Philostorgius, Ecclesiastical History
| Reference | CPG 6032 |
| Date | c. 425-433 |
| Greek Text | Philostorgius Kirchengeschichte., ed. J. Bidez. GCS 21 (Leipzig, 1913) |
| English Translation | FCC (AGC) |
Unlike most of the other accounts of the first Nicaean council, Philostorgius was a staunch Eunomian, and remained an adherent of this radical sect of Arianism throughout his life. It is not surprising, then, that his history no longer exists except in the fragments preserved by other writers, and a summary by Photius of Book 1. In these fragments, however, we see an Arian point of view unique among the extant church histories from this time. Although Philostorgius shows himself to be just as biased as the orthodox historians, his writing is also generally well-researched and reliable.
| Greek | English |
| 1.7 Ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου οὗτος τὸν Αλεξανδρείας φησὶν Ἀλέξανδρον καταλαβόντα τὴν Νικομήδειαν καὶ Ὁσίῳ τε τῷ Κουδρούβης ἐντυχόντα καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ ἐπισκόποις, συνοδικαῖς ψήφοις ἀνομολογῆσαι παρασκευάσαι ὁμοούσιον τῷ πατρὶ τὸν υἱόν, καὶ τὸν Ἄρειον ἀποκηρύξασθαι. | 1.7 [Philostorgus says that] Alexander of Alexandria, even before the Council of Nicaea, happened to be in Nicomedia and met with Hosius of Corduba and the bishops with him, to agree by synodical decree that the Son should be described as homoousios with the Father, and that Arius should be disowned. |
| 1.8 Μετ᾽ οὐ πολὺν δὲ χρόνον καὶ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συστῆναι σύνοδον ἐν ᾗ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀρχιερέων θεοῦ καὶ Βασιλέα τὸν Ἀμασείας ἐπίσκοπον παρεῖναι καὶ Μελέτιον τὸν Σεβαστουπόλεως. | 1.8 Not very long after this, the synod was held in Nicaea. Basileus, the bishop of Amaseia, and Melitius, the bishop of Sebastopolis, were present along with the other high priests of God. |
| 1.9 Ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς συνομολογεῖ πάντας ὁμοφρονῆσαι τῷ ἐν Νικαίᾳ τῆς πίστεως ὅρῳ, πλὴν Σεκούνδου τοῦ Πτολεμαΐδος, ᾧ καὶ Θεωνᾶς ὁ τῆς Μαρμαρικῆς ἠκολούθησεν. τὸ δὲ στῖφος τῶν Ἀρειανῶν ἐφόρων, Εὐσέβιός τε, φημί, ὁ Νικομηδείας ὅν οὗτος ἀποθειάζει μέγαν καὶ Θέογνις ὁ Νικαίας, καὶ Μάρις ὁ Καλχηδόνος, καὶ ἡ ἄλλη φάλαγξ πρὸς τὴν σύνοδον μετετάξατο, ἐν δόλῳ μέν, καὶ οὗτος φησι, καὶ τὸ ὁμοιούσιον ἐν τῇ τοῦ ὁμουσίου φωνῇ ὑποκλέψαντες, πλήν γε συμφρονεῖν τοῖς συνοδικοῖς ψηφίσμασιν ἀναδεξάμενοι, Κωνσταντίνας τῆς τοῦ Κωνσταντίνου βασιλέως ἀδελφῆς εἰσηγησαμένης αὐτοῖς τὴν εἰς τοῦτο παραίνεσιν. | 1.9 He also agrees that all were of one mind at Nicaea concerning the definition of the faith, except for Secundus of Ptolemais and Theonas of Marmarica, who followed him. The band of Arian leaders, including Eusebius the bishop of Nicomedia (whom he glorifies as ‘the Great’), Theognis of Nicaea, Maris of Chalcedon, and the rest of their troop defected to the synod. But they did so in trickery, he says, and concealed homoiousion in the word homoousion. Nevertheless, at the urging of Constantine’s sister Constantia, they agreed to the synodical resolutions. |
| 1.10 Λέγει δὲ καὶ Σεκοῦνδον ὑπεροριζόμενον εἰπεῖν πρὸς Εὐσέβιον, “Εὐσέβιε, ὑπέγραψας ἵνα μὴ εξορισυῇς. πιστεύω τῷ θεῷ, δι᾽ ἐμοῦ σε δεῖ ἀχθήσεσθαι ἀπαγόμενου.” καὶ γεγονέναι τῷ Εὺσεβίῳ τὸν ἐξοστρακισμὸν μετὰ μῆνας ἀπὸ τῆς συνόδου τρεῖς, καθὰ καὶ Σεκοῦνδος προεῖεν, πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν κατὰ τὸ προφανὲς ἀσέβειαν ἀναστρέψαντι. | 1.10 He says that Secundus, as he was being banished, said to Eusebius, “Eusebius, you subscribed in order to avoid banishment. By God I believe that it is necessary for you to be banished on account of me.” And that very thing happened to Eusebius. Three months after the synod, just as Secundus had foretold, he was exiled, since he had obviously reverted to his impiety. |
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