Reference:Mel. 12, CPG 2123.17, FNS 56
Incipit:Ἐπειδὴ προσῆλθόν σοι
Date:ca. 332/333
Greek Text:Athanasius, Apol. Sec. 64
English Translation:NPNF2 vol. 4, p. 133-4, adapted for FCC by SMT

Ischyras was a resident of Mareotis, a district of Alexandria, who made himself to be a clergyman. Athanasius had sent Macarius who ordered him to stop. Ischyras would flee to the Melitians who used him to concoct the story about Athanasius sending Macarius to break a sacred chalice. This letter was written as an apology by Ischyras claiming that he was beaten into saying that accusation. However, he would go back on that and testify against Athanasius at the Council of Tyre with this very charge.

The Greek text below is that of Opitz as found in AW 2.4:59.6. The English translation has been adapted from NPNF2 vol. 4, p. 133-4 by SMT.

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The derivative translation below is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Τῷ μακαρίῳ πάπᾳ Ἀθανασίῳ Ἰσχύρας ἐν κυρίῳ χαίρειν.To the blessed pope Athanasius, Ischyras sends health in the Lord.
Ἐπειδὴ προσῆλθόν σοι, κύριε ἐπίσκοπε, βουλόμενος τῆς ἐκκλησίας εἶναι, ἡτιάσω δέ με ἐφ᾽ οἷς πρότερον ἐφθεγξάμην, ὡς ἐμοῦ ἀπὸ προαιρέσεως εἰς τοῦτο παρελθόντος, τούτου ἕνεκεν ταύτην τὴν ἀπολογίαν ἐγγράφως σοι ἐπιδίδωμι, ἵν᾽ εἰδέναι ἔχοις ὅτι βίας μοι γενομένης καὶ πληγῶν ἐπιτεθεισῶν ἀπὸ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἡρακλείδου καὶ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ τῆς Λητοῦς καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν σὺν αὐτοῖς.As when I came to you, my Lord Bishop, desiring to be received into the Church, you reproved me for what I formerly said, as though I had proceeded to such lengths of my own free choice, I therefore submit to you this my apology in writing, in order that you may understand, that violence was used towards me, and blows inflicted on me by Isaac and Heraclides, and Isaac of Letopolis, and those of their party.
ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν θεὸν εἰς τοῦτο λαμβάνων ἀπολογοῦμαι ὅτι οὐδὲν ὧν ἐκεῖνοι εἰρήκασι σύνοιδά σε πεποιηκέναι. οὔτε γὰρ ποτηρίου κλάσις γέγονεν οὔτε τῆς ἁγίας τραπέζης καταστροφὴ γεγένηται, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα ἐκεῖνοι βίαν ἐπιθέντες μοι εἰς τοῦτο παρώρμησάν με. ταῦτα δὲ ἀπελογησάμην σοι καὶ ἐγγράφως ἐπιδέδωκα αἱρούμενος καὶ ἐπιδικαζόμενος εἶναι τῶν ὑπὸ σὲ συναγομένων. ἐρρῶσθαί σε εὔχομαι ἐν κυρίῳ.And this matter, that of none of the things which they have stated, do I know you to be guilty. For no breaking of a cup or overturning of the Holy Table ever took place, but they compelled me by violent usage to assert all this. And this defense I make and submit to you in writing, desiring and claiming for myself to be admitted among the members of your congregation. I pray that you may have health in the Lord.
Ἐπιδέδωκα δὲ τήνδε μου τὴν χεῖρά σοι τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ Ἀθανασίῳ ἐπὶ παρουσίᾳ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων Ἀμμωνᾶ Δικέλλης, Ἡρακλείου Φάσκω, Βόκκονος Χενεβρί, Ἀχιλλᾷ Μυρσίνης, Διδύμου Ταφοσίρεως καὶ Ἰούστου ἀπὸ Βωμοθέου, καὶ διακόνων ἀπὸ μὲν Ἀλεξανδρείας Παύλου καὶ Πέτρου καὶ Ὀλυμπίου, ἀπὸ δὲ Μαρεώτου Ἀμμωνίου καὶ Πιστοῦ καὶ Δημητρίου καὶ Γαίου.I submit this my handwriting to you the Bishop Athanasius in the presence of the Presbyters, Ammonas of Dicella, Heraclius of Phascos, Boccon of Chenebri, Achillas of Myrsine, Didymus of Taphosiris, and Justus from Bomotheus; and of the Deacons, Paul, Peter, and Olympius, of Alexandria, and Ammonius, Pistus, Demetrius, and Gaius, of the Mareotis.

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