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| Letter to the Mareotis from Sardica, A.D. 343-4.
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II. Personal Letters.
Letter
XLVI.—Letter4563
| 4563 This
and the following letters were first printed by Scipio Maffei from a
Latin ms. in the Chapter Library of Verona,
along with the Historia Acephala. They were included in Galland,
Bibl. Patr. vol. 5, and in Justiniani’s Ed. of Athanasius
(Padua, 1777). The letters are printed in Migne, xxvi. 1333,
sqq., along with one (from the same source) addressed by the
Council to the Mareotic Churches. Hefele doubts their genuineness, but
without reason (ii. 166, E. Tra.) The list of signatures (an
independent source of information, supr. p. 147) alone proves
the contrary. The two letters may be taken as a supplement to the
documents given, Apol. c. Ar. 37–50 (see also p. 147),
with which they have many points of resemblance. The Latin is very bad
and occasionally without sense; it bears clear traces of being a
rendering by an unskilful hand from Greek. | to the Mareotis from
Sardica, a.d. 343–4.
Athanasius to the
presbyters and deacons and the people of the Catholic Church in the
Mareotis, brethren beloved and longed for, greeting in the Lord.
The holy council has praised your piety in
Christ. They have all acknowledged your spirit and fortitude in all
things, in that ye did not fear threats, and though you had to bear
insults and persecutions against your piety you held out. Your letters
when read out to all produced tears and enlisted universal sympathy.
They loved you though absent, and reckoned your persecutions as their
own. Their letter to you is a proof of their affection: and although it
would suffice to include you along with the holy Church of Alexandria4564
| 4564 In
the letter referred to in note 1. | , yet the holy synod has written separately
to you in order that ye may be encouraged not to give way on account of
your sufferings, but to give thanks to God; because your patience shall
have good fruit.
Formerly the character of the heretics was not
evident. But now it is revealed and laid open to all. For the holy
synod has taken cognisance of the calumnies these men have concocted
against you, and has had them in abhorrence, and has deposed Theodore,
Valens, Ursacius, in Alexandria4565
| 4565 i.e.
has given notice to those places of their deposition. | and the
Mareotis by consent of all. The same notice has been given to other
Churches also. And since the cruelty and tyranny practised by them
against the Churches can no longer be borne, they have been cast out
from the episcopate and expelled from the communion of all. Moreover of
Gregory they were unwilling even to make mention, for since the man has
lacked the very name of bishop, they thought it superfluous to name
him. But on account of those who are deceived by him they have
mentioned his name; not because he seemed worthy of mention, but that
those deceived by him might thereby recognise his infamy and blush at
the kind of man with whom they have communicated. You will learn what
has been written about them from the previous document4566
: and though not all of the bishops came
together to sign, yet it was drawn up by all, and they signed for all.
Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the brethren salute you.
I, Protogenes4567
| 4567 For
the probably correct names and sees, see p. 147, sq. The
asterisk denotes signatories of the letter of the Council to the
Mareotis, the numbers in brackets denote those of the list on pp. 147,
sq. | , bishop,
desire that you may be preserved in the Lord, beloved and longed
for.
I, Athenodorus*, bishop, desire that ye may be
preserved in the Lord, most beloved brethren. [Other signatures]
Julian, Ammonius, Aprianus, Marcellus, Gerontius*, Porphyrius*,
Zosimus, Asclepius, Appian, Eulogius, Eugenius, Liodorus (26),
Martyrius, Eucarpus, Lucius*, Caloes. Maximus: by letters from the
Gauls I desire that ye may be preserved in the Lord, beloved. We,
Arcidamus and Philoxenus, presbyters, and Leo a deacon, from Rome,
desire that ye may be preserved. I, Gaudentius, bishop of Naissus,
desire that ye may be preserved in the Lord. [Also] Florentius of Meria
in Pannonia, Ammianus (9), of Castellum in Pannonia, Januarius of
Beneventum, Prætextatus of Narcidonum in Pannonia, Hyperneris (48)
of Hypata in Thessaly, Castus of Cæsaraugusta, Severus of Calcisus
in Thessaly, Julian of Therae Heptapolis4568
,
Lucius of Verona, Eugenius (35) of Hecleal Cycbinae4569
| 4569 These
two sees are a puzzle. | , Zosimus (92) of Lychni4570
| 4570 These
two sees are a puzzle. | Sunosion in Apulia4571
| 4571 Probably Canusium, the name of Stercorius being lost, lurks in
this corruption. | ,
Hermogenes of Syceon4572
, Thryphos of
Magara, Paregorius* of Caspi, Caloes (21) of Castromartis, Ireneus of
Syconis, Macedonius of Lypianum, Martyrius of Naupacti, Palladius of
Dius, Broseus (87) of Lu[g]dunum in Gaul, Ursacius of Brixia, Amantius
of Viminacium, by the presbyter Maximus, Alexander of Gypara in Achaia,
Eutychius of Mothona, Aprianus of Petavio in Pannonia, Antigonus of
Pallene in Macedonia, Dometius* of Acaria Constantias, Olympius of
Enorodope4573
| 4573 Æni in Thrace. D.C.B. iv. 75 (3). | , Zosimus of Oreomarga, Protasius of
Milan, Mark of Siscia on the Save, Eucarpus of Opûs in Achaia,
Vitalis* of Vertara in Africa, Helianus of Tyrtana, Symphorus of
Herapythae in Crete, Mosinius (64) of Heracla, Eucissus of Chisamus4574
| 4574 In
Crete, near Cydonia. | , Cydonius of Cydonia4575
| 4575 59
signatures, to which add Stercorius (note 8) and Athanasius, making
61. | .E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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