal of justice, and that there thou must
give an account why thou permit thyself to be called lord.
55. And have thy hands kissed by a
sect of the church of the living God, who delivered Himself up for its sake?
Why persist thou in such folly, since thou must know that all, to
whatever side they belong, whether it be thine or ours, are alike on their way
to God?
56. Let us both then, both thou
and my unworthy self, while we continue in the body, abstain from all violence,
of which Satan is the author, and be clothed in the gentleness and lowliness of
Christ our God, and draw near to one another in mutual love, and put an end to
this dispute and schism.
57. And evilly as matters have
gone in our days, and in our intercourse with one another, yet let us now, while
we still survive, break down and destroy the wall of enmity between us, that
false doctrine may not thus continue in the church of God.
58. To this Conon replied; that he
should be glad if it could be so: but without giving any further answer, he took
the gold that had been left him, and returned to Cilicia, where he delighted
himself in his heresy, as much as a drunkard in his wine.
59. But though Conon was thus
indifferent, it was not so with the rest of those who proclaimed substances and
natures in the Godhead, for being blamed by every body, and despised also by
their own hearts they often clad themselves in sheep's clothing.
60.
And begged that they might be
reunited to the orthodox church: from which indeed they had gone out, but to
which they had never belonged; for if they had been of it, they would have
continued in it. Concealing therefore the guile of their hearts, they said that
they wished to return to unity.
··
61.
But when they came to
converse, and were required to repent, and cease from saying that there are
substances and natures in the Trinity, lest thereby a diversity of gods, and
godheads, such as the heathen hold, should enter into Christianity, they
immediately declined, saying;
62. 'We cannot but affirm that the
substances and natures are capable of being numbered.' To which the orthodox
replied, 'that the faith of the church confesses one God, who is known under the
three persons of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:
63. Three persons: three names:
one Godhead, and one substance; one nature: one Lordship, and might, and will,
and kingdom, and authority, and dominion, in heaven and in earth: one three; and
three one, without division and without confusion.
64.
How then can ye desire, though
ye confess it not openly, to introduce into the catholic church, by these crowds
of gods, which like heathen ye hold, the doctrine of a diversity of substances
and natures, while in pretence, and not in truth, ye desire to be united to us,
and guilefully devise and form plans for seducing and drawing aside the whole
church to your heresy?'
65.
And so they were sent away
blushing and ashamed; but their present failure did not prevent them from often
making similar overtures, both at Constantinople and in other quarters of the
empire.
66. Especially both in Alexandria
and Syria the same attempts were again and again made. For when they found that
they could not cajole those at the metropolis, they proceeded to Alexandria, and
drew up an act of recantation, in which they skillfully inserted their
confession of faith, and presented it to Damianus, the successor of Peter in the
patriarchate there:
67. But when he further required
of them the denial of a plurality of natures and substances in the Godhead; and
also, that they should excommunicate john grammaticus and his three books, which had been the original cause of their
error.
68. They showed that they were
ready to condemn the third book, which denied the resurrection of these bodies;
but the first, in which was the doctrine of a diversity of Gods, they refused to
reject and condemn it, wherefore he excommunicated and deposed them.
69.
They made the same attempt
more than once in Syria; but finally, when they saw that their wiles did not
succeed, they continued without further attempts at union to hold their
pernicious heresy even to this day.
70. Thus rejected by the orthodox
in all parts of the empire, the Tritheites made an attempt to lessen the general
odium in which they were held by forming a large book of lacerations, which
those of them who considered themselves to be philosophers tore from the living
body of the writings of the holy fathers, in the idea that it established and
confirmed their heresy.
71.
But of them the law of God
speaks in its command, 'Ye shall not eat flesh torn by wild beasts;' for they
tear dead limbs from the argumentative works of the holy fathers, thereby
imagining to prove that the fathers, like themselves, introduced and taught a
plurality of substances.
72. But, without perceiving it,
they only convicted themselves thereby of teaching and proclaiming a
plurality of godheads and many gods, as the heathen do.
Chapter 6.
1. The further history of the
Tritheites is given in few words; for these teachers of polytheism under Conon
and Eugenius as their heads, flourished for a time greatly, and multiplied their
bishops, and sent them in all directions to increase and establish their heresy.
2. And they posted several in the
capital, opening large meeting-houses, and gathering numerous congregations, to
whom: they taught their
tenets boldly and without fear because john,
the patriarch of the city, was originally inclined to help them.
3. But upon his death, when
Eutychius returned as his successor, he sent and seized all he could find of
that portion of them, who separated themselves from the followers of his own
favorite heresy, namely the denial of the resurrection of the body.
4. And stripped their churches of
their furniture, and overthrew and uprooted their altars: while he arrested
their bishops and leading men and confined them in various monasteries, where
they were forced to remain in inactivity for many years.
5.
One alone recanted his errors
and returned to the orthodox church, a Cilician bishop, consecrated by Conon,
but whose name is not given, though he is said to have been a man of note.
6. When however he knew and
understood the false doctrine contained in their heresy, he turned from them,
and offered to the orthodox a writing of recantation, and condemned the
Cononites, and their heresy, and was added to the side of the believers.
7. Elsewhere we made mention of
them under the name of Condobaudites, a title, which, though frequently applied
to the followers of Conon generally, seems properly to belong to a small section
confined to Constantinople, where the monastery was situated, from which they
took their name.
8. Their existence, it seems, was
owing to their dislike of a sermon preached at the capital by Theodosius of
Alexandria, against the two heresies of the Tritheites and the Sabellians,
certain expressions of which offended them as appearing to imply that he also
introduced a diversity of nature and substance into the Godhead.
9. For this reason they withdrew
and assembled apart, but they had no head, and no one to make priests for them:
and therefore they often made the attempt to gain admission into the communion
of the believers.
10.
Conferences accordingly took
place, and such of them as had knowledge to discern what was fitting, united
themselves unto them; and such as had no knowledge foolishly and without fitting
reason wickedly continued as they were.
11. In his account of Conon, the
Tritheite heresiarch, John mentioned that he was delivered into the hands of photius, with instructions to
imprison him in Palestine; and this induces our historian to give some details
respecting this personage.
12. Who, individually worthless,
is nevertheless deserving of interest on account of the ill treatment he
experienced from his mother, Antonina, wife of the patrician Belisarius, and the
bosom friend and confidante of the unworthy Theodora.
13. photius
had been bred, he tells us, to the profession of arms, and had accompanied his
stepfather in several campaigns; but finally, for some reason, into which he
does not enter, he had assumed the tonsure, the monkish dress, though he by no
means conformed to their morals.
14.
But he had put on the
appearance of a monk under a borrowed name,—by which is meant, not that he
concealed who he was, but that his adoption of the profession of a monk was but
a pretence.
15. And this soon led him to
repent of the step he had taken; for shortly afterwards, being unable to quell
the savageness of his temper, and bend it unto piety, he betook himself to the
king, still clad outwardly in the monastic garb.
16. Now it so happened that the
Samaritans were in a state of revolt, and the king therefore sent him with full
powers into Syria. As his wish then was to please men, and anger the God who
made him, by running on every pretext after impure gains,
17. Thus he gave himself up to the
spoiling and plundering and oppressing of mankind, to uproot and destroy; and
all the regions in the east, great and small, were ruined as utterly as if they
had been pillaged by barbarians: so great was the terror he inspired, that even
the bishops and clergy of the cities fled from before him:
18.
For if he heard of any one
whatsoever, either in the city or the country, possessing sufficiency in his
daily bread, he seized them, and plundered them, and imprisoned them, and hung
them up, and tortured them, and imposed upon them a fine of a pound of gold,
whoever they might be, whether they were worth as much or not.
19.
Nor could he be induced to
alter his sentence, even though a man had to sell himself and his children into
slavery, and his household, and his substance. For when he laid hands on any
one, whatsoever he said, give me so many pounds of gold: for the king has need
of gold to expend upon his wars.
20. And in this way he gathered
together hundreds of pounds of gold, and sent them to the king, in order that he
might obtain authority and power from him to do whatever he liked to whomsoever
he liked, and that no man might stand before him.
21.
For he even exacted large sums
from bishops; and if any one resisted him, forthwith on the very spot he strung
him up to a rope fixed either behind his head, or to his elbows, or to one arm.
22. And in this way, it is said,
he served the bishop of Askalon, on whom he levied a contribution of three
hundred pounds of gold; and when the bishop bewailed, and begged for mercy,
saying he had not so much, he ordered him to be hung up by a rope, and left him
hanging.
23. And went on his way, leaving
orders that though he should hang for three days, they should not let him down
till the money was paid. Nor was he loosed from the rope till the three hundred
pounds of gold were brought.
24. And he treated the rest in
many instances in a similar manner, till the land trembled before him, and all
the magistrates and governors and the rest of the lords. And when many went to
the king, and in his presence implored for mercy, he wrote to photius, saying.
25. 'The money you send us being
got by plunder is a sin;' but he wrote in reply, 'do not you be afraid, my lord
of sin, in respect of the gold, which I send you: the sin is on my head.
In these doings he was accompanied by a crowd of monks fit for such
deeds, and even members of the imperial family, and officers of the household
troops, and guardsmen, and a host of Romans.
26. And when in this base course
of destruction and wickedness and cruelty, devoid of all fear of God, he had
fulfilled a period of twelve years, his allotted time overtook him, and he
descended to the tomb by a miserable end, and with an accursed remembrance.
27. And there was appointed in his
stead a certain Abraham, the abbot of what is called the new monastery in
Jerusalem.
·
28. Although the monasteries, as
has been mentioned above, were treated with lawless violence, still few of the
members had submitted to a communion with the patriarch, and the rest had been
expelled, and sent to other monasteries, while clergy were everywhere introduced
in their stead, to celebrate the holy communion, and administer it to those who
had yielded to him.
29. Moreover, the name of the
synod was written up, and proclaimed in them, and the pictures of all the
orthodox fathers were taken down, and those of john himself where everywhere set up. But as he had done, so was he
requited of God.
30.
For after his bitter and
painful death, and the succession of eutychius his predecessor upon the throne, his pictures in all places were
utterly destroyed, and those of eutychius fixed up in the churches in their stead.
31.
And most of the nunneries
returned to their old creed, and became orthodox, except a few young girls, who
still went every day and received the sacrament from the clergy in communion
with the synod, and assumed the monastic dress:
32. But the rest openly seceded,
and not a single one of them would take the communion at their hands, especially
after the death of john.
·
(Leonard: Do not assume
as if Christianity returned, the swine simply went from one mud hole to another.
Be it the picture of john the devil, or eutychinus, neither has the likeness of Christ Jesus Who forbade in the very
first commandment, not to have any other god nor any graven image, that includes
pictures. For only the most barbarian among the race of men elevate their pictures.)
·
33. And even before his death.
john, still intoxicated with
wrathful zeal for the persecution of Christians, and thirsting, like a wolf, for
the blood of the lambs, went into the presence of the peaceful and serene Caesar
Tiberius, being anxious to inflame him also with the same angry zeal as himself.
34. But after he had exhausted his
arguments against the believers, the Caesar replied, 'Tell me now the truth: who
are these persons about whom you ask me, and whom you urge me to persecute? Are
they heathens?'
35. The scoundrel knowing that
deceit was impossible answered, 'Heathens' they are not.' 'What then,' said he,
'are they heretics?' 'No, my lord,' he replied, 'neither are they heretics.'
Well then,' said he, 'as you yourself bear witness, they are Christians.'
'They are so indeed,' he replied, '
36. Christians of the Christians.'
'If then, as you bear witness,' said the Caesar, 'they are Christians, why do
you urge me to persecute Christians, as if I were a Diocletian, or one of those
old heathen kings? Go, sit in thy
church, and be quiet, and do not trouble me again with such things.'
37. And so the heat of his
savageness cooled down, until the wrath of Heaven overtook him, as we have
mentioned above, and he departed from this life. And when his successor, eutychius, returned to his
throne, being incited by those clergy who had become habituated to plunder and
rapine
38.
He also had an audience with
'the serene Tiberius Constantinus Caesar,' and spake much against the whole
party of the believers. But he gave him also for answer;
39. 'We have enough to do with the
wars against the barbarians, which surround us on every side: we cannot stir up
another war against Christians. Go and sit quiet.
40.
If however, by word and
admonition, you can persuade them, do so: but if not, let them alone, and do not
persecute them, nor trouble me, who am exposed to the attacks of war from every
quarter.' And so he also was rebuffed for the present, and kept quiet.
41.
But even while
john lived, the orthodox
congregations grew in strength, and lifted up their heads again. For though he
had driven away their inmates, and closed their doors, yet when God sent down
upon him from heaven the chastisement of his heavy wrath, they all began to take
courage, and reopened them:
42. At first indeed timidly, and
quietly, and little by little, and so even during his lifetime they obtained
considerable additions to their number, and multiplied.
43.
But when he was scourged by
the wrath of God, and his mind enwrapped in the deadly fire which was fixed in
his heart and burning in his bowels, the orthodox acted more boldly; and
finally, his adherents and the ministers of his wickedness, as if knowing his
will, went unto him, and said,
44. 'Lo! Once again these enemies
of the church and synod have opened the doors of their meeting-houses, and are
spreading more than ever, and rejoice in thy sickness, and pray for thy death.
But if thou wilt give us the command, we will torture them more sharply than at
the first, and heap evils upon them.'
45. But he in wrath, and with loud
voice, resisted them, saying, 'Depart from me, ye murderers, and be content with
my humiliation; for it is ye who have chiefly brought me to this miserable
state. There are already enough curses, which have roused and brought down upon
me the wrath of Heaven.
46. Away with you, and let no man
ever mention this subject again in my presence.' And so they departed humbled
from before him. And thus then, as we have said, both before his death, which
was not long delayed, and after his death, the congregations of the believers
once again met in full security.
·
47. One monastery the history of
which deserves especial mention, was built by the famous eunuch Narses, when
holding the office of chartulary at the court of Justinian, before he was sent
to restore the fortunes of the empire in Italy.
48. His purpose had been to retire
from the palace, and adopt the monkish tonsure, and reside in it; and with this
object he located the monks there who had been driven out of Cappadocia by
persecution, and purchased a large estate, upon which he erected a magnificent
church, and a hospice for the reception of strangers, and finally, endowed the
monastery with large revenues.
49. But just then he received
orders to proceed to Rome: and there, by the help of God, which went with him,
he gained numerous and important victories in many successive campaigns. And
there finally he departed from this world, and his bones were brought and
deposited in his monastery, in the presence of the king and queen who took part
in the procession, and deposition of the relics, and in his canonization as
founder.