Constantine to Alexandria (CPG 2123.16)
| Reference: | Mel. 11, CPG 2123.16, FNS 55 |
| Incipit: | Ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί, προσαγορεύω |
| Date: | 332 |
| Greek Text: | Athanasius, Apol. Sec. 61-62 |
| Ancient Descriptions: | Socrates, HE 1.27.9-10; Sozomen, HE 2.22.8-9; portion in Theodoret HE 1.27 |
| English Translation: | NPNF2 vol. 4, p. 132-3, adapted for FCC by SMT |
This letter was written by Constantine and sent with Athanasius to defend him from the Melitians in Alexandria. Constantine decries both the spirit of the schism and the general attitude of constant accusations against Athanasius. Athanasius reports that this letter quited the Melitians for a short time.
The Greek text below is that of Opitz as found in AW 2.4:61-62. The English translation has been adapted from NPNF2 vol. 4, p. 137 by SMT for FCC.
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The derivative translation below is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
| Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεραστὸς τῷ λαῷ τῷ κατὰ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας. | Constantine the Great Augustus to the people of the universal church in Alexandria. |
| Ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί, προσαγορεύω ὑμᾶς ἐπικαλούμενος τὸν θεὸν τὸν τῆς ἐμῆς βουλήσεως μέγιστον μάρτυρα καὶ τὸν τοῦ ἡμετέρου νόμου μονογενῆ δημιουργόν, ὃς καὶ τῆς ζωῆς προκαθέζεται τῶν ἁπάντων καὶ τὰς διχονοίας μισεῖ. πλὴν τί ἂν εἴποιμι; ὅτι καλῶς ὑγιαίνομεν; ἀλλ᾽ ἐξῆν καλλίονος ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς εὐρωστίας, εἰ ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀμοιβαδὶς ἠγαπᾶτε ἀποσεισάμενοι τὰ μίση, δι’ ὧν ταῖς τῶν ἐρεσχηλούντων τρικυμίαις τὸν λιμένα τῆς ἀγάπης ἐγκατελίπομεν. | Beloved brethren, I greet you well, calling upon God, who is the chief witness of my intention, and on the Only-begotten, the author of our Law, who is sovereign over the lives of all men, and who hates dissensions. But what shall I say to you? That I am in good health? No, but I should be able to enjoy better health and strength, if you were possessed with mutual love towards one another, and had rid yourselves of your enmities, through which, in consequence of the storms excited by contentious men, we have left the haven of brotherly love. |
| φεῦ τῆς ἀτοπίας ταύτης· ὅσα καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν συμπτώματα τοῦ συγκεχυμένου φθόνου κινεῖται, οὕτω πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦ θεοῦ μετῳκίσθησὰν αἱ δυσφημίαι. ποῦ τοίνυν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡ πίστις ἀνακεχώρηκεν; ὅπου γε εἰς τοσοῦτον τῇ τοῦ σκότους ἀχλύι περιβεβλήμεθα οὐ μόνον διὰ τὴν πολύπλοκον πλάνην, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὰ τῶν ἀχαρίστων ἐλαττώματα. τῶν μὲν τὴν ἄνοιαν βραβευόντων ἀνεχόμεθα, τῶν δὲ τὴν ἐπιείκειαν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν διακρουομένων αἰσθανόμενοι παρενθυμούμεθα. | Alas, what perverseness is this! What evil consequences are produced every day by the tumult of envy which has been stirred up among you! Hence it is that evil reports have settled upon the people of God. Whither has the faith of righteousness departed? For we are so involved in the mists of darkness, not only through manifold errors, but through the faults of ungrateful men, that we bear with those who favor folly, and though we are aware of them, take no heed of those who set aside goodness and truth. |
| τί τὸ δεινὸν τοῦτο τῆς ἡμετέρας κακίας; τοὺς ἐχθροὺς οὐκ ἐλέγχομεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἑπόμεθα τῷ λῃστηρίῳ, δι᾿ οὗ ὁδόν τινα ἑαυτῇ, ἵν᾽ οὕτως εἴπω, ἡ τῆς ἀπωλείας ἀπάτη μηδενὸς ἀντικειμένου ῥᾳδίως εἰργάσατο. ἆρα οὐδεμία ἐστὶν αἴσθησις οὐδὲ κατὰ χάριν τῆς κοινῆς ἁπάντων φύσεως, εἴ γε τῶν τοῦ νόμου προσταγμάτων ἠμελήσαμεν; ἀλλ᾽ ἐρεῖ τις· κατὰ φύσιν ἡ ἀγάπη ἐξευρίσκεται. | What strange inconsistency is this! We do not convict our enemies, but we follow the example of robbery which they set us, whereby the most pernicious errors, finding no one to oppose them, easily, if I may so speak, make a way for themselves. Is there no understanding among us, for the credit of our common nature, since we are thus neglectful of the commands of the law? But someone will say, that love is a thing brought out by nature. |
| τί οὖν ὅτι ἡμεῖς καὶ τὸν τοῦ ϑεοῦ νόμον πρὸς τῇ εὐφυίᾳ σχόντες ἀνεχόμεθα τῆς ὀχλήσεως καὶ τοῦ θορύβου τῶν ἐχθρῶν πυρσοῖς τισιν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐξαπτομένων; καὶ οὐχ ὁρῶμεν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες οὐδὲ αἰσθανόμεθα, καίτοι ταῖς τοῦ νόμου αἰσθήσεσιν ὄντες πεφραγμένοι. | But, I ask, how is it that we who have got the law of God for our guide in addition to our natural advantages, thus tolerate the disturbances and disorders raised by our enemies, who seem inflamed, as it were, with firebrands? How is it, that having eyes, we neither see nor understand, though we are surrounded by the intelligence of the law? |
| ὁπόση ἄρα πτόησις τὴν ἡμετέραν ζωὴν κατείληφεν, ὅπου γε ἡμῶν ἑαυτῶν οὕτως ἀμελοῦμεν καὶ ταῦτα ὑπομιμνήσκοντος τοῦ θεοῦ; εἶτα οὐκ ἔστιν ἀφόρητον τὸ κακόν; οὐ πολεμίους ἡγεῖσθαι προσήκει τούτους, οὐ τὸν οἶκον καὶ τὸν λαὸν τοῦ θεοῦ; ἐμπαροινοῦσιν ἡμῖν καὶ ἐγκαλοῦσί γε οἱ πανώλεις ἐκεῖνοι καὶ ἐπιπλήσσουσιν ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων ἡμῖν. | What a stupor has seized upon our life, that we are thus neglectful of ourselves, and that although God admonishes us! Is it not an intolerable evil? And ought we not to esteem such men as our enemies, and not the household and people of God? For they are infuriated against us, abandoned as they are; they lay grievous crimes to our charge, and make attacks upon us as enemies. |
| μεθ᾽ ὅσης δὲ ἀπονοίας τοῦτο πράττουσιν, ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐννοεῖν ἀξιῶ. οἱ γὰρ μωροὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γλώττης κειμένην ἔχουσι τὴν κακίαν. οὗτοι γοῦν μολιβδίνας τινὰς ὀργὰς ἐπιφέρονται, ὡς ἑαυτοὺς μὲν κατ᾽ ἀντίδοσιν πλήττειν, ἡμᾶς δὲ πρὸς κέρδος τῆς οἰκείας κολάσεως ἀπάγειν. | And I would have you yourselves to consider with what exceeding madness they do this. The foolish men carry their maliciousness at their tongues’ end. They carry about with them a sort of leaden anger, so that they reciprocally smite one another, and involve us by way of increasing their own punishment. |
| καὶ ὁ μὲν καλῶς διδάξας πολέμιος κρίνεται, ὁ δὲ τὴν τοῦ φθόνου κακίαν προβεβλημένος ἐκεῖνος τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ ἡμερότητα οὐ δεόντως καταλαμβάνει, πορθεῖ, καταναλίσκει, καὶ ἑαυτὸν κακοθελεῖ ἐγκωμίῳ κοσμεῖ καὶ συντίθησι, τὴν δὲ ἀλήθειαν ἀνατρέπει καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἀπατᾷ, μέχρις οὗ τῷ οἰκείῳ συνειδότι φωλεὸν καὶ κρυπτηρίαν ἐπιζητήσας εὕρῃ. | The good teacher is accounted an enemy, while he who clothes himself with the vice of envy, contrary to all justice makes his gain of the gentle temper of the people; he ravages, and consumes, he decks himself out, and recommends himself with false praises; he subverts the truth, and corrupts the faith, until he finds out a hole and hiding-place for his conscience. |
| αὕτη γοῦν αὐτοὺς ἡ σκαιότης ἀθλίους ποιεῖ, ὅταν προπετῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἀναξίους ὄντας ἀποδέχωνται λέγοντες· φεῦ τῶν κακῶν· ἐκεῖνος πρεσβύτερός ἐστι καὶ ἐκεῖνος παῖς, ἐμοῦ ἅπτεται ἡ τιμή, ἐμοὶ ὀφείλεται, ἐκείνου περιαιρεθῇ, ἐπεὶ αὐτὸς ἐμαυτῷ ἀφαρπάσας ἅπαντας ἐπ᾽ ἐξουσίας ἀπολέσαι πειράσομαι᾽, λαμπρά τις ἡ τῆς μανίας ἐκβόησις, τάγματα καὶ συλλόγους ἤ, ἵν’ οὕτως εἴπω, ἀρχιαιρεσίαν τῶν ἀτόπων τούτων συστημάτων ἰδεῖν. | Thus their very perverseness makes them wretched, while they impudently prefer themselves to places of honor, however unworthy they may be. Ah, what a mischief is this! They say, “Such an one is too old; such an one is a mere boy; the office belongs to me; it is due to me, since it is taken away from him. I will gain over all men to my side, and then I will endeavor with my power to ruin him.” Plain indeed is this proclamation of their madness to all the world; the sight of companies, and gatherings, and rowers under command in their offensive cabals. |
| ὢ τῆς ἀτοπίας ἡμῶν, ἵν᾽ οὕτως εἴπω, ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ θεοῦ ἀνοίας ἐστὶν ἐπίδειξις. εἶτα οὐκ αἰδοῦνται; οὐκ αὐτοὶ ἑαυτοὺς ψέγουσιν οὐδὲ τὰς ψυχὰς δάκνονται, ἵνα νῦν γοῦν καταντικρὺ τῆς ἀπάτης καὶ τῆς ἐρεσχηλίας ἄξιόν τι φρονεῖν δόξωσι; βία μόνη ἐστὶ τοῦ φθόνου τοῖς ἰδίοις ἐπερειδομένη φαρμάκοις. | Alas, what preposterous conduct is ours, if I may say it! Do they make an exhibition of their folly in the Church of God? And are they not yet ashamed of themselves? Are they not smitten in their consciences, so that they now at length show that they entertain a proper sense of their deceit and contentiousness? Theirs is the mere force of envy, supported by those baneful influences which naturally belong to it. |
| οὐδὲν ἴσχυσαν οἱ πονηροὶ κατὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ὑμῶν, ἐμοὶ πιστεύσατε, ἀδελφοί. οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐσπουδάκασιν, ἢ ἵνα κατατρίψαντες τοὺς ἡμετέρους χρόνους μηδεμίαν χώραν ἐν τῇ ζοῇ ταύτῃ μεταμελείας ἔχωσιν. | But those wretches have no power against your bishop. Believe me, brethren, their endeavors will have no other effect than this, after they have worn down our days, to leave to themselves no place of repentance in this life. |
| ἐπικουρήσατε τοίνυν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς, παρακαλῶ, τὸ φίλτρον τὸ ἡμέτερον ἀγαπήσατε καὶ παντὶ σθένει διώξατε τοὺς τὴν τῆς ἡμετέρας ὁμονοίας χάριν ἀφανίζειν ἐπιθυμοῦντας καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπιδόντες ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀγαπᾶτε. ἐγὼ γὰρ τὸν ὑμέτερον ἐπίσκοπον Ἀθανάσιον ἀσμένως προσηκάμην οὕτως τε προσεφθεγξάμην ὡς ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν θεοῦ ὄντα πεπεισμένος. | Therefore I beseech you, lend help to yourselves; receive kindly our love, and with all your strength drive away those who desire to obliterate from among us the grace of unanimity; and looking unto God, love one another. I received gladly your Bishop Athanasius, and addressed him in such a manner, as being persuaded that he was a man of God. |
| ὑμέτερόν ἐστι ταῦτα συνιέναι, οὐκ ἐμὸν κρίνειν. τὴν γὰρ πάρ’ ἐμοῦ πρόσρησιν αὐτὸν Ἀθανάσιον ὑμῖν διακονῆσαι τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην ἐννοῶν τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τῆς ἐπιεικείας αὐτοῦ, ἥτις οὐκ ἀναξίως τῆς εἰρηνικῆς μου πίστεως εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν τῆς σωτηριώδους γνώμης κατέχεται διαπαντὸς καὶ ἕξει τὸν προτρέποντα λογισμόν. ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί. | It is for you to understand these things, not for me to judge of them. I thought it becoming that the most reverend Athanasius himself should convey my salutation to you, knowing his kind care of you, which, in a manner worthy of that peaceable faith which I myself profess, is continually engaged in the good work of declaring saving knowledge, and will be able to exhort you as is suitable. May God preserve you, beloved brethren. |
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