Emperor Constantine to Arius
| Reference | Dok. 33; Urk. 29; CPG 2040 |
| Incipit | Πάλαι μὲν ἐδηλώθη |
| Date | 27 November, 327 |
| Ancient source | Socrates, H.E. 1.25.7-8 |
| Modern edition | Hansen, GCS N.F. 1 (1995), 75. |
There is still debate about Arius and his movements after the Council of Nicaea, and the chronology of his later life. Barnes (Athanasius and Constantius, 17-18) argues that in the fall of 327 Arius and Euzoius applied directly to the emperor for readmittance to the church, and that they were subsequently admitted by a council meeting in Nicomedia in December of 327 or January of 328. S. Parvis (“Reception of Nicaea,” Cambridge Companion to the Council of Nicaea [2021], 231-232) agrees with this account in general, but sees the demand for Arius’s readmittance as being successfully blocked (for the moment) by the lack of cooperation of Alexandria. This letter would then have been issued immediately preceding that council.
The Greek text of this letter was preserved by Socrates, H.E. 1.25.7. The text below is that of Hansen. (GCS N.F. 1; Berlin, New York: De Gruyter, 1995), 75. English. The English translation was made for FCC by Aaron West.
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| 7. Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς Ἀρείῳ. | 7. Constantine the Great Augustus, to Arius. |
| Πάλαι μὲν ἐδηλώθη τῇ στερρότητί σου, ὅπως ἂν εἰς τὸ ἡμέτερον στρατόπεδον ἀφίκοιο, ἵνα τῆς ἡμετέρας θέας ἀπολαῦσαι δυνηθῇς. Θαυμάζομεν δὲ σφόδρα μὴ παραχρῆμα σὲ τοῦτο πεποιηκέναι. 8. Διόπερ νῦν γοῦν ἐπιβὰς ὀχήματι δημοσίῳ εἰς τὸ ἡμέτερον στρατόπεδον ἀφικέσθαι ἐπείχθητι, ὅπως ἂν τῆς παρ’ ἡμῶν εὐμενείας τε καὶ ὁμιλίας τυχὼν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα ἐπανελθεῖν δυνηθῇς. | It was made known to you in your stubbornness some time ago, that you might wish to come to our headquarters and so perhaps enjoy the privilege of seeing us. We are quite amazed that you did not do so immediately. 8. Therefore, now board a public (official) vehicle, and hasten to come to our court. This way, once you have been in our company and obtained favor from us, you may be able to return to your own country. |
| Ὁ Θεός σε διαφυλάττοι, ἀγαπητέ. | May God protect you, beloved. |
| Ἐδόθη τῇ πρὸ πέντε καλανδῶν Δεκεμβρίων | Dated the twenty-seventh of November. |
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